10 tips for an AWESOME Stuff Swap playdate

One of my favorite budget extending activities to do with my mom friends is a Kid Stuff Swap Meet. We have also done mom clothes swaps. All of them have been completely awesome! First, here is how I explain the activity when I post an invite:

Have you ever noticed that going to the mall is “fun,” but going through what you have in storage is drudgery? That’s because, when you go to the mall, you have a coffee, maybe a pastry, you might meet a friend… you think of it as entertainment and a social occasion, right? GUESS WHAT! That’s what we’ve got going on here!

Come join us for a coffee. Let the kids have a chance to play. And “shop” for a few things to stretch your budget. Whether you need something to tide you over until you lose a little more baby weight or you’ve nursed off so many pants sizes that your wardrobe could use a little help, grab a few things that don’t work for you and come see if there’s something that does!

Bring your fat pants and your far-cry-from that pants and LET’S SWAP! Bring your castoffs and some bags to “shop” with and let’s swap. We’ll have separate areas for mom clothes, kid clothes, and toys/books. (I have scheduled Lupus Foundation to pick up the leftovers, so you don’t need to worry about packing things home.)

Ten tips to keep your swap running smoothly

Schedule a charity truck to pick up the leftovers. We used to try to drop the leftover items off at a local thrift store, but we quickly realized that there was just TOO. MUCH. STUFF. Contact a charity that does local pickups and set up a date with them, then pick a date for your swap. (Sometimes they only go to certain neighborhoods on certain dates- you’d hate to plan your swap and then find out you can’t get a truck! Be sure to make sure you know what items the charity will accept. Some do not take certain children’s items, due to laws about what they can and can’t resell in your area.
Promote your swap in local Freecycle and Yard Sale groups. Chances are your town has at least half a dozen groups for frugal people who like to make sure things don’t go to waste and also enjoy pinching pennies by offering up things they are done with in exchange for other people’s gently used items. Just ask the moderator before you post, so you don’t burn any bridges.
Invite other local moms groups. Extending an invitation to area moms groups by way of their respective organizers is a great way to build relationships and also to make sure you have a great, well attended swap. You might even be able to get other groups to take turns organizing the swaps with you- so you’ll be able to attend more often without making all the arrangements yourself!
Borrow some folding tables and/or clothing racks. Be sure to mark each item with the owner’s name and cell number as you pick it up. (Sharpie and masking tape are perfect for this.) Having plenty of equipment to organize your swap will make it run more smoothly, and making sure you can return borrowed items promptly will save you hassle.
Have each mom sort her items into piles by category and/or size as she arrives. I make signs that say things like “Boy Clothes (Size x-x)” or “toys” and designate an area for each. In nice weather, we arrange the items in the yard. On inclement days, I clear the rooms we are using for the swap of anything that could be confused for a swap item, and cover what I can’t remove with old sheets. Each mom puts her items into the relevant piles as she arrives.
Provide light snacks and a kids’ play area. If the kids are allowed to play in the swap area, chances are they will try to take home the things that came to the swap with them. That’s not an ideal outcome! But if they are distracted and having a good time, chances are they will never notice what’s going on in the swap area.
Have markers and masking tape to mark bags with each mom’s name. I have all my groceries put in “paper” leading up to a swap, and sometimes ask around among my friends to make sure I have enough bags. Labeling each back with the owner’s name cuts down on confusion as to which items are “taken.”
Allow each mom to browse and choose items without keeping a tally of who took what. Opinions differ on this subject, but our experience has been that everyone brings WAY more than they take home, trying to keep tabs slows the swap down, and everyone is looking for something different, so there is rarely any point of contention.
If there are big ticket items, consider drawing straws. Designate a maximum dollar value for items that are under the “browse freely” category, and allow people to put their name in the hat for anything bigger. You can check fair market value for used items by looking them up on eBay, Craig’s List, or a tax deduction site.
HAVE FUN! You are going to get a chance to network with new people, enjoy a nice day, and probably save a few bucks on things you need- PLUS you are going to clear out your closets. That is a win, win, win, WIN proposition!