The holiday’s have passed, your closets are bursting and it’s time to get organized! I know my children’s rooms and closets were busting at the seams after their Christmas presents made their appearance. I spent two days going through their toys and clothes in order to declutter. It is so refreshing to start anew with organized closets!

So, what do you do with all of the in-good-condition items you no longer need, use or want? How about hosting a swap!

One of the things that I do to stay within our budget for clothing and toys is to participate in swaps. It is really simple to do and completely free. It doesn’t get any better than shopping  for free! I have participated in both clothing and toy swaps. However, you could host a swap for almost anything.

How to host a swap:

• Get your friends in the game! First, find a group of friends willing to participate in a swap. It is a fun and free mom’s night out event! Our local mom’s group hosts swaps several times a year.
• Set up a date and send an invitation out with the following guidelines (or something similar, be creative!).
  
  Please, empty your closet and vanity.  Remove anything you have not worn or used in over a year. Everything includes shoes, jewelry, purses, bags, hats, coats, clothes, and unused beauty products. This is not an event to see who can bring the most items. It is not required that you leave with the same amount of items that you came with. Decluttering and replacing unused items with things that are useful to you is the goal. You will be asked to sort your items by like kind and wait until the party begins to “shop”. The items that are not selected will be donated to charity.
• On the date of the swap, have everyone arrive 15 minutes prior to “shopping” time. Set up tables and group like items together. Signs can be made for different categories if you want to get fancy.
• When “shopping” begins, there is one simple rule: She who sees it first, gets it! If the item does not fit or is later not wanted, the item will be passed to the next person who had an interest.
• All unclaimed items can be taken to a local charity. And in no circumstances should you bring your own items back home with you—there is a reason you were trying to get rid of it. Let it go.

Think of all of the things around your house that are being unused. Part of the reason it is hard to let go of those items is due to the fact that they are still useful. Passing in-good-condition items onto a friend is sometimes easier than discarding it. You will feel revived and relieved when you get rid of the clutter! Plus, it is a great way to refresh your wardrobe with out dipping into your budget.

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This article is part of our New Year, New Budget series. We are concentrating on New Year’s resolutions and helping you find ways to tackle them inexpensively. This week focuses on the popular “Getting Organized” resolution.