{"id":52,"date":"2026-08-28T20:13:47","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T20:13:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/index.php\/preparing-your-home-for-guests\/"},"modified":"2026-08-28T20:13:47","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T20:13:47","slug":"preparing-your-home-for-guests","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/preparing-your-home-for-guests\/","title":{"rendered":"Preparing Your Home for Guests: The 10 Steps That Matter"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Preparing your home for guests<\/strong> is what separates a correct review from an excellent one, and it has nothing to do with renovating or spending money. It has to do with anticipating what another family will need for two weeks in a place they do not know. These are the ten steps used by people who have been swapping homes for years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_87 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">In this article<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/preparing-your-home-for-guests\/#The_rule_that_covers_everything\" >The rule that covers everything<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/preparing-your-home-for-guests\/#The_ten_steps_for_preparing_your_home_for_guests\" >The ten steps for preparing your home for guests<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/preparing-your-home-for-guests\/#The_house_guide_the_document_people_thank_you_for\" >The house guide: the document people thank you for<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/preparing-your-home-for-guests\/#The_details_that_cost_nothing_and_get_remembered\" >The details that cost nothing and get remembered<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/preparing-your-home-for-guests\/#What_not_to_do\" >What not to do<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/preparing-your-home-for-guests\/#Safety_without_paranoia\" >Safety, without paranoia<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/preparing-your-home-for-guests\/#How_long_it_takes\" >How long it takes<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/preparing-your-home-for-guests\/#Frequently_asked_questions\" >Frequently asked questions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/preparing-your-home-for-guests\/#Before_you_leave\" >Before you leave<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-rule-that-covers-everything\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_rule_that_covers_everything\"><\/span>The rule that covers everything<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Leave your home as you would like to find theirs. If arriving somewhere to find a fridge full of leftovers and not a single free wardrobe would annoy you, do not do it yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That single idea settles ninety per cent of the decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-ten-steps-for-preparing-your-home-fo\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_ten_steps_for_preparing_your_home_for_guests\"><\/span>The ten steps for preparing your home for guests<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Deep clean.<\/strong> Bathrooms, kitchen and floors. It is the first thing anyone notices on opening the door.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Fresh bedding and towels<\/strong> for everyone arriving, plus a spare set.<\/li>\n<li><strong>One empty wardrobe and one empty drawer<\/strong> per bedroom. Living out of a suitcase on the floor for two weeks is miserable.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Space in the fridge and the cupboards.<\/strong> At least two clear shelves.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Lock away the personal and the valuable.<\/strong> Documents, jewellery, anything with sentimental weight.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Fix what is broken.<\/strong> Blown bulbs, dripping taps, jammed blinds.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Basic cleaning products<\/strong> visible, so they can leave the place in good order.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Toilet paper, soap and bin bags<\/strong> for the first few days.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Instructions for temperamental appliances:<\/strong> the boiler, the hob, the washing machine, the air conditioning.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The house guide<\/strong>, which deserves a section of its own.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-house-guide-the-document-people-than\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_house_guide_the_document_people_thank_you_for\"><\/span>The house guide: the document people thank you for<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is one or two sheets, printed and left on the table. It should carry the wifi password in large type, how the boiler and the hob behave, which day and which system the bins use, where the fuse box and the stopcock are, the phone number of a trusted neighbour and of a plumber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And then the part nobody forgets: your recommendations. The good bakery, the market and its day, the place that does a proper lunch, the late pharmacy, the doctor, the park with swings, the beach the locals actually use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That second block is what turns guests into friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-details-that-cost-nothing-and-get-re\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_details_that_cost_nothing_and_get_remembered\"><\/span>The details that cost nothing and get remembered<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A handwritten welcome note.<\/li>\n<li>Milk, coffee, bread and fruit for the first breakfast.<\/li>\n<li>A paper map of the neighbourhood with four things marked.<\/li>\n<li>If children are coming, a few toys left accessible.<\/li>\n<li>A fan or an extra blanket depending on the season.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-not-to-do\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_not_to_do\"><\/span>What not to do<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You do not need to empty the house. A completely depersonalised home feels cold and, more to the point, contradicts the whole idea of an exchange: the appeal is staying somewhere real.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nor do you need to buy new bedding or replace the crockery. What is valued is that everything works and everything is clean, not that it is new.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"safety-without-paranoia\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Safety_without_paranoia\"><\/span>Safety, without paranoia<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lock away whatever is genuinely irreplaceable and tell a neighbour that people will be staying. Check that the smoke alarms work and that a fire blanket is accessible if you have one, in line with the basic home safety advice published by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/organisations\/home-office\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">official fire safety guidance<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That is enough. The rest is trust, and it runs both ways: the other family is doing exactly the same thing in their own house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-long-it-takes\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_long_it_takes\"><\/span>How long it takes<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first time, a full weekend. From the second onwards, an afternoon. The house guide gets written once and reused forever, updating four details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"frequently-asked-questions\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Frequently_asked_questions\"><\/span>Frequently asked questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Should I leave food?<\/strong> Not obligatory, but a basic breakfast after a long journey is enormously appreciated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What if I want to keep some rooms closed?<\/strong> Entirely reasonable. State it in the listing and in the guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>How are utilities handled?<\/strong> Agreed beforehand. The usual arrangement is that each family covers normal consumption in their own home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Who cleans at the end?<\/strong> Each family leaves the home as they found it. Worth writing into the agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"before-you-leave\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Before_you_leave\"><\/span>Before you leave<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Walk through the house one last time as though you were the person arriving. If something jars, fix it. And if you have not published your home yet, start there: it is covered in the guide to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/index.php\/home-exchange-listing\/\">home exchange listing<\/a> and in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/index.php\/home-exchange\/\">complete home exchange guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The ten steps to leave your home ready before a swap, including the house guide guests appreciate most.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":51,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-52","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home-exchange","category-tips"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=52"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/51"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=52"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=52"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}