swaps!
Personally, I have attended a couple of clothing/closet swap parties for adults where girlfriends get together, take turns and shop each others’ clothes that we won’t wear any longer. It is a trendy and economical way to get “new” clothes without breaking the bank and swapping out your wardrobe.
In these tough economic times, purchasing new clothes for an impending arrival, especially for families on a budget and with more than one child, is not always an option. Organizing a baby swap is a very wonderful way for everyone to save a buck and get some new stuff. Here are some tips I gleaned from online research:
Step 1 – Select a date.
- Based on your schedule and your family’s schedule, select a date that best works for you.
- From there, decide if your swap will host both kids and adults – this will also help in determining the time of your swap (daytime vs. nighttime), the food, the activities, etc.
Step 2 – Declutter.
- Get the word out about your Clothing Swap house party sooner rather than later. This gives everyone ample time to clean out their closets and find items to swap.
- Make sure to invite your guests three-to-four weeks in advance. With your invites, give your guests the following instructions:
What to bring:
Kids clothes and accessories in all sizes that are wearable and freshly laundered.
Most swap-worthy items fall into 3 categories
- NEW Clothes (with tags)
- NEARLY NEW Clothes (worn only once or twice)
- GENTLY USED Clothes (worn, but still in very good condition)
What NOT to bring:
Out of respect for fellow swappers and your community, please do not bring ripped, dirty, stained items, those with broken zippers, or otherwise unwearable.
Note that all unclaimed items can be donated to a host selected non-profit or cause.
Step 3 – Prepare for your party.
You can create a successful swap by designating different areas of your home for different articles of clothing or different children’s clothes sizes. For example, your living room might be the location for all clothes for newborns, while the bedroom might have clothes for toddlers.
Set up different tables clearly labeled with sizes or type of clothing to help your guests “organize” when they arrive.
Mirrors, racks and hangers are helpful but not required
Hope this is helpful.
And sidebar: it was refreshing to see Tia Mowry Hardrict and Tamera Mowry-Housley balk at a pricey bottle of olive oil in that episode earlier and second guess a decision to pay $80 for some flimsy resort wear an episode before when they went to the Bahamas. So many times on reality TV shows, we have women, who may not necessarily be independently wealthy, make so many outlandish shopping purchases flagrantly and without any regard to the final price. You’ll see the camera zoom in to a total that is 500th times what an average family would pay or even earn in a month. Many times, they can’t really even afford the crap but do it for the cameras and show. It’s so great that Tia and Tamera don’t buy into that and reveal that even though they may earn more as actresses, they watch their pennies and wallets and refuse to succumb to extravagant spending. It’s a great lesson and good to see. The truly wealthy people on this earth do not spend extraneously as “new money” people do and that is the reason they remain wealthy. Okay. Off my soap box now! 🙂
