Here is a great way to help each other out with clothing, works for adult clothes too. Get your neighborhood, church or whatever together for a clothing exchange. Instead of tossing clothes out or donating to an organization, donate to each other. To make it fair, we cut up different colors of construction paper to represent money values, everyone gets the same amount to spend. This way no one person can scoop it all up. You can also trade items of equal value.
It gets to be really fun! Then whats left over can be picked up by goodwill. It really saves on the clothing budget and it feels good to help each other out. We have lots of girls in my neighbor so it works out well and they have fun wearing each others clothes too!
By tracey v from Santa Rosa Beach, FL
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That sounds like a very good idea and a great way to save money. I have never heard of a clothing exchange party before, but I am in Australia so I guess it hasn't caught on here yet. My husband is from Ghana in West Africa, so my sister and I have been bundling up the clothes we rarely wear (in her case, she has NEVER worn some of the clothes she sends) and I send them all to his family. It is amazing how many families the clothes get distributed to and they just love receiving them.
There is a lovely gifts and accessories store in Kent, WA that does a clothing exchange about twice a year (I think since I've gone with my daughter a couple of times when visiting). There you are given coupons for the number of items you bring to "spend", one for one. That keeps it fair and you can give away some of your coupons if you don't spend them all yourself. The items not claimed are given to a local charity when it is over. The store has nice light refreshments and drawings for special items from their store. Lots of fun and goodwill and I try to purchase something from them while I'm there, too. Any group could do the same thing. I have had so many compliments on the items I've come home with, it is amazing what you find and others appear happy with what you've brought, too.
Our military community here in Okinawa Japan has a "kids' clothing swap". After two swaps it starts fresh, donating the left overs to local charity thrift shops. They are a good way to recycle, and a nice way to update the closets of our kids. They are co-ordinated and planned in advance by a few dedicated volunteers. A participant simply checks her items in and uses her credits toward "new to her" items. Items that are slightly stained or discolored go into a free bin that participants can check once they check out.
I also live in Australia and have held two clothes swap parties at home after reading about them online. I got together with friends from work and neighbours and we all decluttered our closets and brought several pieces each. We had to have a few rules, such as each person could only take 3-5 items at a time to try on, to make it fair for everyone. Everyone brought some nibblies and I provided tea/coffee/soft drinks and music. We all had a great time, some got new-to-them outfits and anything left over was donated to charity stores and dropped off by the host (me). I think this is a great idea and thanks for sharing :)
So strange that this came up in todays issue of ThriftyFun because I just watched a video about how to do this this morning! Here it is! www.youtube.com/
I just registered on this site yesterday. It is a swap site. Take a look! dignswap.com/
This is a fantastic idea! I have lots of clothes in my attic, in mint condition, that need to be on somebody's back. I will have a clothing exchange party and have a Christian fellowship gathering, at the same time.
Thanks for a great idea!
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I was invited to a clothes exchange party. My initial thought was I would not come home with any good exchanges, but I was so glad I went. The invitation said to limit my number of items to ten clothing pieces that were in very good condition. This gave me a chance to clean out my closet, which was long overdue. In the process of cleaning out the closet, I found several items I had forgotten about, in fact, I put together something to wear to Church Sunday from the items I had forgotten about.
Back to the party, there was a great turn out. We all had fun trying on clothes and picking out items to take home. I came home with seven new items to me that I love and will get good use of this Fall. I look forward to doing this again in the Spring or Summer.
With the price of clothes, this was a great fun way to save some money and have a night out with friends. On by the way, every one brought an inexpensive snack to share. For the hostess, it was very little effort, she provided the soft drinks and we all brought a snack. The clothes left over that did not fit, etc. were dropped off at the local helping hands store.
By Bobbie G from Rockwall
Love this idea! This sounds like it would be a nice ladies night out! How many people were at the party? (10/24/2007)
By Carla
