There’s a Fun Way to De-clutter and Get Rid of Items You No Longer Need
The bonus? You have the chance to get something you like and need, too!
We’ve all heard about the wonders of holding a garage sale—you get to toss things you no longer use and earn extra cash on the side. Setting up a sale can be enjoyable yet challenging, so we thought of a fun way to help you de-clutter. Have you been to a swap meet before? It’s a casual gathering where people sell or trade items. If you’ve recently scheduled a de-cluttering session and you have a box of things you no longer want, schedule a get-together with friends and host a simple swap party. Think of it as a fun and private ukay-ukay shindig where you can also find something you can use.
Ready to play host? Before you prep the snacks and refreshments, keep in mind your swap party’s objective—for you and your friends to streamline your belongings while still having fun. Make sure the invitees are aware of these tips, too:
Limit the number of your guests.
Keep the gathering intimate and manageable by limiting the guest list to 12 or less. Doing so can make it easier for everyone to go through piles and trade with each other. As a bonus, you can manage the food and the ensuing clutter after the party as well.
Don’t forget to have fun!
Aside from being on the lookout for items you can acquire, keep in mind that the get-together is also a way for you and your friends to spend time together. Don’t throw a tantrum if you don’t get the item you’ve been eyeing—keep looking and something better might just be in your other friend’s pile.
Sort your items.
Ask everyone to sort the items neatly per category—dresses, accessories, books, and home items. Keep the party organized by preparing bins and baskets where the items can be placed. You can also roll out an extra area rug where you can display the things up for grabs.
Come up with simple rules.
You and your guests can have the freedom to go through all the piles and discuss who gets what between each other. As an alternative, each guest can describe an item they’re selling and interested parties can raise their hands to show interest. If more than one person is interested, it can be discussed between the parties and they can come up with a trading deal.
Make sure all items find a new home.
If there are items that won’t be picked during the party, you can place these in a big box you can donate to charity. Each guest can rummage through their piles one last time to make sure there aren’t items they can recycle or give to a loved one.
This snippet originally appeared in the November 2006 issue of Real Living Magazine.
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