Your 10-Step Home Exchange Make-Over
Nicole Frank is one of the leading experts of the home exchange community. Nicole has been an avid home exchanger since childhood and has completed dozens exchanges around the world with her family. Nicole’s "Key to Home Exchange" appears weekly on RoofSwap.com with do’s and don’t regarding house swapping and tips and advice on a wide array of travel topics. Have a question for Nicole or want to share some insight of your own? Visit Member Forum section and post your comments and questions.
I moved to a new apartment this week. Since then I have been busy getting my new home in shape. As I tackle another home project I post ever-nicer photos of my new place to my RoofSwap.com listing. While my home is very humble, I have already set up my first summer RoofSwap for my new apartment.
When a Roofwapper like me moves in to a new home it's time for a RoofSwap Make-Over. What does that mean exactly? Here are the top 10 ways to get your home ready for your summer RoofSwap vacation.
10. LOOK AROUND: Be a stranger in your own home. You have been listening to the front door squeak when you open it for years. You don't even notice the sound any more. Your first step to a RoofSwap make-over is to list all those easy fixes you've been putting off and just get them done.
9. DE-CLUTTER: A cluttered home looks messy even when it is clean. RoofSwap listings with photos get about ten times the offers that homes without photos receive. A cluttered home does not photograph well. It's time to clear off your desk, make the kids clean their rooms and organize as many of your possessions as possible. This even makes your home look bigger!
8. DISCARD: during the de-cluttering process try to discard items you don't really use. You need to make space for home exchangers. At a bare minimum, leave one empty shelf in the fridge, one open drawer per bedroom to store clothes, and at least enough clear closet space to hang five or 6 outfits. Exchangers know you live in your home and do not expect an empty refrigerator or closet all to themselves, but you must allow them to share these essential spaces.
7. CLEAN: Nothing is more important than providing a clean home for
swappers to use. More than any other issue, differences in housekeeping styles are identified on the rare occasions when exchangers are not satisfied with a swap experience. Cleaning is free and anyone can do it, but if you do not do it well it is worth it to hire a professional cleaner. Unless you live in a castle, paying someone to clean for you will cost less than one night in a hotel room and will allow you to save hundreds or thousands of dollars by making your home much more attractive to swappers.
6. PAINT: Even when your home is squeaky-clean and completely free of
clutter, stained walls can make it look dingy. Interior house paint is the least expensive way to make your home look new. I invested in eco-friendly paint with no VOCs (volatile organic compounds) to spew chemicals into our new apartment. The top-of-the-line paint, rollers and other supplies I needed to paint my entire 1-bedroom apartment cost less than $100. If painting the entire interior of your home is logistically complicated, consider at least touching up high-traffic areas that tend to get dirty. These include doorways, wall corners and trim.
5. BED: People, including your home exchange guests, spend about one third of their lives in bed. A comfortable bed makes a huge difference in your swap-partners' appreciation of your home. Try to provide lots of blankets and both fiber-fill and down pillows if possible. That allows exchangers to adapt their sleep environment to weather changes and personal preference. This is particularly important if you sleep with an electric blanket. Many people either do not like to use electric blankets or cannot use them due to medical issues.
4. LINENS: Provide a new set of towels and sheets to welcome the swappers. This is a small investment that will be more pleasant for both you and the Roofswappers. You don't have to worry that your existing linens are stained or dingy. The swap family will see your home as fresher if the linens are clean and new. Be sure to get sheets that are made from 100% cotton or other natural fiber, as synthetic blends can be uncomfortable for people who are not used to them.
3. AUTOMATE: The fewer chores you need to ask swap partners to do the
better. Houseplants and outdoor landscaping can be set up with automatic watering systems. We have cats, but we have completely automated their care. Our swap partners never need to touch the automatic cat feeder, the recirculating water fountain or the self-cleaning litter box. Even if the exchangers don't like cats, the fact that all they need to do is tolerate their presence in our home means more families are willing to swap with us. All the automatic cat care devices set us back $300 but they are well worth the peace of mind they provide. We rest easier on vacation knowing that our pets are safe whether or not the swappers remember their needs. There are
many gadgets available to decrease work for your home exchange partners. As an added benefit, automating chores means you have more free time as well.
2. RESOURCES: Part of every RoofSwap make-over should include providing resources to your home exchange guests. This can include maps, brochures on area attractions, guide books, restaurant menus and other helpful ideas for things to do in your town. The only mandatory resource you must leave for swap guests is an info sheet describing how to operate common household appliances, where to find items like the fuse box, and emergency numbers in case a repair or help is needed.
1. SMALL TOUCHES: As a final gesture of hospitality, make sure your swap partners feel you are happy to have them in your home. Leave a note welcoming them by name to your home. Fresh flowers make a nice impression, unless there is a long gap between your departure and your swap partners' arrival. A basket of toiletries is a welcoming touch one finds in every hotel. You can provide a small basket of shampoo, soap and other items swappers may have forgotten to bring.
I always indicate to swap partners that they should feel free to use
anything in the fridge or pantry. You may want to specify that they can use condiments at will but should avoid consuming your collection of vintage
port.
Leaving a simple meal in the fridge or freezer -- and letting exchangers know it is for them -- can be a wonderful greeting for a weary traveler. Finally, stocking a few essentials for swap partners, especially if they are traveling with children, is a thoughtful gesture they are sure to appreciate. Again, make sure to indicate in your welcome note that the items are for them.
These ten steps make it easy to get your home ready for summer RoofSwap
vacations. Most of these make-over tips can be done for free. A few
involve an investment ranging from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars. Considering that the average Roofswapper saves at least $2,000 per week of RoofSwap vacation, this easy home make-over is a great investment. It will pay off in summer travel fun. Happy Roofswapping!
