1. Clean and declutter
Prior to your home swap, make sure you give your home a good clean so that its ready and welcoming for your guests. Clear space in your fridge and also make room in your wardrobe so that there is space for your guests to hang their clothes. Leave plenty of clean towels and extra bedding.
2. Leave basic provisions
You don't have to go grocery shopping, but it's nice to have staples like tea, coffee, sugar, milk, bread, butter, cereal, toilet rolls and washing up liquid on hand to help your guests settle in while they figure out the lay of the land.
3. Create a welcome pack
Put together a folder of useful information. Include practical information such as how to operate the alarm and when the dustbins are emptied. Leave useful telephone numbers including your mobile number, the number of a friend or neighbour and a local taxi company. Leave up to date tourist leaflets, maps, guide books, take away menus and information about public transport.
4. Small repairs
Your guests will be expecting a clean, tidy, but lived-in home, not a five star hotel, so there's no need to over-haul your home to make it acceptable; but, if there's a few nagging little jobs, the run-up to a home exchange might provide the perfect incentive to fix them.
5. Leave a gift for your guests
Start the swap on a great note by going that extra mile to welcome your guests with a kind gesture. How about some fresh flowers with a welcome card, a nice bottle of wine or maybe a nice locally produced treat?