Social • October 22, 2024
Karen
Host a Closet Swap Party
There are a lot of good reasons why you should host this party: not only is it fun, but we are all guilty of buying things we don’t use or like and we often load up bags with donations that don’t always land in the best spot.
I went to a clothing swap a long time ago and scored a jacket that I wore for years. The person giving it away just didn’t like the way it felt but it was too late to return it. At the end of the night, everyone went home with some fun new goodies and then we donated any remaining items.
Here’s our tips for how to host this party without it being too overwhelming. Start small and you can always have another one in the future.
Who to invite and What to Request:
We suggest you invite at least 6-10 women. While you don’t have to all share the same style, it is ideal if you know the quality/look of items will be similar. Give each guest at least a week to gather the items they would like to part with.
Again, start small, so you don’t have so much stuff that it feels overwhelming. We suggest each person brings 6 items in good condition, this can include clothing, jewelry, shoes, jackets, maybe even new perfume.
It is also a good idea to ask your guests to bring items that match the season. It’s not very fun to go home with a down jacket in the summer.
And, of course, request that all items are clean, folded or on hangers and if the tags are still on, even better!
Perhaps suggest your guests wear a cami under their tops and maybe even some leggings, so they can easily try things on. Or have a powder room with a full length mirror handy.
How to organize:
Get your home ready for the swap and make it look like a boutique by having some cleared off tables (perfectly fine to put a nice tablecloth on a folding table) or if you can get your hands on one or two clothing racks, that works too. Add a couple trays to display jewelry and smaller accessories.
Fill a glass jar with numbered slips of paper to match the amount of guests.
How to swap:
As soon as guests arrive, ask guests to hang up their items on the clothing rack or folded on a table and then have them pick their number. You can decide to have items sectioned off by style (pants, sweaters… or by who brought them)
Once everyone has arrived, invite them to peruse the items. It can also be fun for everyone to go around and say a little something about what they brought and why.
Now it’s time to start the exchange. Based on the numbers drawn earlier,each guest takes turns shopping. You will want to limit each person to a few minutes and one item per round to keep things moving. And then just make your way through a few rounds. It is up to you if you want to allow people to “steal” from someone. You’ll know your group and whether that will end in more fun or a disaster;) And to avoid any hurt feelings over items that aren’t selected, you can make a last call before you end the exchange.
What to do with any remaining items:
Donate them to a local charity or check out this article for a comprehensive list of organizations.
What to serve:
Keep the focus on the fun that comes with the exchange, so simple bites and non-staining beverages are a good idea! A couple of tiered trays filled with finger sandwiches or cheese & crackers and some colorful macarons will do the trick.
