If there is one thing I’ve learned from motherhood, it’s that children never seem to stop growing out of their clothing! Early on I learned that the easiest way to keep up with my growing child’s dwindling wardrobe was to arrange a clothing swap with other moms who are dealing with the same conundrum! All of those cute clothes that were worn by my son deserve more time to shine, so I use Downy Fabric Conditioner because it helps his clothes last longer.
I love the idea of passing it along to another child so it can have another life and I hate the idea of sending my son’s clothing to the landfill. Did you know North Americans toss 10.5 million tonnes of textiles in the trash each year!? One of the best ways to keep your kids’ clothing from ending up in the landfill too quickly is to hand them down! I often send clothing along to his friends, or his younger cousin who are a little smaller than my son so they can wear then too!
Kids’ clothing often goes through some major wear and tear, not to mention the daily messes they are subjected to! I often wash my son’s clothing over and over again because of a spilled meatball or an unexpected ice cream cone drip. Putting these clothes through the wash over and over again can add wear and tear to them. Downy Fabric Conditioner helps lengthen the life of my son’s clothes as it’s specially formulated to protect clothes from stretch, fade and fuzz so they have a chance to be passed onto others.
I’ve definitely had my share of playdate meetups where I’ve brought a bag of clothes to swap with my girlfriends, but I thought it would be SO much more fun to host a party and have fun at the same time! Not only does hosting a party like this give moms a much-needed night out, but the party includes shopping – without spending a dime, which is always a win! A hand-me-down party keeps money in our purses since were swapping clothing for our kids instead of buying new ones at a store.
I’ve put together some tips to hosting your own Hand-Me-Downy Kids’ Clothing Swap Party so you can gather your girlfriends and do the same.
First up, to prepare for your Hand-Me-Downy Kids’ Clothing Swap Party, you need to choose what you are ready to let go of. I had my son help a bit with this. Luckily washing with Downy Fabric Conditioner and Tide together has helped protect my son’s clothes, so when they don’t fit they are still in amazing condition! This combo helps his clothing look newer 50%, longer, and ultimately that is helpful to the environment. When we can hand them down to others, this keeps his cute clothes from ending up in a landfill, too quickly. Our only bump in the road for this part of the party prep – my son wanted to keep the things that didn’t fit him anymore because he still loved them!
Once I organized what I would be swapping at the Hand-Me-Downy Kids’ Clothing Swap Party it was time to get the invitations out and the party decor organized!
I headed to a craft store to pick up some cute invitations that I could personalize, and at the same time I picked up the most adorable Thank You Cards to send out after the party! I love sending out Thank You Cards to let my guests know how much I appreciated them coming by, plus it’s a great way to end off a fun party on a good note. With each invitation I sent a reusable bag with a note that each guest should bring their gently-loved clothing with them in the tote!
I decided to set up the party in the most practical spot possible in my home – my closet! I set up a rolling rack and my shelving with all my son’s clothes so once the guests arrived they knew where to add theirs. I created little tabs so they knew where to put “accessories”, “shoes”, and I set up a laundry bin for miscellaneous items as well. On the rolling rack I created tabs so we could organize shopping by size, and overall the set up was reminiscent of shopping at a real store!
For the treats and drinks I added some cupcakes, mini popcorn boxes, and I included some fun coconut drinks as well! I don’t think it’s possible to NOT have fun whilst drinking out of a coconut, right? I had my husband drill holes in them so I could put straws in them.
I think the best part about hosting a party like this is adding more fun into the regular clothing swaps that most moms organize with each other! I love that instead of just bringing a bag to a friends’ house, you can host a party to make the experience so much more fun. It’s also such a money saver to trade hand-me-downs with others. Luckily the Downy Fabric Conditioner I use extends the longevity of my son’s clothing, and it gives the clothes I buy him so much more value when I can pass them onto another child.
What do you think – are you ready to host your own Hand-Me-Downy Kids’ Clothing Swap Party? Hopefully my guide to throwing one of these parties will inspire you! Also if you click here you can save $2 on a Downy Fabric Conditioner bottle! Help make your kids’ clothing last longer – so they can be worn, re-worn and handed down – not worn out and thrown out too soon!
Photos by Tara Graham Photography.
Items in this post may have been provided to me for review, but all opinions are fabulously my own. This post contains affiliate links.
