How to Start an Exchange Club

It all started when a gal in Bloomington, Indiana, announced she was going to donate some of her clothes to a local charity--and her pals said, "But we love that stuff!" One evening her potential discards were brought out to the living room and draped over every piece of furniture including the lampshades. Friends brought hors d'oeuvres and wine and then got to try on new duds to take home. The evening was such a smash success, the Exchange Club was born. What are you waiting for? Start yours!

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• A living room
• A dozen friends
• A theme
• Food
• Drinks

1. Pick your first theme--could be the clothing exchange, could be shoes, accessories, jewelry, new appetizers and their recipes ... whatever you have that needs to be passed on and enjoyed by others.
2. Volunteer as the first host or hostess and invite a dozen or so friends explaining this is a FABULOUS time for them to clear out items that need a good home.
3. Set a date. Friday or Saturday nights are great in case participants need the next morning to recover from the revelry.
4. The big night! People bring their castoff coasters, placemats, swizzle sticks and exchange! Then everyone cooks up the next theme night and finds the next host or hostess.
5. Donate any leftover goods to charity. After all, this whole thing was started with that in mind, wasn't it?

Tips & Warnings

• January makes a great month to recycle those gifts you got that didn't quite fit or hit the spot.
• March makes a good "Bring a tax tip" party.
• Consider at least one Bonfire Night, where things you REALLY want out of your life are burned (cancer diagnosis results for example)--make it a cleansing ceremony and burn sage, offering the smoke up to the gods of renewal.
• If you run out of household items to exchange, consider "Bring a lie and tell the consequences of when you told it."
• Spice things up with a "Night Out" a couple of times a year where the gang tries a new restaurant.
• Don't try burning the couch your shiftless ex-husband used to lounge on--you may have to call a Hazmat team to clean up the polyester fumes.