Who to invite: Friends with similar taste. For a good variety of merchandise, eight people is a manageable number, though anywhere from three to 20 is doable. How to e-mail: Send Real Simple’s free customizable Evite (available at realsimple.com/evite). Give guests two weeks’ notice to start gathering their belongings. Try the recipes:
ricotta and herb spread deviled eggs, four ways lemony almond macaroons
Be clear about what’s swap-worthy. Ask friends to bring clean goods in gently used condition (that is, no ratty gym shorts or a Scrabble set missing the letter Q). Guests should also come with an extra tote bag for carting home their finds. Stock up on supplies. Guests can claim desired items using color-coded stickers. Hangers and poster board (for signage) may also come in handy. Establish a system. Choose one of the following swapping strategies, which should be explained in your Evite or at the start of the party.
Take turns shopping. Draw straws to pick who shops first. Limit the number of items to three per turn to keep it fair and moving fast.Use tokens. The host hands out a poker chip for every item a guest donates. If a person brings 10 items, she gets 10 tokens with which she can purchase 10 new items.Keep the numbers even. Everybody goes home with the same number of items that they donated.
Tip: Give guests room to spread out their items by clearing off surfaces, such as dining and side tables, and using bins and trunks to serve as display space. What to consider: You may want to invite people who are roughly in the same size range (though anyone can trade bags, jewelry, and scarves). Remind guests to wear tights or modest underwear the day of, which will make try-ons less awkward. What to consider: Be sure the people in the group have children of different ages. You don’t want to get stuck with a room full of bouncy seats and baby monitors when everyone’s kids have already moved on to walking and talking. What to consider: Nothing is better than a personal recommendation. Ask guests to write one-sentence summaries on sticky notes and attach them to the covers. Member of a book club? Refresh your library by organizing a swap with another book club. What to consider: Think of the party as a guilt-free form of regifting. There’s bound to be someone in the market for a still-in-the-box ice cream maker or a never-been-lit scented candle. Just make sure the person who gave it to you isn’t on the guest list. What to consider: People can go overboard when cleaning out their garages, so think about how much space you can dedicate to the swap. You may want to suggest that guests limit the number of items or their size (in other words, nothing bigger than a bread box).
Goodwill: Most Goodwill branches will pick up furniture or large bags of clothing. Contact your local Goodwill to find out whether pickup service is available in your area (800-664-577), or go to goodwill.org. The Salvation Army: Call 800-728-7825 or go to satruck.org to find a local branch or to see if there is pickup service in your area. Dress for Success: This organization accepts women’s interview-appropriate attire. Drop off items at one of its locations (in 46 states), or mail donations. To find a location near you, go to dressforsuccess.org.
Newborns in Need: Donate gently used items, such as small toys, rattles, blankets, and clothing. Go to newbornsinneed.org for locations. Project Night Night: Send “like new” blankets, books, and stuffed animals to children living in homeless shelters. Go to projectnightnight.org for details.
Books for Soldiers: Ship a care package of books, CDs, and DVDs to a soldier. Sign up at booksforsoldiers.com. Reader to Reader: Stock needy school libraries with books. Go to readertoreader.org for details.
