diff --git a/gtsam/linear/VectorValues.cpp b/gtsam/linear/VectorValues.cpp
index 15925c644..fd7f2757c 100644
--- a/gtsam/linear/VectorValues.cpp
+++ b/gtsam/linear/VectorValues.cpp
@@ -45,6 +45,14 @@ VectorValues VectorValues::Zero(const VectorValues& x) {
 	return cloned;
 }
 
+/* ************************************************************************* */
+vector<size_t> VectorValues::dims() const {
+  std::vector<size_t> result(this->size());
+	for(Index j = 0; j < this->size(); ++j)
+		result[j] = this->dim(j);
+	return result;
+}
+
 /* ************************************************************************* */
 void VectorValues::insert(Index j, const Vector& value) {
   // Make sure j does not already exist
@@ -188,4 +196,10 @@ VectorValues VectorValues::permute(const Permutation& permutation) const {
 	return lhs;
 }
 
+/* ************************************************************************* */
+void VectorValues::swap(VectorValues& other) {
+	this->values_.swap(other.values_);
+	this->maps_.swap(other.maps_);
+}
+
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/gtsam/linear/VectorValues.h b/gtsam/linear/VectorValues.h
index 463080db9..aa9c1aa6d 100644
--- a/gtsam/linear/VectorValues.h
+++ b/gtsam/linear/VectorValues.h
@@ -134,6 +134,9 @@ namespace gtsam {
     /** Return the summed dimensionality of all variables. */
     size_t dim() const { return values_.rows(); }
 
+		/** Return the dimension of each vector in this container */
+		std::vector<size_t> dims() const;
+
     /** Check whether a variable with index \c j exists. */
     bool exists(Index j) const { return j < size() && maps_[j].rows() > 0; }
 
@@ -296,6 +299,11 @@ namespace gtsam {
 		 */
 		VectorValues permute(const Permutation& permutation) const;
 
+		/**
+		 * Swap the data in this VectorValues with another.
+		 */
+		void swap(VectorValues& other);
+
     /// @}
 
   private: