Over the last year, lockdowns have seen many of us working from home and it's prompted some to want to continue doing so even after it's safe to return to offices. There are definitely pros to working from home, not least avoiding the expensive daily commute, often on packed trains!
Thinking about moving from city to country life?
If like me you've been cooped up working from your small garden-less city apartment, you may well have had thoughts of packing up and moving to a new life by the coast or surrounded by beautiful countryside. Perhaps you dream of a farmhouse surrounded by fields? A chocolate box cottage in a picturesque village? A fisherman's cottage by the coast? A hut up a hill? Or perhaps the best of both worlds, a rural family home that's still just a short train trip into the city centre?
You may long for a peaceful life with green open views right from your doorstep, but are you sure you want to give up the fast city life you enjoyed before lockdown?
Try out country life - arrange a home swap holiday!
If you're considering a move to the country but are nervous about taking the plunge, arranging a home exchange Holiday can be an excellent way to dip your toe into country living before committing to a permanent move. By swapping homes you’ll be staying in a real home and be part of a real neighbourhood, often in a location off the usual tourist trail.
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Example: perhaps you live in a cosy London 2-bedroom flat (possibly combining remote working with home schooling) and agree, when it is safe to travel, to swap homes with a Home Base Holidays member that has a country home but are keen to spend some time in London to be closer to their children / grandchildren and to enjoy the theatres, museums and shops when life is back to normal. |
Can I arrange a long term swap?
Yes! Although the majority of home swaps arranged via Home Base Holidays are for shorter periods (from weekend getaways to one or three week holidays), there are many members also interested in longer exchanges (anything from a month to a year!). Arranging a long-term home exchange holiday can be the perfect way to get a feel for what country life would be like long-term before committing to a permanent move. Remember though that longer term swaps require a bit more planning; so give yourself plenty of time to find, discuss and agree the swap. If looking to swap for more than one month, make sure to go through all details before making an agreement e.g. who pays the utility bills, confirming home insurance cover, whether the home has good internet connection (often an essential requirement for home working), etc.
Note: Longer domestic swaps should normally be quite straight forward but international swaps will be subject to each country's regulations on how long visitors are allowed to stay.
| Search Tip | To find Home Base Holidays members offering longer home exchange periods, go to the home swap search page and then, under the "Type of exchange" heading, select the "Long term exchange" search filter. |
Useful links:
- Preparing for a home swap checklist
- Top 10: things to do at the end of a home swap
- Cleaning tips for holiday home swaps during COVID-19
- BringBackTravel (interactive map of the latest travel restrictions)
- Search the latest home exchange offers
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Join Home Base Holidays: start planning your home swaps Looking for a much needed getaway? Arrange free holiday accommodation by choosing to swap homes rather than book hotels or holiday rentals. View the latest home swap offers then sign up to Home Base Holidays. |
