How to Host a Clothing Swap

Y’all know I love a good clothing swap. I post as many as I can find and vet each month (I make sure they aren’t scammy, are actually free, etc.), but sometimes you want to do your own. Maybe you are in a fashion niche, a specialty size, or you want to have a specific type of swap.

Here are a few tips that made my clothing swaps a hit:

  • Pick a date.
  • Pick a location.
  • Pick a theme (ladies’ clothes, kids clothes, accessories only).
  • Pick a location.
  • Secure tables, clothing racks, and hangers to display clothes.
  • Arrange a donation partner for leftover items.

When you advertise your swap (either in a Facebook group, on Meetup, via email, however you decide), include any item limitations, such as the number of items. For a smaller swap, a sensible item limit is 5-10 items.

To cultivate the best swap possible, ask attendees to leave the stained or ripped items at home. Clothing should be ready to wear. That means no clothing that is pilled, has broken zippers, or missing buttons.

No used undergarments- for hygiene reasons. You may want to ok new undergarments or socks; that’s up to you.

On the day of, arrive early to set up tables and any clothing racks. Extra hangers may be helpful; some people may not bring clothes on hangers.

Sort clothes as they arrive, by size and category, depending on how organized your swap is. This also gives you the chance to weed out anything that is not in good shape.  These items can be donated or returned to the person who brought it.

November 2026 Clothing Swaps

I love clothing swaps- if you have read my blog, you know it’s one of my favorite ways to refresh the kids’ wardrobes (and my own). Now that the kids have grown into adult-sized clothing, I’m always looking for a good swap with clothes in all our sizes.

And, as always, if you are looking for more information about clothing swaps, check out my post (with other San Diego, CA area resources)  here.

November 6, 2026 2-3pm
Let’s Go Girls Monthly Clothing Swap
Golden Hills Park (Near the restrooms)

November 7, 2026 1pm-4pm
Baddie Clothes Swap
Mujeres Brew House 1983 Julian Avenue San Diego, CA 92113

November 8, 2026 10am – 1pm
City of La Mesa Clothing and Toy Swap
La Mesa Library 8074 Allison Ave La Mesa, CA 91942
November 12, 2026 6pm – 7:30pm
Conscious Closets: Clothing Swap & Sewing Workshop
Magdalena Ecke YMCA 200 Saxony Rd Encinitas, CA 92024

November 12, 2026 3pm–5pm
Clothing Swap
Potrero County Library 24883 Potrero Valley Road Potrero, CA 91963

November 28, 2026 10am-2pm
Water and Kindness Clothing Swap and Community Fair
Pop Up Winona 4951 El Cajon Blvd, San Diego, CA 92115

The Good Loop hosts clothing swaps in Southern CA frequently, but has nothing currently planned. I recommend following them on Instagram to stay in the know.

 

Amazon Haul- Unbelievable Deals from $2.99!

 

Have you heard of Amazon Haul? Think Temu-style deals and prices, but offered via Amazon. All kinds of unbelievable finds from just $2.99. Everyday staples, viral trends, clothing, beauty items, and electronics– everything you want. To learn more about their shipping time frames and how to score free shipping from Amazon Haul, click here. 

I discovered Amazon Haul after looking for new USB chargers for work. I found this 6-piece set of 2-meter-long charger cables for less than $10!

Whether you are looking for a stocking stuffer for the upcoming holidays, filling a goodie or boo basket for your kids, or just want to buy yourself a little something fun, I recommend Amazon Haul

 

October 2026 Clothing Swaps!

I love clothing swaps- if you have read my blog, you know it’s one of my favorite ways to refresh the kids’ wardrobes (and my own). Now that the kids have grown into adult-sized clothing, I’m always looking for a good swap with clothes in all our sizes.

And, as always, if you are looking for more information about clothing swaps, check out my post (with other San Diego, CA area resources)  here.

October has many great swaps, including Halloween costume swaps!

Porchlight Halloween costume swap

  • Date: Saturday, Oct 3, 2026
  • Time: 1–3 PM
  • Location: 8878 Clairemont Mesa Blvd, Suite F (behind Denny’s & Mic Drop Comedy)
  • Details: Please bring clean, gently used kids’ costumes, dress-up clothes, accessories, and costume pieces in good, wearable condition.

Daydreamers Landing  Halloween clothing and costume swap

  • Date: Sunday, October 4, 2026
  • Time: 2pm-6pm
  • Location: Daydreamers Landing, 8575 Los Coches rd #1, El Cajon, CA
    Details: Bring your gently used Halloween costumes and outfits (shirts, dresses, pajamas, etc.) and give them new life!

Goth Clothing Swap at San Diego Goth Picnic

  • Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026
  • Time: 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
  • Location: Pioneer Park (1521 Washington Place, San Diego)
  • Details: Free, all-ages community swap. Bring clean, gently used items and a blanket to display them.

Slow Down Swap Party at SD Climate Week

  • Date: Thursday, October 8, 2026
  • Time: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
  • Location: Garden of the Sky at the University of San Diego
  • Details: Hosted by I Love A Clean San Diego during Climate Week, featuring a free clothing swap (limit 1 grocery bag of donations), a fix-it clinic, and an upcycled fashion show

Women’s Clothing Swap in La Mesa

  • Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026
  • Time: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
  • Location: The Chapel at Grossmont (5651 Water St, La Mesa, CA 91942)
  • Details: Free swap for women’s clothing, shoes, and accessories. Items should be freshly laundered. [1]

New-to-You Clothing Swap in Spring Valley

 

The Good Loop hosts clothing swaps in Southern CA frequently, but has nothing currently planned. I recommend following them on Instagram to stay in the know.

Let’s Go Girls SD also hosts clothing swaps frequently. Check out their Instagram page.

Review Programs for Everyday People!

Recently, a few friends asked me about companies that offer programs for micro-influencers (usually defined as someone who has 10k or fewer followers) or everyday folks who want to try new products in exchange for their opinions.

I’ve posted about this before, years ago, but programs change and sometimes shut down completely.

If a company or brand offers you a freebie or a rebate to purchase an item on Amazon in exchange for a review- DECLINE THE OFFER. This is a common scam for new sellers on Amazon to receive reviews, which can put your Amazon account in jeopardy. 

Here are the programs that I have used, and a little bit about each one:

Stack Influence: Choose an item, purchase through their link. Once you complete the tasks (usually a social media post), you are refunded via Venmo or PayPal (your choice).

Glimmer Surveys, freebie offers, and community.

Maverly: This company works with a lot of larger brands. They send free products in exchange for social media posts and reviews.

Chimeable: Social Media posts and reviews in exchange for products.

She Speaks: Social Media posts and reviews in exchange for products.

Soapbox Influence: Social media posts and reviews in exchange for products. Sometimes you will be asked to purchase the product, and you will be reimbursed once the campaign has been completed.

The Insiders: One of my favorites. You will be asked to purchase the product, and you will be reimbursed once the campaign has been completed.

Bzzagent: I wrote a review of it here. I’ve been using Bzzagent for over 10 years.

Influenster: To get all of the products and free stuff offered by Influenster, you have to download the app.  When they send an offer for a free product, you have to jump on it right away. Their offers go fast! I’ve gotten clothing, cosmetics, perfume, and household appliances through Influenster.

Kitchen Insiders (Owned by Kelloggs): They send out full-size products in exchange for social media posts and online reviews.

Butterly: They send out full-size products in exchange for social media posts and online reviews.

The Pink Panel/Guys that Groom: Trying out new or existing health/beauty products, complete surveys regarding the products and your experiences with them. You are compensated in either Amazon Gift Cards or Gift Cards to the manufacturer’s website (the compensation is posted in the email you receive). I have done campaigns with them for skin care, SPF, and cosmetics.

Home Tester Club is pretty cool. They are one of my new favorites. You sign up to review items, and they send you something. A lot of the time, they don’t notify you before shipping. You’ll get a package in the mail, and a few days later, you’ll get an email notifying you that you were selected and a link to the survey to complete once you have sampled the product. I’ve received all sorts of great skincare, cosmetics, food, and clothing from Home Tester Club.

Tryazon: The kids and I have been participating in Tryazon events for 8-ish years. We’ve gotten to try all sorts of fun toys, games, organizational products, and food.

Ripple Street: This company rebranded recently and was previously known as House Party. You can learn about them here. 

Smiley360  is a word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing website. Sign up for campaigns, and you will receive samples to use and coupons to share with friends. Report your sharing and earn points! I’ve received Laundry detergent (full-sized bottles), vitamins, supplements, tampons, and razors in the past.

If you are looking for apps or companies that offer 100% rebates on food, check my post here.

Talk back: What is your favorite website for getting free stuff?

Fall 2026 Clothing Swaps!

I love clothing swaps- If you have read my blog, you know it’s one of my favorite ways to refresh the kids’ wardrobes (and my own). Now that the kids have grown into adult-sized clothing, I’m always looking for a good swap that will have clothes in all of our sizes.

And as always, if you are looking for more information about clothing swaps, check out my post (with other San Diego, CA area resources)  here.

Here are the Fall 2026  Clothing Swaps in the greater San Diego, CA area:

The Good Loop hosts clothing swaps in Southern CA frequently, but has nothing currently planned. I recommend following them on Instagram to stay in the know.

Let’s Go Girls SD also hosts clothing swaps frequently. Check out their Instagram page.

May 2026 Clothing Swaps

I love clothing swaps- If you have read my blog, you know it’s one of my favorite ways to refresh the kids’ wardrobes (and my own). Now that the kids have grown into adult-sized clothing, I’m always looking for a good swap that will have clothes in all of our sizes.

And as always, if you are looking for more information about clothing swaps, check out my post (with other San Diego, CA area resources)  here.

Here are the May 2026 Clothing Swaps in the greater San Diego, CA area:

The Good Loop hosts clothing swaps in Southern CA frequently, but has nothing currently planned. I recommend following them on Instagram to stay in the know.

Let’s Go Girls SD also hosts clothing swaps frequently. Check out their Instagram page.

April 2026 Clothing Swaps

I love clothing swaps- If you have read my blog, you know it’s one of my favorite ways to refresh the kids’ wardrobes (and my own). Now that the kids have grown into adult-sized clothing, I’m always looking for a good swap that will have clothes in all of our sizes.

And as always, if you are looking for more information about clothing swaps, check out my post (with other San Diego, CA area resources)  here.

April 20th is Earth Day, and to celebrate, there are usually swaps at Earth Day events. I’ve included all of the swaps I could find at Earth Day celebrations across San Diego.

Here are the April 2026 Clothing Swaps in the greater San Diego, CA area:

The Good Loop hosts clothing swaps in Southern CA frequently, but has nothing currently planned. I recommend following them on Instagram to stay in the know.

Let’s Go Girls SD also hosts clothing swaps frequently. Check out their Instagram page.

Programs I Use to Find Legit Freebies

Who doesn’t love free stuff?

I’m always on the lookout for good, quality freebies. What I mean by that is items that have value. Not just monetarily, but also items that I will use. That can be anything from free food to a brand new washing machine and dryer.

Many of the freebie programs I have used in the past are no longer available (for example, Tryit and JCPenney Insiders were both acquired by Influenster), so those are not included in my list.

However, here are some that I use today and recommend to others.

This list does not include rebate apps or any other programs where you incur an out-of-pocket expense that is reimbursed later.

Home Tester Club is pretty cool. They are one of my new favorites. You sign up to review items, and they send you something. A lot of the time, they don’t notify you before shipping. You’ll get a package in the mail, and a few days later, you’ll get an email notifying you that you were selected and a link to the survey to complete once you have sampled the product. I’ve received all sorts of great skincare, cosmetics, food, and clothing from Home Tester Club.

Tryazon: The kids and I have been participating in Tryazon events for 8-ish years. We’ve gotten to try all sorts of fun toys, games, organizational products, and food.

Influenster: To get all of the products and free stuff offered by Influenster, you have to download the app.  When they send an offer for a free product, you have to jump on it right away. Their offers go fast! I’ve gotten clothing, cosmetics, perfume, and household appliances through Influenster.

Ripple Street: this company rebranded recently and was previously known as House Party. You can learn about them here. 

Smiley360  is a Word of Mouth (WOM) marketing website. Sign up for campaigns, and you will receive samples to use and coupons to share with friends. Report your sharing and earn points! I’ve received Laundry detergent (full-sized bottles), vitamins, supplements, tampons, and razors in the past.

Kitchen Insiders: Kitchen Insiders is an online community where food lovers can get a sneak peek at what we’re cooking up in the Kitchen. As a member, you’ll have the opportunity to try some of the latest and greatest snack foods for free in exchange for your honest product feedback. You can even earn points and badges for participating. Joining us in the Kitchen is completely free!

Can Fan Community: A vibrant place where we come together to learn, share, and appreciate the wonders of canned fruits and tomatoes! We’re committed to delivering the freshest, tastiest products, grown here in the USA!  Join the movement of individuals who appreciate the unmatched nutritional value, sustainability, and beyond! Together, we can shout out the message and spread the love for these pantry staples to the world!

Life Hack Collective:  As part of our community, you’ll be able to participate in engaging Missions that may include trying new products, participating in discussions with your fellow community members, and sharing your opinion on your favorite social media platforms. By completing surveys, they’ll be able to best match you with Missions you’ll hopefully find interesting and fun.

If a company or brand offers you a freebie or a rebate to purchase an item on Amazon in exchange for a review- DECLINE THE OFFER. This is a common scam for new sellers on Amazon to receive reviews, which can put your Amazon account in jeopardy. 

Stack Influence: This is a website and app that offers you products with up to a 100% rebate after you post about it on social media. I wrote about it here. I’ve used it before, and reimbursement is quick. 

If you are looking for apps or companies that offer 100% rebates on food, check my post here.

Talk back: What is your favorite website for getting free stuff?

Score Deals with Amazon Haul!

I had never heard of Amazon Haul until earlier this week, when a co-worker told me she scored a box of 40 name-brand mechanical pencils for less than $10.

Amazon Haul is Amazon’s take on discount goodies, similar to Temu and Shein. Most everything is $20.00 or less. There is a section at the top of the Amazon Haul page with $1 & under deals! These items are limit 3 per customer.

I’m always on the lookout for inexpensive pencils for work and for my kids, so I had to give it a gander.

Here are a few of the sweet deals I ran across. I separated them by less than $1 and over $1.

In the $1.00 or less category-

Over $1.00, and still a good deal:

And there are thousands more deals in almost every category on Amazon Haul– It is definately worth a peek.