How-Tos | high plains thrifter

Hi all!

Have you ever heard the saying about men, that one woman’s trash is another woman’s treasure? Well, the same can be said for clothes, as witnessed first-hand at the clothing swap my roommate & I hosted Sunday. Cast-offs from one gal’s closet happily found homes in someone else’s and the best part is, all the true rejects (I can’t believe no one took my shamrock sweatshirt!) have already been donated to a worthy charity.

There are definitely things I would do differently next time, so before you host one, please learn from my mistakes!
Here’s a quick list of tips…

1. Make a cute invite, or better yet, have someone else do it for you! I love babysitting Riley, the daughter of my designer pal Bryan. In exchange for the hours I’ve happily spent Play-doh-ing with her, he whipped up a super cute, paper-doll inspired invitation. Thanks, Bry!

2. Invite pals with differing styles. Flashy gold handbag, a silky backless halter dress, patent-leather flats—I was surprised by the items that caught my eye. We all have our own style and shopping ruts, so by inviting pals with different tastes, you’re bound to be exposed to items you wouldn’t normally purchase.

Here's me eyeing Vanessa's cast-off gold handbag. Me likey!

3. Invite pals of all sizes. I was bummed when a few of my plus-sized friends admitted they didn’t attend because “nothing would fit them.” If just a couple of them had showed, there would have been plenty of items to exchange!

4. Pre-swap, pick up a rack at Target or Ikea so you can hang dresses, blouses, jackets, etc. I found this super light and easy-to-assemble one at Target for $14.99. Ask people to bring clothes that should be hung already on hangers so you don’t have to drum up spares of your own.

5. The day of, sort and separate clothes by category: dresses, sweaters, short-sleeved shirts, blouses, accessories, outerwear, shoes and miscellaneous. To show off the jewelry, Elissa cut a budding branch from the yard, and dangled earrings, necklaces and bracelets from it. So cute!

Alexa & Elissa browsing the jewelry tree.

6. Make sure your piles are spread around so people aren’t throwing ‘bows to get through the sweaters to the T-shirts. I had T-shirts on the porch, skirts and pants in the living room and set the rack up with dresses in my spare bedroom.

Pants piled high on the piano bench.

7. Have a couple full-length mirrors available as well as private-ish changing areas. Because, you know, some people don’t like getting naked in front of strangers.

8. Feed people! Shopping (er, swapping) on an empty stomach is no bueno. You can read all about what I cooked here. It’s my opinion that a Bloody Mary bar and mimosas make any and every morning fiesta funner. Am I right?

I'm embarrassed to admit how many of these cheesy kebabs I ate.

7. Have bags available for people to take their new-to-them threads home. Also, encourage people to take the hangers they brought back to their closets.

There are several ways of working a swap including both East and West coast styles (say what?), but I think it’s pretty simple (Midwest style?): Bring stuff you don’t want, take what you do. Don’t be greedy.

If hosting your own sounds like too much rigmarole and you live in the Twin Cities, I’d highly, highly recommend checking out the Alter/Nation Clothing Swap, to be held at the Grain Belt Bottling House this Saturday, April 24, from 1-5 p.m.

Not limited to just a plain ‘ole swap, there’ll be custom screen-printing by Anthem Heart, on-site alterations, a fashion show featuring upcycled gems by CounterCouture, beverages by local distiller Prairie Vodka, apps from the Red Stag Supperclub plus makeup, hair and photobooth fun. Sounds like a party not-to-be missed, right? All the details, including information regarding when and where to drop your swap-ready clothes, can be found here. I’ll see you there!

xoxo,

Meghan

P.S. Thanks to Louisa for snapping pics of the swap. I was too busy hosting to break out my camera (regret!), so I appreciate her sharing her photos. You rock lady!

Hi there!

Here’s a super quick and easy how-to for my fellow vintage luggage lovers out there. I hope you enjoy it! (This tutorial covers how to spruce up plastic-exterior luggage. Leather luggage is another beast, to be tackled at another time.)

Step 1: Find a piece of vintage luggage you love. It’s hard to pass through any thrift store’s luggage section without peeping a piece or two that’s worthy of some tender love and care.

I found this 1970s-era Samsonite train case at the bottom of a box of $1 luggage at Burnsville’s Salvation Army, with the original tray and everything. Don’t you love the milky white color?

Step 2: Step outside, open your suitcase and shake that sucker out. If it’s really dusty or dirty inside, break out your vacuum and suck the gunk out with the hose attachment.

Step 3: Assemble your cleaning supplies: Mr. Clean Magic Erasers, window cleaner (J.R. Watkins’ Window Cleaner smells so good), paper towels or rags.

Step 4: Wet your magical eraser and give it a good squeeze. Get to work on scrubbing away the scuffs, stains and other blemishes that old luggage is bound to be blessed with. Once you’ve given your piece a good working over, dry it off with a clean rag.

If you’re sprucing up a train case, clean the interior mirror with glass cleaner. I’m partial to J.R. Watkin’s Window Cleaner—it smells divine. Window cleaner also works well on shining up the hardware.

Step 5: Wipe down interior with clean, damp rag or paper towel. Dry!

Step 6: Give the inside a little sniff test. Smells okay? Skip to step 8. Smells like grandma’s attic? Go to step 7.

Step 7: Freshening up the scent of the interior is easy. Get together baking soda, some lavender essential oil and a small dish.

Mix a couple tablespoons of baking soda with a few drops of lavender essential oil in the dish. Place the mixture in your cleaned out luggage and close it in there.

Leave it shut for a day or two, and the grandma’s attic odor should have disappeared. I’ve also read you can use a car air-freshener in the same manner, but I usually hate the way those stink smell, so I prefer to go the all-natural route.

Step 8: Enjoy your clean & fresh vintage luggage! What you do with it is up to you.

Stack it. Collect it. Slap some stickers on it. Store stuff in it.

Or my favorite use: Pack it full & hit the road.