Recently, one of my clients was invited to a swap meet--a party at which invitees were asked to bring items they no longer wanted so that these things could potentially be swapped with other partygoers. This client and I had been working to sort and weed things that had been in boxes and drawers, so the timing was perfect: she knew that the things she was ready to let go of had a good chance of finding homes elsewhere.

When we met the following week, she reported that the party had been a big success, and that most of her give-aways were snatched up by others. If you're looking for a fun, creative, and interactive way of passing along things you no longer want, need, or use, consider holding your own swap meet. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Decide what to include
One fairly common type of swap party involves nothing but clothes, shoes, and accessories, often for women only or men only. If last week's tip inspired you to clean out your closet, this kind of swap might be for you. If you've been weeding other parts of the house as well, you might opt to expand the guidelines for what's included in the swap meet to encompass kitchen goods, small appliances, decorative items, linens, toys, and so on. If you're into a particular hobby or craft, consider a meet at which you could exchange supplies and tools specific to your area of interest.

Invite the right people
Once you've decided what type of swap meet to hold, it's time to draw up your guest list. Since the purpose of this party is to exchange things, be thoughtful and selective in terms of who you invite: if you're swapping clothes, consider either a small guest list of friends who more or less share the same taste, or a large guest list so that several different styles and sizes of clothing will likely be represented. Hobby-specific swaps should, of course, include those who share an interest in your hobby, while general swaps can be open to anyone interested in participating.

Set some ground rules
Before you send out invitations, draw up some ground rules about what acceptable swap materials are, how to handle disagreements over items, and what happens to things that don't find takers by the end of the party. For example, think about whether you'd like folks to bring only things that are in very good shape or whether it would be ok for them to bring items that required repair or could only be used for parts. Draw up some guidelines about how the swap will work: perhaps you'll pull numbers from a hat and each person will be able to choose one item at a time, or perhaps you'll hold a free-for-all. Also decide what to do with the leftovers: at the party my client went to, the hostess had arranged to drop any unclaimed items off at Goodwill the following day so that guests didn't have to take them home and they didn't end up cluttering the hostess' house.

Set up the space
When the day of the party arrives, you'll want to set up the space in which the swap portion of the festivities will take place. If you're holding a clothes swap, consider using some portable clothing racks for hanging items and table space for folded things; you might also want to designate one room as a changing room for guests who don't wish to try things on in front of the crowd.

For more general swaps, be sure to have plenty of clear surface areas for guests to display their wares on, and make sure anything on or near those surfaces that you don't want to be part of the swap is clearly labeled to that effect.

Consider having basic cardboard boxes, paper bags, or other containers available for guests to cart away their loot in. Have them label their container with their name to avoid confusion.

Stick to your "stuff exit strategy"
Finally, whether you're hosting a swap party or are simply a guest, make a pact with yourself not to accumulate more than you're giving away, and not to take anything that will likely become clutter as soon as you get it home. Before the party, you might spend some time making a list of items you need or would really like to have; if you find any of them at the meet, great! If not, be extremely selective about what you take. The idea of the party, after all, is to get items out of the hands of people who don't need, want, or use the things and into the hands of people who will.

The next time you find yourself faced with a growing stack of give-away items, consider coordinating a swap party. You'll get the chance to spend time with friends, have a bit of fun, and pass your unneeded stuff along to someone who will put it to good use.