Tips to get your home ready for your home swap guests

Home swapping is such a fantastic rewarding way to travel. However, as with most things worth doing, it does take a bit of time and effort. First you have to add your home swap offer and then spend some time contacting other home swappers to discuss and agree a home swap holiday. Then, as the travel dates approach, you have to get your home ready for your guests. The question is, what do you need to do – and not do?

Tip 1. Remember your home is not a hotel (just make sure it's welcoming for your guests)

Home swap guests know the difference between a home and a hotel. When people choose to stay in someone’s home, they understand that not everything will be perfect. So don’t waste time trying to make it perfect. It’s okay to aim for “good enough.”

Tip 2. Focus on cleanliness (clean and declutter prior to your swap)

In my opinion, the one unforgivable sin is to greet your guests with a dirty home. If they want nothing else, your guests want the home to be clean. Scum on the bathtub, a gritty floor, soiled sheets, and an inch of dust on the windowsills is a real turnoff. Give everything a good scrub-down before guests arrive.

Tip 3. Make sure it’s safe (fix any snags and niggles prior to your guest arrival)

A window that doesn’t open is one thing. A window frame that falls onto your hands when you think it’s open is another. You don’t need to repaint your walls (unless they’re disgustingly dirty) or replace a shabby sofa (unless the springs are poking out) but replace or remove that rug you keep tripping over and the lamp that sparks every time you turn it on.

Tip 4. Provide the basics (towels, toilet rolls, bedding, etc)

It’s annoying to arrive at your home exchange accommodation to find only one towel per person, not enough blankets for all the beds, no coffeepot or frying pan, only three plates, no hand soap, and only one nearly empty roll of toilet paper. Help guests enjoy their stay by providing the basic things they will need.

Tip 5. Clear away the clutter (leave room for your guests to unpack)

Your guests won’t expect empty closets and shelves, but they will need room for their clothes and personal items. In fact, getting your home ready for guests is a great motivator to create some space by clearing away some of the clutter that’s accumulated while your back was turned. Who knows – you might like it!