throw a swap party

Not that you need a reason to have a party, but this one's really cool -- and really green.

The idea's simple. Invite a bunch of friends over and ask them to bring all the clothes they've been meaning to purge from their closets. The same goes for CDs they don't listen to anymore, books they've already read or only bought to impress someone, DVDs that just don't hold up after the umpteenth viewing ... you get the drift. Come to think of it, they can bring anything they want to get rid of, if someone else might actually want it. It's up to you to set the terms of your own swapfest.

The easiest way to organize the swapping -- and the surest way to avoid a tug of war over a choice item -- is to ask your guests to put their keys into a pillowcase. The host (that would be you) closes their eyes and pulls out a set of keys. Whoever the keys belong to goes first. After the first guest chooses a goodie, they pick out a set of keys, and that owner goes next. (Notice that the keys-in-pillowcase method means no paper is used. Bonus green points! Ding!)

Go around and around the room like that, until all the goodies are gone. If anything's left -- like any '90s grungewear, say, or that mixtape your ex made -- you can donate it to a local charity. (Bonus karma points! Ding Ding!)

Carry the "bring-your-own" theme over to the food and libations, and ask your guests to bring their fave dishes and drinks. You can be truly adventurous -- and a deeper shade of green -- by asking them to bring something already in their kitchens. Beware: You could be looking at a party feast of tuna fish, canned beans, and No Name Cola. But it's the act of creating a meal together that really counts. Plus, you'll be taking recycling to a whole new -- and totally cool -- level.

Swap and tell! Share your swap party stories and/or ideas here in the comments.

Photo courtesy of Retna. (photographer Retna Digital)