Travel the Home Exchange Way blog

Phone Home: Keeping in Touch During a Home Exchange

*'We telephone our exchangers soon after they have arrived so if there are any hitches we can sort them out quickly. We keep in regular contact either by phone, text or email throughout the exchange.'

*Quote from comment by Kathie on A Check List of Things to Do Before a Home Swap

Where's the Ironing Board? The Joy of Post-It Notes

  *(as well as compiling a home exchange pack) 'we also make good use of yellow post-it notes so our exchangers can quickly identify where key items are kept (first aid box, cooking equipment, our ironing board - which is hidden behind a push panel cupboard!) These are reused for each exchange.'

*Quote from comment by Kathie on A Check List of Things to Do Before a Home Swap

Alert the Neighbours Before a Home Exchange

*'We usually pop around to our neighbours and neighbourhood watch co-ordinator to make sure they know we have home exchangers staying - just in case a helpful neighbour sees them going into the house and reports them! The neighbours usually go out of their way to welcome them - I think they find our home swappers fascinating!'

*Quote from comment by Kathie on A Check List of Things to Do Before a Home Swap

SatNav Programmed for 'Home' for Home Exchange Guests Swapping Cars

*'We keep a good supply of local maps ready marked with the location of the house and the main attractions so that our exchangers can get their bearings quickly. If we are travelling outside Europe (so our SatNav is of no use to us!) then we leave it for our exchangers, ready programmed for 'home' if we are swapping cars, but with other key locations already set up. Previous swappers have found this to be extremely helpful - especially when trying to find our house for the first time at the end of a long plane journey.'

*Quote from comment by Kathie on A Check List of Things to Do Before a Home Swap

The Importance of a Home Exchange Pack

This is the first in a series of short posts based on *Kathie's recent useful comments and feedback:

'We would definitely agree with the home exchange pack. Ours includes things like numbers for the local doctor, dentist, the NHS Direct helpline, nearest pharmacy, emergency numbers (i.e. 999 and the details they need to give the operator as these vary from country to country), location and numbers of A&E, walk-in centres etc, emergency plumber and electrician. We also notify our doctor and dentist who have been very helpful with providing information on how visitors to our home can access services if needed. We also include a signed statement in the front of the folder to the effect that the (named) exchangers are staying at our home with our full consent and knowledge.

We keep all instruction manuals for equipment in one place so exchangers can easily find them if they need to work out how to use the finer points of the TV, ice-cream maker etc!'

*Quote from comment by Kathie on A Check List of Things to Do Before a Home Swap

A Check List of Things to Do Before a Home Swap

You wouldn't believe the number of comments that are left that aren't at all relevant to the topic of a post (or to home exchange in general) with the sole aim of getting a link to a totally irrelevant website. Such comments never see the light of day and waste the poster's time (and mine - deleting them). End of rant for the day!

However, annoying, useless comments are more than made up for by genuine comments left by readers interested in home exchange, Home Base Holidays members, and from other experienced home exchangers who take the time to share information based on their own experiences. Queen of the latter category is definitely 'Hobiej' who has left several detailed, thoughtful comments over the last few months.

As I tend to overlook many comments when reading posts on other blogs, I am repeating a comment below that Hobiej left on a recent Q & A post, Regular Communication in the Run-up to a Home Exchange as her useful reminder list definitely rates a post on it's own:

'I have a few thoughts about things you need to arrange (for sim and non-sim swaps):

1. How are you going to exchange keys at both ends (including car keys if necessary)?

2. If you are planning on meeting one another, think about how that might be fitted in to the holiday timing.

3. Think about the other family's journey - do they need help with arranging discounted train tickets or a hotel in transit? You probably know far more than they do about how to organise this type of thing as a local.

4. Think about boring practicalities like who is going to change and wash the sheets - if people have an early flight finishing a sheet wash is often difficult.

5. Consider arranging for a cleaning lady swap too so that you both have an easy end of holiday.

6. Get plenty of holiday notes and how to operate the house information sorted out now. We keep a wicker basket with tourist info, guidebooks, maps & a visitor book so that people can record their experiences. Don't forget that some of the best experiences are known to you as a local and won't be in the leaflets (like the best spot for a picnic or the easy route to the beach) and include some details about things of interest to your exchange family like local walks or golf courses.

7. Keep an eye out for events happening whilst they will be visiting and for discounted tickets to local attractions.

8. Start dealing with any little niggles in the house NOW eg door handles, marked paint work, cleaning out the larder.

9. Think about safety - have you had the boiler serviced recently, are there batteries in the smoke alarms?

10. Make sure you have enough sets of towels and sheets for one set for you to strip off the beds and put somewhere out of the way on the morning you leave and two sets for them.

11. Label emails confirming arrangements clearly so they can be found - eg a heading "telephone call, car keys" in the title line will be easier to find 6 months later.

12. Don't forget to sign an exchange agreement.

13. Try to arrange for them to meet someone (friend/family) whilst they are visiting your home. It's best to have someone have a chat in the first few days to iron out any problems.

14. Ask them for any help that you think you will need when visiting them. Most people are delighted to help and it will make your holiday smoother.'

Thanks Hobiej - keep those valuable comments coming!