Home Swapping and Sharing: A Love Story

Home exchange is based on trust, mutual respect and of course... sharing! Whether you are a child or an adult, exchanging your house for vacations allows you to learn how to share and welcome, and even to discover the pleasure you can derive from giving as much as from receiving welcome.

Members of the HomeExchange community share their feelings, anecdotes and experiences on the subject of sharing.

Home Exchange is Receiving in Order to Learn to Share

It's not always easy to lend  your house and bed to strangers. It's not always easy for everyone to embark on the adventure of home exchange, but one thing is certain: it's worth the effort!

"A TV report  introduced me to the concept of home swapping,  and I immediately wanted to try it! The hardest part was to convince the rest of the family because I was the only one who thought  this formula of exchange and immersion was a fantastic idea!  My wife could hardly see "others than us sleeping in our bed" , and my children did not want to share their room with "strangers".

So I suggested a first short exchange for just a weekend in Paris. We exchanged with another couple with children. The children discovered a fresh place of family life for a weekend, with a new room, toys, books, and common interests, but also differences and discoveries. It suddenly became easier to share when you received yourself! :) A fully equipped kitchen to enjoy familiar foods as if you were at home, a living room to relax together with space and comfort at the end of the day, and a bedroom for each of us to rest in complete privacy sealed the deal!

The whole family is now unconditionally enthusiastic about home exchange. To be welcomed at the other end of the world by a family and  their neighbors who share with you their daily experiences, is a source of richness and discovery that no commercial exchange can offer".

Thomas, 15 exchanges

The Pleasure of Welcoming and Sharing

Home exchange: To try it is to adopt it, once embraced, one cannot do without it, and our members cannot see themselves returning to another mode of vacation without the benefit of sharing or meeting new people.

"Home exchange is above all a human adventure, the story of sharing and of relationships that are built. Leaving one's home to strangers is something extraordinary, but  over time, through communication and preparation for the exchange, you get to know the other people  to whom you are going to leave your home for a few days, a week, or a month. You make room for their things in your closets. You buy them some small gifts so that when they open the door to your house  they will find a nice surprise. Home exchange is the assurance of an extraordinary, irreplaceable vacation, but above all it is a beautiful spirit of sharing".  

Hélène & Denis, 41 exchanges

"Two years ago, I would have been very hesitant to try the adventure. Today, I couldn't do without these times of excursion. I am always mindful to receive my guests in the best possible way and take great pleasure in doing so even if I don't meet them! Conversely, we are always superbly welcomed! If you want to share, and to please, then don't hesitate anymore!"

Julie, 5 exchanges

Sharing Your House and Your Moments Together

HomeExchange is much more than just sharing your house. The members of the community share not only the same values of respect and caring, but also a desire for human encounters. Whenever possible, many arrange to share a moment or a meal with their hosts or guests.

"Our advice for new HomeExchangers? Plan on lots of discussion and communication before and during the exchange, and  leave directions and visiting tips. Explain well the little tricks of the trade... and when possible, meet and share a drink or a meal- it's so much better!"

Laurence, 20 exchanges

"We have been practicing exchanges for more than 15 years, and what impacts us the most are often meals shared with our guests, at our home, at their homes, in all simplicity, around regional specialties,all  which leave us with beautiful memories."

Jacqueline, 54 exchanges

"Our most beautiful memory remains for the moment our sharing of tapas with our hosts in Barcelona. We didn't know each other, and it became immediately warm and comfortable!"

Sandrine, 35 exchanges

A Great Opportunity for Children to Learn How to Share.

The children are generally unanimous: home swapping is great because there are lots of new toys, and sometimes even cats who like to cuddle!  From the parents' point of view, home swapping is a great opportunity to show their children the importance of sharing.

"Home exchange is economical! Skipping a rental budget allows us to enjoy even more spontaneous outings that would not have been affordable with rental fees.  But beyond that, the exchange opens the door to sharing, trust and generosity.  For the education of my children, I find that it is a very good example on a daily basis".    

Nolwenn, 4 exchanges

"It was our first exchange and my daughter loved it- she wanted us to stay forever!  But above all, she took a step back from what she had felt at home and embraced the fact that lending her house and therefore her room to other families could be enriching and allow us to discover other places. Before this exchange, she would never have shared her room!"

Sophie, 8 exchanges

When kids start swapping homes at an early age, it gives adorable testimonials shared by the parents:

"Mommy, when do we go to people's houses, and when do I lend my bed to the other kids?"

Blanche, 3 years old

"For our first exchange in Italy, our son had understood that another child was coming to us, and he prepared a gift and a drawing for her. During our stay, he often mentioned 'the little Italian girl who shared her toys'."

Bérengère, 10 exchanges