Give Back While You Get...Exchange-O-Rama!

What a better excuse than an Exchange-O-Rama to get together and eat snacks and drinks and swap clothes, books, CDs, DVDs, photo frames, hair products, make-up, perfume, lotions, shoes, personal items, home goods, purses, candles, etc.?

I just hosted the 17 of these since I created the name Exchange-O-Rama. I have heard of others doing exchanges of this sort in other places, and this message is to encourage you to organize your own, and I am providing the details on how to do it!

So, one of these upcoming days, you will want to go through your home/closet and make four piles: a keep pile, an repairs/alterations pile, a toss pile and a pile for EXCHANGE-O-RAMA!

At that point, if not before, invite some of your friends, colleagues, co-workers...anyone who love to be charitable and shop...and follow these guidelines:

The rules are kind and straight-forward:
1 - HAve everyone RSVP by 5 days prior to the event as a YES or a No (maybes at that time will be NOs). Evite is an easy way to send the invitations.
2 - Each person will commit to bring an appetizer and at least one bag of new or gently used clothes, shoes, home goods, make-up, hair care, etc. NO FURNITURE unless you have a large truck or own a moving company or van!
3 - Nobody can take more in volume than is brought
4 - Once all the items are out (and people put them out themselves - no displays or hangars, just piles, typically), the host/ess gives everyone a bag and say "go"
5 - If someone likes something, take it
6 - If someone does not like something, do not take it and say nothing negative
7 - When everyone is done, everyone will load the bags with the remaining items, and then load the car/vehicle that will transport the donations (we donate to The Spring of Tampa Bay, but any worthy cause is deserving!)
8 - When you see people out in your things, just smile and resist saying "that was mine!"

When people arrive, have them put the food on a table, have drinks ready for them and direct them to the rooms designated for the items (yes, you'll need full rooms for each category...we do three...Living Room (Clothes and Shoes), Dining Room (Health & Beauty), and Family Room (Home Goods like frames, candles, books, etc.).

Enjoy hosting an event and know it is all for worthy causes where maybe bad circumstances impacted good people...and they are in the process of bettering themselves!

Thanks, and happy exchanging at "The Swap" known as Exchange-O-Rama! Please contact me for any further guidance, ideas or successful stories about EORs...