Have you ever been to a swap party? No, not that kind of swapping. Get your mind out of the gutter.
Last night I met up with eight friends and we each lugged in bags and boxes of stuff that we no longer wanted. The last time I went to one of these, we'd all just brought clothes and shoes. This time, however, there were no limitations.
I'd gotten rid of most of my unwanted clothing at the previous swap, so this time I dug a little deeper. I ended up bringing some of last year's leftover BlogHer swag, a long gown I hadn't worn since 1999, a suit that will probably never fit me again, duplicate sets of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" seasons on DVD, most of the earrings I own (my pierced ears closed up years ago) and a lot of other random stuff that's been sitting around my house for way too long.
I arrived with five bulging bags and came home with two, which I thought was a very satisfactory outcome. I scored a cute top, several necklaces, a suit that will be perfect once I get the slacks hemmed, two candle holders that will work well outdoors, and two hanging planters.
I was tempted to arm-wrestle A Librarian for the mandoline slicer that someone brought, but I decided to let her be the one to risk shaving off precious epidermis with it.
We didn't have a particularly organized method for claiming items. The bringer would hold up each item and the first person to express an interest was likely to go home with it, unless it was a clothing item that didn't fit.
Everything that went unclaimed at the end will be donated to an upcoming charity garage sale. So not only did we get the satisfaction of sharing with friends, but we'll also help a good cause. I like that.
I am still mourning the loss of the Buffy DVD's. Luckily, I know the new owner:-D
Posted by: A Librarian | June 20, 2010 at 05:51 PM