Leave all the necessary emergency phone numbers in a phonebook or organizer that the exchange partner could easily find and use. Include in your list numbers of the police, fire department, hospital, ambulance services, doctor, and other basic service providers. It would also be right to leave numbers of your friendly neighbors so that the family could ask anyone in the neighborhood any question or query. Do not forget to leave your name and mobile phone number so you could always be reached when there is an emergency.
It would be a nice gesture to leave some basic stuff at the refrigerator. The items could include soda, bottles of drinking water, bread, wine, and cheese. Intend such items to be consumed. Such consumables would surely be appreciated by the guest family especially after they have just arrived from the travel.
Make sure your lawn is freshly moved. The garden or yard should be tended before the exchange. If your home has a swimming pool, clean it meticulously. Remember that you are aiming to make your house very presentable and accommodating to your guests. If needed, it is also right to leave proper instructions for plant care.
Before the home exchange, talk to the exchange partner and discuss about other issues and items to be swapped. You may consider exchanging car keys. Phone bill adjustments and payments could also be arranged so that you could rest assured your guest family would not leave high utility bills when they go. Pet care arrangements also need to be discussed.
Lastly, as you intend the guest family to be clean and responsible guests, you should also do the same when you go and live for a while in your exchange partner’s home. Home exchange agreements work two-way. It is a give and take relationship.
No comments:
Post a Comment