How To Organize A Swap Party

It’s much more fun to see your friends and family get good use of your unwanted things while freeing up some much needed space in your home. Donating your items is a great way to get rid of excess but it can be easier to part with some special items or things that you’re on the fence about if you know that they’re going into a familiar home.

Great idea right?! Don’t know where to start? This blog is all about throwing a successful swap of any kind – clothing, electronics, housewares…you name it.

If you want to have a swap that won’t get shut down by the fashion police, check out these 6 tips:

1. Send an email to your friends to take a quick poll to see when the majority of them have some free time. Maybe it’s a Saturday night or perhaps a low-key Thursday evening.

2. Create an online invitation to keep track of who you are inviting and who has RSVP’d. We like using Paperless Post because they have a plethora of invitation options that are known to be easy to create and oh so pretty too.

3. On your invite, be clear as to what kind of swap you are throwing so guests know what to bring, ie. clothing, books, electronics, craft supplies, it’s up to you! You should also list some requirements for the items. Are you only looking to swap new or unused items or is that well-loved, and slightly-used, sweater going to be welcome at the party?

4. Make your invite list manageable. If you think you’re only ready to have three other guests, then start there. You want to make sure that you have enough items to swap without your space getting too crowded or your guests getting overwhelmed.

5. Something to keep in mind with your invite list is your guests’ styles. If you’re planning on doing a clothing swap you want to make sure that everyone likes similar things and make sure that they’re bringing sizes that are appropriate for your group. Scarves, bags, hats and other accessories are great items to bring that can accommodate many shapes and sizes.

6. Snack Time! While you and your guests are shopping around, think about providing a couple of snacks that are easy to munch on while holding items. Finger foods like pigs in a blanket or stuffed mushrooms are always a hit! Nothing too messy.

Now that you know how to organize a swap, stay tuned for our next blog about how to run your swap!