Recently my normal (those closest to me would say obsessive) shopping habit of spending beaucoup bucks every week on new clothes, shoes and accessories has had to take a back seat to things like paying the electric bill and my rent on time!  So when my girlfriend sent out an invitation to do a clothing swap at her place, I thought this was the best thing ever!  I get “new to me” clothes without spending any money?  Sign me up!  A clothing swap is a great way to save money, be green by recycling and makes you feel good by giving back to your community.

Here’s how it works:

INVITE THE GAL PALS

Tell all your girlfriends to clean out their closets and set aside any gently used, in good condition, clothing, shoes and accessories that they don’t have a use for any longer.  It works best with 5 or more participants-so invite as many people as you can to get the most out of the exchange

YOUR PLACE OR MINE?

Set a date where it works for everyone and offer to host it at your place or ask if someone else would like to do the honors

BRING SOME NOSH

Ask each guest to bring a little something to either eat or drink, that way you aren’t shelling out money to feed these freeloaders too!

ASSIGN THE TERRITORY

When everyone gets there, give each girl an “area” to lay out their clothes, shoes and accessories.  Or you can create shopping sections and designate a zone for tops, jackets, pants, shirts, dresses, accessories, etc.

MIRROR MIRROR ON THE WALL…

Make sure there is a full length mirror somewhere in the house-your gals will want to admire their new look properly!

LET’S GO SWAPPING

Everyone should start trying on the items they like and put back the ones that don’t work.  There should be no limit to how many items someone takes or gives

KEEP ON GIVING

After you and all your friends have tried everything on and are happy with your new digs, have everyone pitch in to bag up all the items left over so you can donate it all to Goodwill or a charity dedicated to helping women like Downtown Women’s Center, or one that you feel strongly about.

Happy Swapping!