The travel restrictions during the corona crisis have led to many people staying in Sweden during the holidays. And changing homes is becoming increasingly popular.

- We threw out a request on social media and got a pacifier. It has gone as smoothly as possible, you change straight and it costs nothing, says Lars Werneman.

The Facebook group that Lars and Susanne used has grown by over 500 members in just the last few weeks. This is the first time they are trying to change homes with another family.

- We exchanged our house in Båstad for a house on Björkö and I have always wanted to go there. It is a green island with rocks and swimming, says Susanne Werneman.

"Large increase in Sweden"

Recent statistics from the organization Hembyte, which coordinates home exchanges, show that 64 percent of all inquiries during the pandemic are about exchanges within Sweden. During the same period last year, the figure was instead seven percent.

- Last year, the Swedes wanted to change to a home abroad, but due to the corona crisis, we now see a large increase in Sweden, says Zann Cham, press spokesperson at the organization Hembyte.

Before the summer, the numbers have increased again. The total number of house changes in June was ten times higher than in April.

- It is great that you can find solutions like this during the pandemic when you can not travel in the same way, says Lars Werneman.

Change food in the fridge

How did it feel to live in someone else's house?

- It was safe and nice. We had confidence in them and they in us. They had to take what we had in the fridge and we had to take what was in theirs.

Lars and Susanne can imagine making a new home change in the future.

- Then I would like to go to Norrland, says Susanne Werneman.

What was the best thing about changing homes?

- It was to jump in the salty bath from a cliff in Bohuslän, says Susanne Werneman.