As the seasons change and we begin to feel the nip in the crisp Autumn air, we are reminded that it's time to bring out last year's winter wardrobe. After emptying out the vacuum storage bags and plastic containers, we my find that the wardrobe isn't as appealing as we thought. Creating a personal clothing inventory can help you know what you need, but if there isn't room in the budget to purchase those items, it may be time to host a clothing swap.
There are a lot of options when hosting a clothing swap. Accessories, man's clothes, books and toys, even home decor, can be swapped. Swaps are limited only by your time and imagination.
Neighborhood swap: In a neighborhood swap, the organizer sets up areas with signs for each type of item. For example, one table is for woman's clothing, another for children's clothing, and another for toys. Participants arrive 30 minutes prior to beginning the swap and place their unwanted items in it's appropriate place, saving the organizer from setting up everything herself. When the swap is scheduled to begin, everyone goes shopping. Think of it as a yard sale where no money changes hands.
Church/Organization based swaps: Large group swaps will be the most labor intensive to organize, but will have the largest variety and therefore the possibility for better products.
Friend swaps: Probably the most fun, friend swaps can be held in the organizers home. Items are organized by style and can include accessories, handbags, and shoes. Holding a swap in a home allows for enough privacy to have fitting rooms. A friend swap has all the benefits of shopping with
best friends but with the comfort of home and no shoppers guilt. Add some wine and snacks and you have a low-cost girl's night in.
There are a few rules that apply to every swap:
- Give participants plenty of notice so they have time to clean out their closets. The more time they have, the better the selection at your swap.
- All items must be useful clothing in good condition. (no holes or stains)
- Ensure that participants understand that original owners will not get their items back. At the end of the night all items are donated to an agreed upon charity.
There are some who would say that each participant should agree to bring a minimum amount of clothing, but this excludes those who would benefit the most from this sort of swap. Unless you are swapping with an exclusive group, or you are very concerned about being taken advantage of, these kinds of rules aren't recommended. Keep things simple with the understanding that some will leave the swap with more than others, but everyone leaves with a little more closet space and no money out of pocket.
Tiffany is a special contributor to the Arvest Bank blog, providing her insight and opinions on personal and family finance issues.