What should you do before leaving your host's home?
Your stay is coming to an end, you start packing your bags full of memories, and are about to lock up when you suddenly ask yourself, “ How should I leave my host's home? What did I miss?”
Don’t panic! Here are some tips for leaving the home in perfect condition!
It's important to remember that home exchanging isn’t just renting. Sometimes, actually pretty often, you stay at your host's main residence. Each guest must therefore treat the host's home with respect, the same way you would like guests to treat your home.
One of the golden rules of home exchanging is caring for your host's home as if it were your own. By opening their home, an exchanging family is placing a lot of trust in you. As a guest, it is therefore important to do your utmost to thank your host for their hospitality by taking care of their four-legged friends or watering their plants. Do the same by leaving the house in the same condition you found it when you arrived, or even better!
Some cleaning reminders:
- Tidy and clean each room (so it looks like it did when you arrived): sweep, mop, etc ...
- Put used sheets and towels in the washing machine
- Make the bed with a pair of clean sheets
- Empty the trash cans
- Empty the refrigerator (unless you want to leave food that can be stored)
- Thank your host with a small gift (more information in this article)
Before any exchange, you and your host must agree on the household question of who will be responsible for it?
Most of the time, the guest is in charge of leaving the house as (s)he found it. It is therefore the guest’s responsibility to perform the various household chores agreed upon with the host. For example, the host can make a clear list of expectations to guide the guest.
Sometimes, members hire cleaning staff that come after the guest leaves to clean the house. If the host plans to hire a cleaning service and charge the service to the guest, the latter must be informed BEFORE the exchange is finalized. The request for cleaning costs must be specified in the description of the host's home and the subject must be discussed during the conversation prior to the exchange.
You understand that it’s essential to address these details before the exchange to avoid unpleasant surprises.
Above all, don't forget to make the most of this experience by immersing yourself in the local culture by through resting, visiting new places, and creating the perfect vacation to fit your needs!
Once your stay is over, if you don't see your host, don't forget to send them a short message to let them know that everything is under control, that you left, and that the keys are at the agreed upon place.
Get started! Once you get a taste of home exchanging, there’s no going back!