Conquering My Closet: Hosting a Clothing Swap Party

  

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So, I did it! I actually walked into my closet last night and removed clothes. The task that seemed so daunting was actually much more of an emotional effort than it was physical. It only took me about 10 minutes to maneuver around my closet and remove the things that I have not worn in two plus years, that didn’t fit correctly, or were just plain uncomfortable.

The result of my purging was a huge pile of clothes sitting in the middle of my master closet. I needed desperately to devise a plan for getting rid of them. Throughout this experience, I have had several friends call dibs on my cast offs, so I came up with a fun solution to distribute my unwanted clothes and a way to share the wealth with my friends.

My recent closet diet has inspired friends of mine, and now they also have piles of unwanted (but very nice) clothes. A friend suggested that we gather a group of our friends and host a Clothing Swap Party. I loved this idea from the beginning, and we decided to plan this party within the next couple of weeks. After a little research, I found a great website with the details about hosting a Clothing Swap Party. I know that the last thing I need is to refill my hangers, but this will be a great way to spend the evening with good food and friends. In addition, we all will leave with a new outfit or two, without spending a dime. That sounds good to me!

Interested in hosting your own clothing swapping party? Here are some basic tips, some of which that I created or found at LifeOrganizers.com:

Before the Party:

• Invite friends that have accumulated unwanted clothing. Ideally, you would like a good mix of sizes, tastes, and styles.
• Ask guests to bring their unwanted clothes, shoes, and accessories to your home for the party.

• State clearly on the invitation how many garments each guest should bring. Of course, everyone is welcome to bring as many items as they want, but at least set a minimum.
• Encourage your friends to wear clothes and shoes that are conducive to trying on new outfits.
• Tell guests to bring a few shopping bags (preferably reuseable) to haul away new treasures.
• Have each guest bring an appetizer, a dish to pass, or a beverage.
• Designate a spot within your home for everyone to display their clothes.

During the Party:

• Once all the guests are present and everyone has placed their items, it’s time to shop! It is generally not necessary to shop one at a time or restrict the number of items that one person may take—there are usually more clothing items up for grabs than the number of guests.
• Encourage your guests to try items on and place them back on the racks immediately if they don't fit correctly.

After the Party:

• When all the guests have enjoyed the evening, taken their new items, and departed from the party, place the remaining items in boxes and deliver them to your favorite donation center, such as Goodwill or The Salvation Army. It’s your good deed for the day.

-Lisa