Swap It Out

In case you weren’t aware, some of the things topping my list of things I love are: hanging out with my girlfriends, shopping, and getting a good deal. Oh, and wine.

Let’s not forget the wine.

One of my favorite ways to combine these loves is to host a clothing swap.

If you’ve never attended one, then you are seriously missing out on some fun. It’s like shopping. For FREE.

(just one of the tables of clothes at my last swap)

Here’s how it works at my house – we divide all the clothing up into categories. Tops go together, bottoms are in another room, and dresses/outerwear/sweaters go in another.

You break up into teams, and each team spends 15 minutes in each area. During this round, everyone chooses their two favorite items to take home with them.

After everyone has made it around once, we move to the accessories area, where we draw names to see the order we select items. When the accessories are gone, it’s a free for all for all the goodies left.

I promise, you will leave with your sides aching from all the laughing you’ll do. It’s pretty hilarious to see everyone trying on all the clothes – what once looked great on you may look dreadful on me, and that’s all part of the fun.

(the accessories table at my last swap)

Here are some tips for hosting a successful clothing swap:

1) Make a rule that people must only bring items that are still in good condition. Nobody wants your stained college sweatshirt or the pitted out tee.

2) Invite women of all shapes and sizes – you’d be surprised how everyone goes home happy. The first swap I attended had one guest that was 5 ft tall, and another that was 6 ft, and yet it still worked.

3) Whenever possible, have people drop off clothes ahead of time, so you can organize in advance and begin right away (trust me, it takes awhile to get it all sorted).

4) Invite women in all different social circles, and encourage them to invite friends as well. People love seeing clothes they haven’t seen on their friends a million times already.

5) Don’t forget to stock up on treats and drinks. Women can work up an appetite, and quite the thirst while wrestling for their free clothes.

6) Wear a tank top, and pants that are easy to pull on and off. Layers are key when you’re stripping down in front of your friends.

7) Call a charity pickup to come to your home the day after your party. That way, you can bag up anything left over and have someone take it off your hands – nobody goes home sad that their items were unwanted.

(don’t forget to have lots of treats on hand!)

Happy swapping!