Security is something that worries us all.

Whether it be about thieves in the night, the salt content of our diets, or people rummaging through our stuff when we do a home exchange, we want to feel safe.

When you look at it objectively, it’s a very sensible idea. Avoiding unnecessary dangers. Not taking risks. Taking precautions against what might do us harm.

So, definitely a good evolutionary feature. We’re not about to turn around to you at HomeForHome and tell you that life is nothing without takings risks (even though there may be a few grains of truth of that.)

With every holiday you take, there is an element of risk. That’s a given. Not something we can guard against. But in terms of the primary concern that people have with home exchange, that an unknown family might look through their personal things, we can offer you an effective strategy against this.

Depending on the size of the house, you can designate a place - or even a room - to putting your private and or most valued things.

These may be photographs, jewelry, ornaments, valuable documents, laptops, specialist equipment. Generally our most valuable possessions are not littered all over the house. With a little bit of organization it’s the easiest thing to manage. Put all of your things into the attic, a safe, a wardrobe, a locked room or even a friend’s house. This way you will free yourself form one of the biggest fears that grips people who aren’t quite sure about home exchange. It’s safe, it’s protected, and you’re not putting anything at risk.

With a bit of forward planning, everything is possible.

So. Keys under the flower pot. Or under the doormat. Does anyone do that anymore? I don´t think so. But there is something really quite romantic about it. Something really very World War 2 era, or something very teenage there, lingering somehow.

Which of course brings us to the question of: how do we transfer keys when we do a home exchange? The most obvious thing to do would be to leave the keys with a neighbour. Safe, reliable, easy and simple.

But what about if you don´t have a neighbour you would feel comfortable asking this from? It could happen. People don´t connect as much anymore. Gone are those playful days of a gentle loan of a cup of sugar, or leaving the front door unlocked so that neighbours can come and go as they please. (Like, to access inside of the house.) So some people might not feel comfortable asking a neighbour to do this.

Or what if the other home exchangers have flights that will arrive at 4 o´clock in the morning and you just can´t quite bring yourself to ask Bob and Sue (or Geoff and Viv) to wake up in the middle of the night to do you this favour.

Well. There are other ways of organizing these things. Firstly, depending on your preferences, you could send a copy of the keys via special post delivery. It´s a bit extreme, but possible nonetheless. Obviously don`t put your address on the envelope.

If you don`t feel comfortable with this, you could organize for a family member, or friend to come around on the day that the guests will arrive, and get them to open up and welcome in the new family. Or, if it´s a “4 in the morning” type scenario, they could put the keys in an envelope and hide them in a specific and predetermined point outside of the house. (Flower pot!! It´s screaming out to you!)

Another way to do things is to get the exchanges to overlap a little, so that the family stays with you one day, and that way you can do everything by your own hand. Often home exchangers do like to meet their fellow exchangers, as it puts a nice smiley face on top of everything, and makes you feel more comfortable.

There are fifty ways to leave your keys to the incoming exchangers. You just need to be a bit imaginative, and don´t be afraid to ask for a bit of help from a neighbour or friend. Most people are more than willing to do it.