IOTUT -- Back-to-School Swap Party

Image by George Hodan

It's Friday already. I can't believe how fast this summer is flying by. As you prepare to send your kiddos back to school, I have a suggestion. Why not skip the big back-to-school shopping excursion and host a BTS swap party?

Let's face it -- all your kids' friends' parents are in the same boat as you. Some of you might even be a bit strapped for money, yet every August, you have to shell out a bunch of money for new items your kids probably don't even need. So here's my Instead of This, Use This suggestion for the week.

Back-to-School Swap Party

Invite your children's friends and their mothers to a party where everyone brings last year's backpacks, clothing, shoes, etc. Organize the items according to type. Give out a ticket for every item brought and then let the kids have fun "shopping." You can even color code the tickets to match the categories. 

Let the moms in on the fun, too, by swapping purses, jackets, and shoes. 

Serve refreshments and, if the kids are up to it, let them put on a fashion show with their new clothing. Let the kids know how much they're helping the earth by reusing items already purchased. Maybe you can even invite a guest speaker who can give a short talk about how cool it is to go green (I'm available in the Pittsburgh area).

This is a win-win situation for everyone! It certainly helps your budget while the kids have the chance to have new-to-them back-to-school clothes and accessories. 

And that, my friends, is this week's Instead of This, Use This. What do you think of the idea?

Keeping it green through reuse,