Host A Swap Party
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January is the perfect time to start fresh. That means cleaning out the closet, dusting off those bookshelves, and getting rid of housewares that you no longer use. While you could take last year’s sweaters to a consignment shop or post your used books online, hosting a swap party is a good way to get rid of a bunch of items at once and trade them for new ones. It’s also an inexpensive way to revamp your work wardrobe, especially if you recently made a career change and are trading in your suits for less formal attire, or vice versa. Here are a few tips to get you started.
Gather a group. Send out an Evite or go old-school with some classy invitation cards (Invitationbox.com has a good selection of invitations ranging from funky to formal). Let your guests know what you’ll be swapping and when. If you’re swapping clothing and accessories, ask them to bring only clean, gently used items. Also mention that anything unclaimed will be donated to charity afterwards, so if they’d prefer to donate it themselves or try to consign it, they should label items with their name (use a Post-It for books and safety-pin a label on clothes).
Set up your space. If you’re swapping big items, you’ll want a large, open space so you can put different types in different areas (perhaps sweaters on the couch and accessories on a chair in the corner). If you have a studio apartment, then maybe you can find a friend with a larger pad who’s willing to cohost with you. Swapping books and magazines or housewares takes up less space, but you’ll still want to clear off your coffee table and put extra items (vases, picture frames, etc.) in a closet so you’ll have lots of surface area for laying out items. Set up some drinks and snacks in another room so you won’t spill on your swappables.
Swap it out. Some hostesses set up a formalized system for swapping or allow guests to leave with no more than the number of items they brought, but I prefer to keep it casual. If two guests have their eye on the same cashmere scarf or Sophie Kinsella novel, I let them work it out. Another solution is to set aside popular items for the end and see who’s already picked up a pile of goodies. That person can probably live without the scarf or novel if they’re taking home a bag of designer duds or a big stack of books. Be sure to have a lot of shopping bags on hand so that guests can carry their items home.
Give to charity. Whatever goods are left behind should be donated to a worthy cause. Your local library might appreciate your used books, or you could send them to Books First. Goodwill accepts donations of clothes, computers, toys, housewares, and more. The Vietnam Veterans of America also accept donations, and many states offer a pickup service so you won’t even have to leave your apartment. Ready, set, swap!