Swap Party!

[loladooder99]

Has anyone had any experience holding a swap party ( a party where people bring thing to trade) ?

[Troop1379]

I do it once a month, I go to a swap/trade coupon group. to talk about deals and to trade and talk about policy and things that have changed in the coupon world.

[Samone]

Wish we had one of those in my area. Sounds like a great idea. Especially clothes my kids have outgrown but someone else may need.

[TiggerToo]

Well if you have friends/colleagues at work...or neighbors start one up!

[ari'smom]

Maybe call your local library? Ours here has them for clothing, one for adults at one time and one for kids. I think how it works is that you bring a bag and you take a bag. Anything that is left over they donate to Goodwill. I don't think the library itself sponsors but they allow another sustainability group to do it and use their resources and location.

A couple of times a year here a couple of the bike stores also do bike swaps. Basically you take your old bike down and tell them how much you want for it and they sell it for you during the swap. If they sell it you get 80% cash or 100% store credit. I didn't have a bike to trade but I picked one up for 40 dollars. So it's not a true trade situation unless you bring in a bike and actually sell it and then buy another for the same value, but it's pretty close.

[ari'smom]

Another thing you might try is Craigslist's barter section.

[rheavon]

A swap party is fantastic if you have the space. I've mainly had experiences with clothing/accessory parties.

The easiest thing to do is feel around your group of friends and see when many of them are available. Then you can invite everyone however you like and often the best thing to do is to encourage your friends to bring a friend. All you need to contribute is something possibly to drink or munch and a bag full of your unwanted & gentle worn clothing, jewelry, shoes, etc- and you can encourage your guests to do so as well.

You can make it just as much as a social thing as it is a useful thing. The key is to set a time for the "drop" so people will know to be there earlier. Once that time comes, everyone empties their bags on the floor or table and then it is just one big free for all. If there is not an agreement over an item (both people want it, but neither will budge) or there are items left over - those items go to a charity of your choice.

I'm sure this definitely could be done with childrens' clothing, but it is always fun to have a next-to-free girls' night in. You never know what will be there.