how to host a swap party

Last night, a friend of mine hosted a party that was totally brilliant. She sent out  a Facebook invite and encouraged people to stop by in the days and weeks beforehand to drop off gently-used clothing and housewares they no longer wanted. She then turned her home into a boutique of clothing racks and tables of displays for the night of the party. She set out snacks and armed everyone with a glass of wine. Then the browsing and swapping began!

We didn’t keep track of how many items “bought” so many “new” items, it was more of a free-for-all, but it totally worked. Such a fun excuse to get the girls together, and I loved that I could find a new home for things. Plus, everyone went home with something “new” to them.

For anyone who is thinking of using this creative idea, here are some of the things she did that I might not have thought of – and they worked really well:

• The food and wine was nearby for accessibility, but in its own area away from the items, so spilling wasn’t a problem.
• She divided housewares and clothing into different little areas – and clothing by season – and spread them out in different rooms so it was easier to get around with not too much crowding in one spot.
• She set up clothes near a restroom, so if anyone wanted to try on, there was a nearby place to do so.
• There were multiple mirrors around to check yourself out as you browsed.
• The best part — any items left over at the end of the party were donated to a local charity.

I love finding new and fun party themes – has anyone else hosted a swap like this? I’d love to hear about it!