Top 10: things to do at the end of a home exchange

First home swap holiday? For many first time swappers, preparing for a home exchange holiday can feel a little daunting. In addition to getting your home ready for your guests, it's also knowing what is expected at the end of the exchange. We've put together a quick checklist of recommended things to do at the end of your home exchange holiday.

Top 10: things to do at the end of a home swap holiday

Tidy and clean: before leaving your host's home, make sure to give it a clean and tidy so that you leave it in as good (if not better!) condition than when you arrived. It shouldn't take long to clean and tidy, however, some members agree with their home swap hosts to have a cleaner to come in at the end of the swap.
Change the bedding and towels: unless agreed otherwise with your hosts, it's always best practice to change the bed sheets and duvet covers before leaving the home - your home swap hosts will likely be tired after their travels and will appreciate the effort.
Feed pets / water plants: if you've agreed to provide pet care during your stay, make sure that you follow the care instructions left by your hosts so that their furry/feathered friends have plenty of fresh water and food when you leave at the end of the swap. Also, if you've agreed to water house / garden plants, give them one last sprinkle of water before you leave.
Replace household essentials: most home swappers will be completely fine with you using household items such as cleaning products, toilet paper, olive oil, etc. However, it's always good to replace essential items you've used; I mean ...there's nothing worse than coming back from your holiday to find you're out of loo roll!
Turn off appliances: double check that you've not left appliances such as ovens, hobs or electric heaters on before leaving the home.
Check doors are locked / alarm set: make sure to double check that all doors and windows are locked. If the house has an alarm, make sure to set it before you leave.
Be honest: accidents can happen to the best of us and so, if you accidentally broke something during your stay, let your hosts know, and either agree to replace the item or compensate for the cost. Remember, you've already saved a huge amount of money by choosing to swap homes.
Leave a gift: if you've had a good home exchange, it's a really nice touch to leave a thank you note and small gift for your home swap hosts. It doesn't need to be anything fancy, maybe some flowers or a bottle of wine ...just something to show your appreciation.
Send a thank you message: when you returned from your holiday, send your home swap hosts a thank you message. Tell them what you loved about their home and location. If you had a less positive experience (thankfully these are very rare!), give it a few days so that you don't say anything you'll regret and then, once you've had time to rest and reflect, you can then decide whether to discuss the issue(s) with the member.
Leave a review: trip report reviews left by members help build trust. Therefore, when you return from your holiday, login to your Home Base Holidays account and leave your home swap hosts a review of your stay.