peace. love. swap

new blog/new site

2011-10-17T22:28:00.000-07:00

if you are following us here - I just wanted to update you that we have a new spot for our blog on our website - if you want to check it out here is the link: http://peaceloveswap.com/blog/
- enjoy!
happy swapping,
meg

What Matter's Most

2011-08-25T14:10:00.000-07:00

I thought I would include this on the blog (it was actually written on Wed. Aug. 24th 2011) - every Wednesday I send out a motivational "blurb" to our Swap Organizer's. We call it the Wednesday "Blurb". Here it is below:

Hello Everyone!

I am happy to report my family and I have not been evacuated! But our thoughts and prayers are with the brave firefighters, police, and specialists who are currently trying to prevent a thermonuclear blast from destroying our quaint downtown area of Lincoln, CA. We live outside of the evacuation zone and are anxiously waiting to hear what the scoop will be on a moment by moment basis. For those of you who are wondering what is going on - A propane tanker caught on fire yesterday afternoon next to a propane factory. The thought of having a ticking bomb in our beautiful historic city has brought a great deal of alarm to families and business owners as well as put many people's lives at risk as they try to "disarm" this huge "bomb."

Yesterday I was shopping at Target picking up some school supplies for my 5 year old who was scheduled to start Kindergarten today (but all schools are closed due to the crisis). While we were discussing the choices of glue sticks that were most appropriate I received a phone call on my cell. I picked up with the usual, "Hey hon! What's up?" My husband's tone immediately straightened my back and all my senses were on high alert. Not only was his tone of that of warning, but the words that followed brought me into a very serious and thoughtful state of mind.

"Honey, where are you?" my husband spoke in a grave and serious tone.

"I'm at Target with the kids. What's going on?" I asked.

A sigh of relief from my husband.

"Good. I'll meet you there. I'm being evacuated. We have to close the office."

"Whoa! What?" I responded quickly, demanding more information.

"What's going on? Is everything alright?"

My husband quickly relayed the circumstance as I heard him packing up his things in the back ground. Oh no... I was stunned, my husband is in a danger zone??? An explosion??? I knew exactly where the propane factory was from my husband's office. Not even 1/2 a mile. I ended the conversation with a meaningful "Get out quick. Meet you here - love you. Be careful." As soon as we got off the phone I told the kids to say a prayer for their Daddy and for all the people that were working on containing the situation, as well as the surrounding homes and businesses that were being affected. It was one of those moments in life where you learn to appreciate what you have and make the most of every moment. Daddy got to Target safely, we spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying each others company. Today we got some house stuff done, went out to lunch, visited some family and overall had a really nice day. With schools closed, no office to go to, we are exceptionally grateful that at least we have our family and our home. When you are faced with trials like these, you are reminded very quickly that there are very few things in life that truly matter.

Right now, planning my next swap may not be on the priority list today, but I know that as soon as this crisis is over, I will be helping out my community with my next swap. Our family, our community - we will have answers and solutions to the problems we may face. This brings me great comfort. To know, to be prepared, to have a solution to some of the problems, and a way to help. If people in my community lose their homes or lose their loved ones, I know exactly what I will do to help. That's all for tonight. I need to go snuggle with those who matter most.
~Elle

the Why, the How, the Who...

2011-07-21T01:11:00.000-07:00

One of the coolest things about our particular era is the "GO GREEN" initiative.
History was always my favorite subject in school. Why? Because it's just so
interesting! In every culture, every academic discipline, and in every aspect
of life, History tells the story of how we got to where we are NOW. I have
always found that so fascinating. History shows us our mistakes, our victories,
our perspectives, and ultimately defines in many ways, who we are as a society.

When I was growing up, my mom was just about the "Greenest" person ever! I
mean, she wouldn't even throw away a paper towel after she had wiped her hands
with one! Literally, if we were in a public restroom, she would wash her hands,
then she would grab a paper towel and dry her hands. Because her hands were
already clean when drying them on the clean paper towel, she would save the
paper towel. She would fold it up, and take it home. She had a special drawer
where she saved those used (but clean) paper towels. These paper towels were
for cleaning the floors, bathrooms, or to mop up messes. When I was young I
thought that was normal. But as I got older I soon realized how NOT normal that
was!

Furthermore, she would take me to her work place every month on her day off. On
her day off (mind you) we would collect the aluminum cans from the recycle bin
and crush them, bag them up, and then take them to the recycle center. I asked
her one day, "So how come your job makes you do this?" She laughed and said,
"My job doesn't make me do this! I set out this recycle bin and started
collecting the cans so they wouldn't just get thrown away! I can't stand to see
people be so wasteful." That was my mom. On top of that she would use the
money that was collected from the cans to sponsor children in developing
countries. It all made sense! I always wondered why my mom always got those
"Thank you" cards from children in Guatamala and Africa. A light bulb went off
in my head. Ahhh! I know the why, the how, the who, and ultimately the
definition of the who. My mom is a Saint. That's all there is to it. And that
is how it will be recorded in History.

My mom taught and continues to teach me many wonderful things. Be "Green", and
be charitable. I guess that's why I love this organization so much. I know I
am teaching the same lessons to my kids by doing these swaps. But our hope is
that all people in all communities will get these valuable lessons. Not
everyone has a mom like mine ;)

Which brings me to all of YOU. Whatever your purpose for becoming a swap
organizer, being a volunteer, or being a swapper, one thing is for certain - there was, and is, a why, a how, and ultimately a definition of YOU. I am pleased to report that YOU are a Saint.
And that is all there is to it. And that is how it will be recorded in History.

Have yourself an awesome week ;)

The Importance of ATTITUDE

2011-05-18T22:30:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone! I hope the middle of the week is finding you all well. This week I have a personal story to share that hopefully uplifts your spirits (be warned, it's a little gory):

On Mother's Day we found ourselves in the ER because my 5 year old climbed up the back of a rocking chair, then fell and hit the back of his head on a ceramic planter. The back of his head had a serious laceration that bled like you wouldn't believe, and he ended up having to get his poor little head stapled back together. Long story short - he's fine, and he seems to love the fact that he has metal in his head. Needless to say, it was stressful. But the one thing I can add is the fact that my 5 year old once again has masterfully taught me the importance of ATTITUDE. While we were in the ER he had nothing on his face but a huge smile. His smile certainly calmed our worried selves, but I kept thinking about that HUGE gash in the back of his head! I wasn't dealing so well with it, but Han seemed perfectly content despite the fact that his head was throbbing, and we were holding a blood soaked rag up to his blood soaked hair! The doctor said it would be best to go ahead and staple his wound without anesthesia because the shot to the wound would hurt more than the stapling. The horror on my face told her that was not acceptable, and so she suggested a topical numbing cream, which would help... BUT... it was still gonna hurt.

I wanted to be honest with my boy, so I held his little hand and told him what they were going to do and that is was going to hurt. He quietly said "k" and closed his eyes. As each of those staples went in he squeezed my hand, clenched his teeth, and my husband held his body as he jerked from the pain. I waited to hear a scream, but to my surprise, no scream! When it was all over I let out a breath and to my astonishment not a single tear was streaming down his face. He just looked up at us with a smile and asked, "Are we done?" I couldn't believe how tough he was! All I could really say was, "DAAAANNNGGG! Didn't that hurt???!!" And to our further astonishment, he replied, "Yeah, it did, but I'm really strong and really brave too. Can we go now?" The room filled with laughter and amazement. We survived, we got through it, and the wise words of a 5 year old resonated within our souls: "Yeah, it hurt. But I'm really strong, and really brave too. Can we move on now?"

I have thought about these wise words that came (not from me), but my little 5 year old boy. I thought about what a profound message it was and how it totally applies to our lives in every way. Important things always take struggle. We feel the swaps are important to communities, and as we grow, we naturally are going to experience some growing pains. Our hope is that when you come to a swap, you will remember that one of the most important things you need to have, is A GOOD ATTITUDE. Even if we're bleeding from the back of our head, we can still somehow muster a smile on our face, and CHOOSE to have a POSITIVE outlook. What's more is that we can get through it, learn from it, even ENJOY the experience, and move on. So if you ever feel disappointed that you didn't get what you were looking for, your kids were acting crazy the entire time, the venue wasn't that great, or you woke up on the wrong side of the bed (or ran into someone who did) - don't let that discourage you. Look at the big picture, put a smile on your face, and find a way to see the glass half full. You are a part of something special, truly unique, and together we are ALL strong, we are all brave, and we are all moving forward.

peace. love. swap. is going strong thanks to all of you :)

Extracurricular Education

2011-05-11T21:22:00.000-07:00

One of the most awesome things about the swaps is the extracurricular education that my children are getting. I really think the example we are setting for our kiddos is HUGE! When we're loading up to get in the car on swap day, they ask: "Where are we going?" I respond, "To our swap!" They all cheer with glee and my 5 year old who is also the most articulate of the group excitedly talks about how he is going to get to play, and get some new clothes and toys. My kids look forward to swap days. Not only that, but my kiddos are used to getting used items. They don't care... AT ALL! They get just as excited to get the used items, as they are to get new items. What makes me laugh sometimes is that when my twins open a new present, they HATE the packaging! They honestly don't like the toy until it is out of all that yucky plastic packaging. It goes to show that we are conditioned to like, or unlike things. And so far, my kiddos prefer the greener approach - which makes me very excited to be a part of this. And one of the MOST POSITIVE things is the example that my children are getting. There are so many great teachings they can get out of the swaps, too many to list, so I'm just going to name a few:

-resourcefulness

- sharing

- importance of community

- down to earth attitude towards materialism

- how to recycle

- respect for our Planet

- awareness

- organization

- a healthy attitude towards our excess consumption

- thriftiness

- charity

Our hope is that these swaps do much more for you than just be a fun way to get rid of your stuff and get some stuff back. Our hope is that you will remember that swap shopping really matters. It means something to those closest to you and it means something to your community, as well as beyond.

Our swap organizers know that they are much more than just that. They are a philosopher, a pioneer, and a philanthropist. The reality is that our regular swapper's are just that as well! By coming to the swaps, showing your support, and getting involved, you are in reality a huge part of this incredible movement. We hope you take that into account.

We hope to see you at the next swap!

-Elle

What our local swaps do for our community...

2011-05-10T21:53:00.000-07:00

So it had been awhile since I had said the peace. love. swap mission statement out loud - and when I did the last blog post, it made really made me realize that our 3 main goals ( and pretty much in this order ) are to keep things out of landfills, donate as much as possible to charity and produce fun/family friendly swaps. It occurred to me that I could measure the amount of swaps we have produced - 60+ since 2009 - but I haven't measured what we have kept out of landfills and most important.. how much we have donated to charities. Well if we just average the amount of stuff that comes in and goes out - we have easily donated 45,000+ items to charity. This includes baby, kid & maternity clothing and gear, books, shoes, movies, accessories, etc. Which means we have easily swapped 65,000+ items ... this is amazing!!! I wonder how much of this stuff would have ended up in a landfill?? We all did this together!! And, it's only been two years - and.... we are only just getting started. We will easily double that number of charitable donations by the end of the year. On top of that, some of our swaps are doubling as fundraisers, so a portion of the proceeds are being donated to different causes as well. I am so happy to be a part of this with all the moms that organizing swaps and all the volunteers - to actually see my vision come to fruition. I love the fact that every month we give something back to our communities.
See you soon,
Until then
happy swapping
meg

I always bring more than I take ...

2011-05-05T14:24:00.000-07:00

Holy Cow!! Talk about Spring Cleaning!! This is what I am taking to the next swap - We just had one 6 weeks ago, and I have absolutely NO PROBLEM getting rid of all this stuff - about 1/3 of it is from previous swaps, the little farm house (lola wants to keep that - but it's time to pass it on & she just got a weeble wobble house from the consignment store) - and the "hyperdash" game were big hits - time to pass those on. Lots of clothes, puzzles, books, shoes, dolls, baby tunnel play mat thing! Again, you could never swap this much stuff online - the shipping would cost too much, it wouldn't make sense. Swap sites like Thredup are great for swapping clothes once in awhile - and super if you only have one kid - but once you pay the fee and pay for shipping ($15+ per box) it can be cost prohibitive. It's a fun and addictive site for in between swap events though. Also - I will re-use the box/garbage bags to pack up the leftover items for donation after the swap.
I often take this much stuff - (as do many people) which raises the question - should you take as much as you bring?? My answer? I don't WANT that much stuff back - I want to get rid of that stuff and maybe take a bag home - maybe 2 (rarely 2- and that's because I have 3 kids.)
So sometimes the question comes up - when people are 'shopping' how much is too much?? I guess it's all relative, but I would expect people to not take as much as they bring, I would anticipate some of your items being donated to charity. peace. love. swap is an environmental and philanthropic event first and foremost... our mission statement is (and has been from day one):

to keep gently used baby, kid and maternity items out of landfills, and to donate to local charities, by producing fun and affordable family friendly swaps on a regular basis.

It has never been our mission (or my personal vision) to have people load up on as many items as they possibly can. I created this event so that moms could get rid of their unwanted things that they were going to take to a thrift store or consignment store - but instead of just donating them or getting a less than stellar credit, they could exchange them/recycle them, meet other moms, let their kids play, etc.. I still shop at consignment stores, and donate and shop at thrift stores - but the swaps are a way to kind of 'complete' that green lifestyle/way of shopping if you will. My personal vision is for people to ONLY take what they are going to use for the next few months - only what they truly need perhaps until the next swap, and then make sure it is clean, and then bring it back - so obviously you wouldn't need bags of clothes and other stuff- my kid's don't wear that much!! Did you know (I read somewhere) we only wear 20% wardrobe 80% of the time? - So most of the stuff we have (and our kid's have) we don't even probably wear.

Anyway, as a sort guide to what is too much?? because no one ever seems to think they are taking too much, We will start posting some pictures - good and bad - don't worry, I won't post anyones faces - A sort of ode to Glamour magazine's "Do's and Don'ts" - There will be lot's of Do's photos posted - as most people I see - do get the concept of peace. love. swap. --- hellooooooo.. doesn't the name say it all???? We will post some photos soon here and on Facebook - they will be sort of humourous - so stay tuned - but they will also answer that question - am I taking too much????

Until then,
happy swapping~
meg

Recycle your Easter Stuff!! : )

2011-04-06T13:15:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to remind everyone that Easter is almost here - and if you celebrate by doing the whole Easter basket thing - PLEASE rethink the whole go to kmart or walmart thing and buying the grass and the eggs and the baskets!!! Please check your local consignment stores and/or thrift stores for baskets/grass/eggs etc. - they have a lot of that stuff or post a want on freecycle.org - or re-use your stuff from last year. I went to the market the other night and looked down the Easter aisle and it made me want to gag (plus I am pretty sure all of that stuff is made in china - don't get me started). I don't know why anyone would buy all that stuff new every year- the kid's rip through it so fast -and my kid's don't know that the little eggs I put their candy in are 14 years old. : ) I swear I have been using some of the same grass and eggs since my son was little and he is 16!! Also, after the holiday -please don't throw any of it away. If you don't have the time or space to store it - take it to a thrift store so someone else can use it next year..
Thanks!
meg

what i got ... (and I was the last one in!) ; )

2011-04-05T13:51:00.000-07:00

So, every once in awhile I hear or see a post on Facebook that 'I didn't get anything' or 'I didn't find anything good' Now, granted - I brought 3 boxes of stuff - and I ALWAYS bring in more than I take - and for me, that's ok. I am never looking to take home an equal amount. My kid's closets are overflowing with stuff and I am always trying to get rid of stuff, so I am happy to just get the items I need to hold me over until the next swap. If you are looking to get the exact amount of stuff you brought in - it's probably not going to happen all the time for you. One of the whole ideas of peace. love. swap is to purge - get rid of the items you don't need and/or don't use anymore.. But, my point here is that - I went in last - after everyone else started swapping and gathering stuff. I was in no hurry & most of the stuff in the picture is stuff that was actually left over and was going to go for donation. Things I didn't picture here are the toys I got for the girls (because they are already scattered somewhere- I should have taken a picture of them at the swap : ) ) Anyways.. they got a cool dress up flowery fairy crown, a cool barbie makeup set, a bunch of little rattle type toys for Ava, a book, and a pair of gardening gloves (Milla and Lola have a worm farm going outside right now)- that's all I can think of right now. So, for $5, well when it's your swap you don't actually pay $5, but if I was a swapper - and I was the last one in - and I paid $5... there is still stuff to go around - that's my point! : ) I basically got 11 pieces of clothing and the toys I mentioned above - and there was still more to go around. What a deal!!

upcoming swaps:

4/11/11 SF Bay Area/ Tri Valley, Pleasanton, CA email: plstrivalley@gmail.com
4/22/11 Swap-a-palooza - Roseville, CA (not just kid's stuff!) email: plsrocklin@gmail.com
4/29/11 Virginia Bch/Chesapeake, VA email: plschesapeake@gmail.com

until next time,
happy swapping,
meg

it IS easy being green...

2011-03-30T15:13:00.000-07:00

Well we just celebrated our 50th swap and when I started the swaps over a year and a half ago - the whole idea was to reduce waste, and reuse things- keep these baby and kiddo and maternity items in use for as long as possible. I like it when people show up to the swaps with their reusable bags - : ) most of them do. I really dislike icky plastic grocery bags and discourage anyone from using them. : /... Anyways, with Earth Day coming up - it's a good time to take little steps towards 'being green' it really is easy- I am sure most of you already do all the little things that come with being green but just adding one new one is so cool. I am really going to try and make the swaps at some point (hopefully by the end of the year) zero waste events (or as close to zero as possible) - it's a lofty goal - but something to work towards. One of my pet peeves, is when people bring me their stained and smelly clothes. I can't really take this stuff to charity - they can't sell it. True, they can be used as rags. But you can imagine how many rags I have at home - I have been doing swaps for almost 2 years. I am going to start looking for a use for these, shredding them and making something of them - I don't know.... If anyone has any ideas please let me know. Other than the stained and/or dirty stuff at the end of a swap we really have very little waste left over - Items go to charity, people take what they need in their bags. It's a beautiful thing. It's local - It's green. It's awesome. ;)
And, if you can't find what you are searching for at our swaps, check your local thrift or consignment stores - that is next best recycling option.
Feel free to post any new or cool things you are going to do this Earth day to be a 'greener' human : )

until then....

happy swapping.
meg

"the list"

2011-03-16T12:39:00.000-07:00

it's so funny, I am really a type A person, and I keep this list - and as I cross things off, I add new things, but also take those things that I didn't do that day and add them to the top of the next day's list..make sense?? My point? "Blog" has been on my list for like 2 weeks now, and I cross all these other things off, do other things, and poor blog, he never gets done, he just gets transferred over to the new list, only to not get crossed off again and again... I am so not a blogger, and I have a lot of respect out there for you bloggers out there who come up with something crafty to say everyday - or something to write about or whatever. BRAVO! So, today, you "blog" you get crossed off my list, only to get added again in another couple of weeks. : ) Anyways for me, nothing too exciting here, but some good ole swap updates:
We do have some exciting news about new locations - one thing about not blogging often - I don't remember if I wrote about this or not (although - that could happen even if I wrote about it yesterday)~
So, New locations on the horizon! (some of these don't have locations/times/dates so if you would like to be added to the email list to get updates - just email the swap organizer directly)
We have made our way over to the East Coast! Beth will be producing her first peace. love. swap event in Charlottesville Virginia at Bounce-n-Play on April 1 - for details click here or email plscville@gmail.com
Erin will be producing her first swap soon after in the Chesapeake/ Virginia Beach area - for more info on that area you can contact Erin at plschesapeake@gmail.com
We also have another East Coast location coming soon to the Northern Virginia / DC area - Michele is heading up that area - and you can contact her with any questions at: plsnovadc@gmail.com
Moving back west - we have an awesome multi tasking mom in Houston - Heather Brummett - who is not only taking on running a peace. love. swap event in Houston - but also has her own blog/website Living on Love & Cents : ) for more info on the p.l.s event in Houston: peaceloveswaphouston@gmail.com
Then over here in California:
Mindy in the Tri - Valley area of the San Francisco Bay area Sunday May 1 in Livermore, CA at Springtime Tumbling and Trampoline - email her at plstrivalley@gmail.com - or click here for details
Also look out for Natalie in the Mother Lode area of CA (Amador and Calaveras Counties) plsmotherlode@gmail.com - Vongie in Stockton, CA plsstockton@gmail.com & also Mara in Los Banos, CA plslosbanos@gmail.com

Of course we still have all the oldies but goodies covered too: Sacramento, Roseville, Grass Valley/Nevada County, San Francisco Emeryville/Berkeley/Oakland, SF North Bay, Vacaville, Yuba Sutter, Natomas, Chico, Colfax, Cameron Park/El Dorado Hills, Manhattan Beach, & Colorado Springs.

And you can always find our upcoming list of swaps on Facebook Events or on our Website Events - or email the swap organizer directly.

FYI - THAT IS ALOT OF SWAPS!!! : ) peace. love. swap will be celebrating it's 50th swap this weekend on March 20th! I think that is pretty amazing. We have grown from one mom - and one swap in one city - to - are you ready??
17 moms - in 21 cities across the US : ) in only about a year and half - HOW AWESOME IS THAT!
it's all about the moms and dads and the volunteers that make this work - keep recycling - keep bringing stuff back - - this system works & together, we can change the world. : )

and we will one swap at a time.
happy swapping & happy 50th swap!

Celebrate Earth Day 2011 with Swap-a-Palooza!

2011-02-14T12:26:00.000-08:00

Celebrate Earth Day 2011 with

Swap-a-Palooza!

Hosted and sponsored by Denio's Farmer's Market and Swap Meet. Tickets on sale now! http://earthdayswapapalooza.eventbrite.com/

Bring your new and gently used items and swap them for new to you items - Spring Cleaning never looked so good! There is going to be much more than baby/kid/maternity items - we are accepting Women's , Men's, Kitchen, Home/Garden, and much more! Percentage of proceeds donated to Smile Train and unadopted items are going to local charities and families in need.

swap events vs. online swapping

2011-02-08T21:23:00.000-08:00

There has been so much in the news lately about swapping - in this economy, people are doing whatever they can to save a dollar. Although I originally started the swaps as more of a "recycling movement" - it certainly has been a godsend for some that simply can't afford to buy retail. Over the last year and a half of throwing kid's clothing and gear swaps, I have seen a lot of new swap ideas sprout up. I have to say that it is so cool to see so many people just exchanging the things they don't use for something "new" to them. I haven't really come across anyone that does what we do. Don't get me wrong, there are lots of kid's clothing swaps, and they are all over, however, what we strive to do is to keep our swaps happening on a monthly or bi monthly basis - because we know how quickly kids grow out of stuff. Plus, our swaps are really a sort of play date - parents chat with other parents in the kid/family friendly venue - kids play and then it's a swap fest! I just wanted to post some pictures of the last swap I threw here in my town - Grass Valley at Gold Country Gymnastics. I want people to see how much stuff you can get for only the $5 admission fee. I am not in any way putting down swap websites or other forms of swapping- in fact, I think online swap websites are great for in between swap events or if you only have one kid and don't go through that much stuff. My only problem is I have 3 kids 5 and under - and they grow... fast. Each box I would order from a popular online swap site would cost me almost $16 (that's $5 + $15.70 shipping) - granted you get maybe 15-18 pieces - which is a great deal ($1 or so a piece) - but at one of our events - for $5 you can get all the clothes you need for all of your kids, plus.. strollers, toys, books, movies, accessories, you name it. So the pictures below are the difference between what you get online, and what you get at an event.

Here's what you get online for about $15 (not to mention all the waste created by all these boxes.. yikes!)

Now.. here is what you get for $5 at a peace. love. swap event! (almost zero waste)

Now try to fit that stuff in a box!!!

I am telling you .. everyone needs an event like this close to them. Please don't get me wrong - I think online swapping is awesome, if that is all that is available to you - but you can get soooo much more at an event. Then - get what you can't find from swapping at your local thrift or consignment store. Think of all the waste that is not going into the landfills by reusing. It's amazing. After this last swap - (after about 60 swappers) we had only one small shopping bag size (trader joe's bag) of trash and one small box of recycling!!! Talk about being green : )

I love it. And, if your problem is that you don't have an event like this close to home.. please just contact us - we will help you start one - your community will thank you, the earth will thank you and most of all - your wallet will thank you!

That's all for now,

happy swapping

meg

GREEN SWAPPING is the NEW RECYCLING!

2011-02-01T22:02:00.000-08:00

I had a great experience picking up some items from a lady who lived in my neck of the woods. She contacted us and wanted to donate some items - well I went to pick them up, and holy moly! She gave us a truck load! I mean we're talking about some great stuff - like an Eddie Bauer stroller, a Jeep Umbrella stroller, a bouncer, high chair, and you name it! One of the great things was that all of these big ticket items are for one, impossible or simply not cost effective to swap online, and are also really tough to find in thrift stores or consignment stores. The gal who donated expressed her frustration on how thrift stores would not take these items because they held the weight of a child, so she was ready to take them to the dump! So that's another thing that is so awesome about our swaps. We keep these great gently used items OUT OF THE DUMP and put them to better use. Not only that, but you can take the time to look over these items before you take them, and if you find anything wrong with them - then there is no haggling someone for a refund or store credit or what not. We really need to get a peace. love. swap in every city of the US. My experience confirmed this once again! So if you or someone you know wants to start one - shoot us an email.

One more thing... I have been taking photos of my kids wearing swap items because I will be making a new video with peace.love.swap kiddos wearing or playing with their new toys and gear - so send me some photos if you would like them included in the next video - plsrocklin@gmail.com.

Happy swapping!
Elle

7 swaps on the horizon...

2011-01-31T13:41:00.000-08:00

I wanted to let everyone know we had a GREAT swap in Sacramento CA. Heather is a p.l.s veteran : ) and has been with us for about 8 months (that's a veteran since we have only been around for a little over a year and a half!) Anyways, she always has a great turnout : )
We have SO many swaps coming up in February -
2/5 Grass Valley, CA (put on by yours truly)peaceloveswap@gmail.com
2/5 Vacaville, CA - contact Sameeyah plsvacaville@gmail.com
2/19 Roseville, CA - contact Elle plsrocklin@gmail.com (NEW LOCATION!)
2/19 Yuba City, CA - NEW SWAP - Liz Selter - plsyubacity@gmail.com
2/20 Natomas, CA (liz - doing 2 swaps back to back! holy cow!!) - Liz Selter - plsnatomas@gmail.com (FYI if you missed the Sacramento kid's swap - go to this one : )
2/20 Los Angeles - South Bay (Manhattan Beach) NEW SWAP - Laurie Phan - plssouthbay@gmail.com
2/26 Cameron Park/El Dorado Hills, CA - Heather plscameronpark@gmail.com

That's 7 kid's clothing swaps this month!! I had mentioned we are quickly approaching our 50th swap and will throwing first annual (well annual if it goes well! ) SWAP- a - PALOOZA : ) Yeah!!! - Stay tuned for details on this....

The biggest "complaint" I get is.. these are all in California - when are you going to be in my city. Well, we are definitely working on it. We are talking with swap lovin' moms every day and promise that over the next six months you will see peace. love. swap in many more states across the US.

So, if you have kid's stuff to swap, and don't have a swap event in your city, please hold on to your stuff, we will be there soon! Or, If you have some spare time, want to make some extra cash and help your community & the environment - why don't YOU contact us? There is nothing like a peace. love. swap event. You can swap online - but you pay $13-$15 and will only get a tiny fraction of what you get for only $5 at one of our swap events. I am actually going to take pictures at my next event of what moms are taking home for $5 - you will be AMAZED : )

Have a great day - stay green.: )

happy swapping!
meg

National Swap Day

2011-01-18T21:43:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to let all you swap enthusiasts out there that it's officially "National Swap Day" on January 28. AWESOME!!!! Any swapping is good swapping in our book. We have our Sacramento kids clothing and gear swap on 1/28... Then in February ..
2/5 Vacaville, CA & Grass Valley, CA
2/19 Los Angeles- South Bay, CA & Roseville, CA
2/20 Natomas, CA
2/26 Cameron Park/El Dorado Hills,CA

We are growing and want to help moms get their own swap going! We are "semi-pros" at this : ) and have all the tools and support you need to do this!

If you want to make a little extra cash, SWAP, help your community and help the environment.. Then contact us!
We want to see kid's swaps happening every month or every other month in cities everywhere!!

;)
happy national swap day!

meg

upcoming clothing swap events (and other updates)

2011-01-13T20:57:00.000-08:00

No clever title for this post.... we just had our 3rd swap in the San Francisco East Bay and I have to say.. it was AWESOME!! So much stuff, we are going to have to branch out into another part of the gym for the next swap. I got Ava the 2 cutest dresses, I will have to post pictures. Exciting news about new peace. love. swap locations.. We have swaps starting in Charlottesville, Virginia; Manhattan Beach; Natomas CA; and Yuba City CA. Our goal for 2011 is to really branch out into other areas. Swapping is catching on fast, and we really want to make sure there is baby/kid/maternity clothing and gear swap in every major city across the US. We have the tools you need to start your own successful baby/kid/maternity clothing and gear swap and we want to share them with you! If you know of a mom that might be interested in starting her own peace. love. swap - send her to us! We will pay you $10 if she joins our organization. Contact us for details.
Until then ~
happy swapping

meg

Happy New Year!!! (in two days...)

2010-12-30T11:37:00.000-08:00

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season – and are looking forward to a spectacular 2011. peace. love. swap has been organizing swaps now for over a year and a half – and - we are excited to say that we will be hosting our 50th swap coming up in the first part of the new year. Please help us spread the word about p.l.s by joining us (and inviting your friends) on Facebook and by sharing our videos on YouTube. If you have friends in other areas of the country that might be interested in starting a swap, please send them our way. One of our main goals for 2011 will be helping moms everywhere start a successful ongoing kids swap in their neighborhood.

As we grow and evolve, it is inevitable that we need to make a few changes. Although the core idea of each swap will remain the same, each swap might have minor variations to accommodate that venue. Please make sure you check the page of the swap you will be attending (here) and fill out the form on the swap page so that your name will be added to the updates list. We don't send junk mail, just a reminder before the next swap and any updates such as cancellations or time changes etc.. It is important to either be on the email update list or follow on Facebook so that you aware of any changes.

One new "rule" that will be changing in the new year is the “take as much as you need” rule. Up until this point there was no rule on how much you can take at the swaps, but, unfortunately, we have found that many people have different ideas of what the word “need” means. Since “what you need” varies so much from person to person – we will be vigilant about looking for hoarders and people taking more than they could possibly need. There is simply no reason one person needs to take everything off of one rack – or take all of the larger ticket items like pack and plays, strollers and highchairs. Does this happen at all the swaps? No. Does it happen all the time? Definitely not. However, It’s something that has happened from time to time at a couple of swaps, and it will no longer be tolerated in 2011. If the swap organizer or a volunteer sees someone taking more than what seems normal – they will be asked to put some items back until all swappers have had a chance to go through the items – probably about 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the swap. Again – I know this is subjective, but the point is that the swaps are about sharing, getting rid of your unused stuff that is still in good condition, and picking up a FEW new to you items in exchange – after the swap, items go to charity, so if you feel you are in dire need, contact us and we can arrange for you take stuff after the swap & before stuff goes to charity.

Also, please do not bring your junk. The swaps are not a dumping ground. No dirty, broken, badly stained, or torn items. I actually had someone bring in a highchair that was duct taped together. Newsflash: nobody wants that. Bring stuff that you would want, but have no use for anymore (ie. Clean, “gently used” items.) Charities do not want items if they cannot be used or sold in thrift stores. NOTE: Items that are brought in that we can see are in really bad shape will not be taken. If you are wondering if something is not swappable – email your swap organizer and ask.

Well, that said… I think most swappers will be okay with these new “rules” as it is meant to help evenly distribute the items at the swap. The ones that are not okay with it are probably the ones that were bringing in junk and taking too much stuff to begin with. : )

Next swaps up:
San Francisco East Bay on January 9.
possibly Sacramento & Cameron Park CA the last part of Jan (check website for details)
Grass Valley, CA February 5

happy swapping...
meg

Swapping is the new shopping for 2011

2010-12-27T21:16:00.000-08:00

Swapping is the new shopping - and swaps are only going to get bigger in 2011. With the economy the way it is and the growing concern about the environment, swapping is really the way to go. We have been putting on kids clothing and gear swaps for over a year and a half now, and will be coming up on our 50th swap in the first part of 2011... that's A LOT of swaps : ). peace. love. swap is the only organization (that we know of) that produces ongoing kids clothing and gear swaps (bi monthly or quarterly)... we know how fast kids grow & how quickly they grow tired of their toys. We also help moms get their own successful swap started in their area. We really feel like every community should have a kid's clothing swap that happens every other month. That's why we partner with kid friendly locations to host the swaps - moms get out and socialize and meet other "green" moms, the kids play, then.. we swap! Leftovers always go to local charities.
If you haven't been to a peace. love. swap event, you really must try it out. If you don't have one near you, you should contact us to find out how to start your own. It's fun and rewarding being a part of an organization that gives back to each community that is involved.
Stay tuned for some upcoming changes for 2011 and for new locations across the US.

happy swapping and happy 2011

meg

one more reason for me to SWAP it .. instead of consigning it : )

2010-12-10T16:41:00.000-08:00

So if you read what I wrote a couple posts ago, you know I was aiming to get most of my gifts this holiday season from the swap as well as local consignment and thrift shops. I am done shopping and am proud to say everything was swapped and purchased locally : )
---However.....I have to vent over one thing- because this is just one more reason that the swap is better than consignment stores (not all perhaps, but at least the one here where I live). I bought some things at our local kids consignment shop, Suzie Bear Boutique. Now, I have mentioned I don't take stuff there anymore, because I get very little credit & I would rather take all my stuff to the swap. But, I do shop there sometimes when I am downtown. So, I found a box of Duplo legos there for $14 (they are the larger legos) and they were all taped up - but I assumed I was getting what the box said - which were Duplos and a picture of the set - I mean why would you put something different in the box and then tape it up???? Well - when I got to wrapping last night, I took all the tape off to show my hubby what I got for Lola, and when I looked inside, it was not what was pictured on the box at all - it wasn't even Duplos!!! They were a totally different set of regular (smaller) Legos - which Lola wouldn't want. What a jip!! So, I printed out my bank statement and took them back (yes, my fault - I didn't keep the receipt). Anyway - she wouldn't take them back - and wouldn't even give a credit! And it was the lady that actually sold them to me - and yes, she remembered me and the legos!! She said the tag said legos hellloooo- legos makes duplos so I thought it just said legos b/c they are a type of legos. Unbelievable.. I will take the legos to the next swap (or if anyone wants them let me know) - and I will NEVER go back again. I would at least expect a store credit. So... at least at our swaps what you see is what you get - you can open stuff up look at it, touch it - even play with it. - it's only $5 to come to a swap, and you can take what you need. Plus, if you don't like it or don't use it anymore, you can bring it back to the next swap. : )
OK rant over.
happy swapping!!!
meg

upcoming clothing swap events (and other updates)

2010-12-07T11:23:00.000-08:00

HI Swappers!! What a great turnout for the bi monthly kids clothing and gear swap in Grass Valley CA. It's always a fun swap for me b/c the volunteers are so awesome. They have been doing it long enough that they practically run the show!! Also... there will be a new location for the Roseville, CA swap. Sierra - one of our swap organizers in Colorado organized her first kid's clothing swap in Colorado Springs on the 14th of November and did a GREAT job- look for swap #2 in March. 2 more swaps coming up in December - Chico, CA on Saturday Dec. 18 and Vacaville, CA on Saturday Dec. 19. Both are growing and promise a good turnout. You can find more info and specific times/etc for all the swaps on the website here: http://peaceloveswap.com/findanevent.html - You can also follow us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/peace-love-swap/122114784212?v=wall&vm=all
On another note, I have had quite a few moms that attend the kid's swaps inquire about us doing clothing swaps for them...moms getting together to swap clothes, shoes & accessories. It's something we will have to look at, as our core goal is to create kid's swaps. Our main focus will always be baby/kid/maternity swaps - but moms need to refresh their wardrobes too - I read somewhere that we wear 20% of our clothes 80% of the time. That is a lot of unworn stuff in our closets. We will see.... Your input is appreciated.
Hope everyone has a WONDERFUL holiday season and .....
happy swapping!

meg

holiday swapping

2010-11-18T11:17:00.000-08:00

As the holidays are fast approaching, it's time to think about gifts. With my daughter Lola's birthday on November 26, then Christmas the following month - there in quite an influx of kid stuff around the holidays. If you have read my blogs from the beginning - I have mentioned "the compact" - where Mat (husband) and I decided to join this group of greenies, and not buy anything new for a year. I bought about 90% of our gifts from thrift and consignment shops that year (it was before I started the swaps). Last year, at the Grass Valley swap, we had a special "barely used" gift table. It was a hit. Ponder this for a moment: From Thanksgiving to New Year's day - household waste increases 25%!! This info is from various places - it's definitely something to consider:

The average American spends $800 on gifts over the holiday season.
Added food waste, shopping bags, packaging, wrapping paper, bows and ribbons - it all adds up to an additional 1 million tons a week to our landfills. (EPA and Use Less Stuff
In the U.S., annual trash from gift-wrap and shopping bags totals 4 million tons. (Use Less Stuff)
About 40% of all battery sales occur during the holiday season. (EPA)
If every family reused just two feet of holiday ribbon, the 38,000 miles of ribbon saved could tie a bow around the entire planet.
The 2.65 billion Christmas cards sold each year n the U.S. could fill a football field 10 stories high. If we each sent one card less, we'd save 50,000 cubic yards of paper. (Use Less Stuff) Consider sending an electronic card. The following are some examples of what is available on the internet:

So.. before you run out and throw money at brand new toys and gifts for your kids - why don't get rid of some of their "old" stuff & get them "new to them" items that are gently used? I have so much stuff I have to get rid of right now to make room for the "new stuff" my kids are going to get over the holidays. Sure, I will buy some new items, but again the majority of things I will get my family this year will be from the swap, and thrift/consignment. Try to bring as much as you can to these swaps happening around the holidays. If it's something really expensive, try to sell it first and if it doesn't sell bring it to the swap. Personally, for me, it's easier to just bring it all to the swap. My goal is to get rid of stuff & make room for new stuff. And, if no one takes it from the swap, you know it's going to someone in need - that may not be getting much around the holidays.

So, think GREEN this holiday season, try to reuse and recycle what you have. It's so easy. :)
Until next time...
happy swapping

meg

Upcoming Events

2010-11-14T19:48:00.000-08:00

As usual, I let too much time pass in between posts!! Elle had her beautiful baby by, Zenock, and is doing well. I just wanted to update the blog on some new happenings. We had our first kid's clothing & gear swap in Colorado Springs on November 14 - swap organizer Sierra Hinkle can be reached at plscoloradosprings@gmail.com - we will update you on how it went and post some pictures soon! Also, Sameeyah Baksh is taking over the Vacaville swap. Hopefully we will have a date set for December soon.
We are looking into a new venue for the Rocklin swap -and still looking in Sacramento (although we do have a strong possibility in there: )
We are looking for a mom to take over the Marin County kids swap & would love to help some more moms get one going in their area! It is a great opportunity for moms that already have a home based business, because once you get your swap going it's a great way to make a little extra money, and gives you great exposure for your exsisting business. Let me know if you or someone you know is interested.
I will keep everyone posted on the new locations -here and on Facebook
- Until then..
happy swapping!
meg

green halloween!!

2010-10-07T21:49:00.000-07:00

Wow! I can't believe it's been 2 months since I last "blogged" - I have a hard enough time keeping up the website, emails and facebook ... let alone the kids!! I don't know how people blog every day.. Anyways, I just wanted to mention that Halloween is right around the corner and what better way to go easy on the environment (and your pocketbook), than recycling Halloween costumes. I know personally, I have 4 of my son's old Halloween costumes under the house in a box, plus a couple from the girls. I will be bringing costumes to the kid's swap in Grass Valley on Sat. 10/9, as well as the Vacaville swap on 10/15. If you can't make it to a swap, perhaps you could get together with some friends and trade costumes... if not, then go to a consignment shop or thrift store. I usually hit these local spots on my daily walks, and I have to tell you, I have come across a TON of costumes.. cute ones at that! Since I started doing the swaps over a year ago, I rarely hit the consignment and thrift stores anymore, but since Ava (our newest addition - 12 weeks old) doesn't like to nap anywhere but in my mobi wrap, I find myself walking A LOT!! So, to kill time I go down and look around. If you can't find what you are looking for at our kid's swaps, definitely don't forget these alternatives. I got myself a few shirts and my husband too... I am finding the cutest stuff for like $2 each... I LOVE not having to spend a ton of money on stuff... of course I like "free" better... but you can't always get what you are looking for at swaps.
That's all for now, I will try to write again soon (sooner than 2 months!)
Oh also... by the end of the year peace. love. swap will have hosted 50+ swaps in over 12 cities!!! Not bad for being around for a little over a year...!!
Take care & make sure to check the website for upcoming dates, times and NEW locations.

happy swapping!
meg

OMG... all three kids napping at the same time...

2010-08-02T15:06:00.000-07:00

Is this possible???? The new baby.. Ava... she is making noise though and will up any minute.. just enough time to open mail, pay bills, check email and make a small (very small) blog entry. All is well with the new baby. I am looking forward to the swap in Nevada County this coming weekend - I already have accumulated a TON of stuff to bring. I need a few things as well. : ) Elle did a great job with the youtube posts - I can't remember if she posted a link to them on the blog or not, if not, we will get a link up soon b/c it is a very cool video she did!! We are still growing - a little slower than anticipated b/c of me giving birth, and Elle due in October - but we are working hard to keep up the pace. If you or someone you know wants to get a swap started in their area, please feel free to contact us. New swaps will be coming to Folsom, Elk Grove and also one to Colorado Springs soon. My brain is kind of mushy due to the lack of sleep - so I might be missing some upcoming swaps - you can always check the website for upcoming dates and locations. I am putting up a picture of Ava : ) Hope all is well & see you soon-

happy swapping,

meg

New Developments

2010-07-30T15:19:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! As the summer is coming to a close, I just wanted to give you a few updates that are up and on the move:

1) Meg had her baby!!!! Yay! Congrats :)
2) peace. love. swap Yahoo groups in Nevada County, Sacramento, and Rocklin areas.
3) Official launch of peace. love. swap youtube channel
4) More swaps coming to more cities!!!

Thank you everyone for your constant support!

New online groups for local swapping

2010-07-07T10:13:00.000-07:00

Hi There..... no baby yet, so I am just trying to squeeze in as much work as possible before d-day. It's super hot here - and I am sporting a super large belly to boot. : ) If you have ever visited our website (www.peaceloveswap.com ) ... which I hope you have.... you might know that we have a little part of our swapping empire that is called "peace. love. swap - online" - basically, it's a place for moms to connect with one another between the local "in person" swaps. Our focus - or our goal, is to meet in person and hold kid's clothing and gear swaps on a regular basis, to help moms get these ongoing swaps up and running in cities everywhere & to support local charities & families in need -- there is something to be said for getting offline and connecting with other moms in the flesh - plus you can see what you are getting, have your kid's try things on, and swap way more than just clothes. However, with the growing number of websites that are "online swap sites" we want to be able to connect moms online as well. You can find the group links on our website - either on each individual location page http://peaceloveswap.com/findanevent.html as well as the p.l.s online page: http://peaceloveswap.com/plsonlinegroups.html -- Basically, they are yahoo groups that will be started in the areas where we have ongoing clothing swaps for kids. They are for moms to connect with other swapaholic moms in between the actual p.l.s events. You can post things you are looking for, you can try to sell a larger more expensive item before bringing it to a swap, you can trade like items for like items... it's really up to you. We just wanted to create an online forum for each of our communities. Some of them are already live, some are in the works. Let us know if you have any questions - and until the next swap...
Happy swapping... online :)
meg

San Francisco - North Bay/Marin County kid's & clothing swap

2010-06-14T20:34:00.000-07:00

So, while Elle was down in So Cal, doing the first swap in Arcadia, I was up here in Nor Cal -San Rafael - doing the North Bay/Marin County swap. What a great one! Wonderful venue... Gymworld - they have a new - beautiful (air conditioned) location - it was perfect for the swap. They have some great Grand Opening specials including $50 off Summer Camps & Birthday Parties. About 20 or so moms turned up - which is pretty normal for a new first time location. The moms were very enthusiastic and I expect when we do the next swap - which will be sometime in early Sept. - there will easily be twice as many moms, if not more. We also had some great raffle donors! I am going to be off the swap circuit until the next Nevada County swap on August 7, because our baby is due on July 15 & I just don't think I can squeeze one more in. : ) I have literally gotten everything I need for the new baby from the swaps - except for a car seat - and I still need a snap & go stroller. Other than that - I am set... I didn't have to buy one thing!! And, I will bring it all back to the swaps when our new one grows out of everything. Keep checking the website and/ or facebook to keep updated on all upcoming swaps! Try to keep cool in the summer heat -
see you soon,
happy swapping,
meg

One Penny Saved is Two Pennies Earned

2010-06-14T16:49:00.000-07:00

I often read money saving articles and books that appear worthwhile the read. There's a lot of info out there, but I recently read an older book called "Home Work" published in 1977. Not sure if it's still in print - I borrowed it from my mother-in-laws library. So basically, one of the key points that I thought was so worthwhile was the idea that One Penny Saved is Two Pennies Earned. Basically, for every penny you save, you are actually earning two pennies. Why? Because the saved penny is not taxed, nor did it take you gas, babysitters, and other expenses to save the penny. If you think about it - every penny you earn, is not as valuable as the penny you saved. Because that penny is or will be taxed, and/or incur other costs that take away from the "net worth" of those pennies earned. All in all - it made me think of how much money our swaps save our swappers. First off, just from my own experience of being a p.l.s swapper - I have not bought a single article of clothing or toys for my kids (with the exception of birthdays, and Christmas), since last October. So I have gone 9 months (going on 10) without purchasing anything. I have 3 growing toddler boys, so that is saying something. The awesome thing is that this has not been hard to do. I simply have an organized, set time in which I collect items for my kids. In addition, I have an organized set time, to get rid of my kids items that they are no longer using. So if you have a friend who's still unsure about coming to a swap - gently remind them that doing a peace. love. swap is probably the most productive thing they can do in one short period of time. You are saving money, recycling, living green, taking your kids on a playdate, clearing out your clutter, shopping for new items for your kiddos, and doing humanitarian labor in one shot. It's just good for the soul...

See ya at the next swap!
Elle

Arcadia Swap June 11th, 2010

2010-06-14T16:45:00.000-07:00

We had a really great time at the Arcadia swap. It went very smoothly, especially for a first time in a new area. I would have to say my volunteers rocked. I implemented a shift system that Meg and I discussed after the last Rocklin swap, and it worked out great!

I'm looking forward to seeing this swap continue on a quarterly basis, and we'll update those details soon.

Happy Swapping So. Cal!
Elle

Nevada County kid's clothing & gear swap

2010-06-06T20:46:00.000-07:00

Hi! I can't believe it's already June!!! I am due with baby in about 5 weeks!! That went by so fast. So... we had a swap in Nevada County (Grass Valley) this Saturday (6/5) it was awesome... : ) I guess I am kind of partial to the GV swaps because it's where we started and I have come to know a lot of the moms that attend regularly.. I have watched moms go through pregnancy and come in with their new babies - they have gone from getting rid of and getting new stuff for their other kid(s), to getting and trading maternity clothes, to stuff for the new baby!! It's so cool. The swaps are growing fast and that's really neat to watch too. There is one that Elle is doing in Arcadia on Friday 6/11. She will update us on how that went. We are also going to be putting all of our little "news" clips on youtube, so we'll put a link up to that soon. . I am doing one more swap in the Bay Area this coming weekend in San Rafael on 6/13 - then I am going to take some time off until the end of August... with the exception of the Nevada County swap on 8/7 - I feel like I have so many moms that help at this one that we will find a way to make it happen - even though the baby is due on July 15.. : )
I just wanted to say how awesome all the volunteers are - I really couldn't do it without the people that help me.
See you soon.. until then-
happy swapping!!
meg

Elle's Comments

2010-05-19T13:33:00.000-07:00

Cool! My first blog on the official p.l.s blog site. How exciting! Well, just wanted to introduce myself to our avid readers, I'm sure there are tons of you following our every move... jk... lol... I'm Elle Beyer, Meg's partner in crime and we are super excited about the growth and progress of p.l.s. I wanted to tell everyone how I got involved with p.l.s and why. Well, one day I was posting my kids clothes on craigslist. I had a couple bags of nice clothes my boys had grown out of, as well as practically brand new shoes that had hardly been worn. I spent a good 30 minutes writing up an awesome post and pricing everything. At the end I thought to myself, "That was lame, I'm gonna get like $15 out of everything if I'm lucky. Then what the heck am I going to get for my 3 boys that will fit them for $15? I guess I could afford 3 t-shirts at Wal-mart or something."

Sure enough, I started getting emails from mom's who wanted to come look at the items. To my dismay I got about 5 emails that read, "I only want Baby Gap, what do you have that's Baby Gap?" Or... "Gymboree items sought. Only Gymboree." Or... "Would you take $5 for all of it?" I mean seriously??? This was turning out to be way too much trouble. I thought to myself, "Can't I just take my items somewhere, and exchange them for stuff that fits my kids?" Then... a light bulb went off in my head. I thought to myself, "Surely there is something like that out there." So I Google searched, and found Meg's operation. What a pleasant surprise! Not only was I thrilled someone started a swap, but it was right here, in my own community! Fantastic! It was fate, because it just so happened that the very first Rocklin p.l.s was scheduled 2 weeks away. I was stoked.

So I went to the Rocklin swap that was literally 10 min. away, and I had a blast. I got rid of my bags of clothes, that were originally going to be sold on craigslist, and I got back a bag of items I could use! Not only was I thrilled about the concept, but the organization of the swap was far more advanced than I thought it would be. Holy Cow, everything was on racks, hung, and sorted by size... etc... It was so much fun, brilliant, and so obviously needed.

After that, I pretty much stalked Meg, and expressed to her my extreme interest and enthusiasm for p.l.s . lol... Lucky for me, she took my enthusiasm seriously, and brought me on board as her partner. Yay! I'm a firm believer in this organization, the mission, and everything it stands for. I'm so excited to be a part of this, and I'm so excited to meet all the mom's that will be jumping on board as licensees, as well as our faithful swappers.

Happy Swapping! Elle

peace. love. swap - what does it mean???

2010-05-17T21:44:00.000-07:00

I have been asked this questions by a couple of reporters that were doing articles on us. I kind of didn't know how to answer on the spot like that - and thought it just boiled down to me liking the sound of it. But due to some recent events at some newer swaps, I have really had to take a hard look at what the swaps are all about. This is what I came up with... I started doing these swaps in Nevada County just about a year ago. I had maybe 20 moms show up - we piled everything on the borrowed tables I had, and used a couple of loaner racks. It was so cool. My idea - my idea of green moms that just wanted to get together and exchange stuff went well, it was so rewarding. I am not saying I came up with the idea of a swap - they have been going on for a long time, I know this. : ) But, it was the response I got from the moms - they were all so happy, asking when I was going to do the next one, giving me suggestions - what an AWESOME group of moms - and pretty much all of them still attend the swaps I do in Grass Valley now - and many of them volunteer. The second swap I did - I swear I must have had almost 70 moms show up - I was totally unprepared, but again, what a great feeling- that many moms, getting together, talking, laughing, getting rid of stuff they aren't using and taking stuff they do need. This is what peace. love. swap is all about - this is what peace. love. swap means.... Moms getting together with other moms, laughing, loving, sharing, and at the end of the day knowing that you are doing good!

We recently had a couple complaints from swappers about 1) volunteers taking and/or hoarding stuff before a swap started 2) swappers aggressively taking items 3) swappers taking things that weren't on the swap floor & not returning them when announcements were made of the missing items - these were just the few that really upset me - there were a couple more I think, but these things were SO far from what peace. love. swap is all about, that I just can't stop thinking about it. The result is that some of our rules have to change - some of which are really going to bother some people but unfortunately are necessary for growth. One rule is that volunteers will not be able to take any items pre-swap, they will still get in free of charge and will be able to preview all the items, but there will be a certain amount of volunteers on the floor, all with certain duties & no one will be allowed on the floor pre-swap. Although this is bummer for those of you (which is about 99.9% of you) that are honest people, it will weed out the people that were volunteering to get the biggest and best items - it's just not fair to the other moms. The other change is that admission is $5 per swapper - what does this mean? It's $5 for everyone that is going to be taking stuff - If you are a husband and wife - that's $5 - mom & grandma $5. Mom and 3 "sisters", 1 "aunt" & 2 mature "daughters".... not $5. We use the money that we make from the swaps to cover our costs - these swaps take a tremendous amount of effort from the moms that organize them and $5 is not a lot to ask for such a large event. If you have an issue, just talk to the mom in charge/swap organizer - each scenario is different - again, we aren't doing this for any other reason to weed out people taking advantage of the system. That's it for now, but other changes might pop up. As it says on the website - everyone is on their honor system & I don't want operate an organization that allows unfair and/or dishonest behavior.

So, that said... let's get back to what we are about.... peace. love. swap - say it, feel what it's about.. I know most of the moms that attend our events know what it's about - so as we grow and reach out into other areas, let's try to stick together to make these events about sharing, caring & exchanging. Please, just take a few moments to review the FAQ page on the website - it only takes a couple of minutes to read (I know I timed it) : ) -- if you invite friends, tell them to read it too~

If you have an questions, concerns, or comments --- please let me know :)

I truly look forward to seeing these events grow everyone growing with them.

happy swapping,

meg

throwing a 'swap party' vs. going to a p.l.s kid's clothing & gear swap

2010-04-02T22:23:00.000-07:00

I recently wrote as a guest blogger on Tonic.com about clothing swaps and thought I would kind of expand on the subject on my own blog. I wanted to touch base on clothing swaps, and "swap parties" in general. If you open any women's magazine, or read a mom blog or watch the news - you have heard of clothing swaps. In this economy they have become SO popular. A few things I have looked into and tried are 1) hosting your own kid's clothing swap 2) online swapping sites and 3) the giant consignment sales. Now, don't get me wrong, I think ANYTHING you do to recycle and reuse your stuff is awesome - and whatever works best for you is what you should do. This is just my opinion on the other options out there and why they don't work that well for me. My focus is on Kid's clothing and gear swaps only. I have had moms ask when I will do a women's swap - but I believe in doing one thing, and doing it well - doing it all the way. I would love to branch out one day - but I don't want to compromise the kids swaps by putting my energy into something else. Recently, I have come across tons of articles and tips on how to organize your own swap party and even "host your own swap party" specific websites. These are great, however, I don't think moms that read these realize the difference between going to an organized large scale clothing swap and having 10-20 friends bring stuff over. While it's a great notion, the bottom line is: you just don't get that much stuff, there aren't racks and racks and tables of items - 60-100 moms attending, bringing in bags and boxes of stuff. Don't get me wrong, if throwing your own swap party is the only way to do a swap in your area, then go for it! I just think that the difference between a at home "swap party" and a clothing & gear swap held at a venue where your kids can run around and play is huge, and you should try both to see what suits your needs better. Also popular, are swap sites - there are some great ones out there. Do searches find one or two that are easy to do. Some seem like a lot more trouble than they are worth. I love the idea, but it's hard to swap things online, vs. coming to a place and bringing what you don't want and trading it out. I have 3 kids and I know I don't have time to spend taking pictures of stuff, posting, and trading piece by piece, or mailing stuff. Also, things are supposed to be of like expense or "even trade" which is really a matter of opinion. Then there is the giant consignment sale - this would be my personal choice out of all 3, because like our swaps, there is a huge selection, which is important to me. You bring in your items that you want to get rid of, and get a portion of the money that is made (just like a consignment shop- but huge). My only thing with this option is the pre-registering, tagging & pricing everything - if you have the time to do it, go get 'em! Some of these events go on for 2-3 days. And, if making money off of your stuff is important, then this is a great option.

All three are viable ways to recycle and reuse your kid stuff. However, some of the reasons I created peace. love. swap events were because I didn't like the way that most of these worked. I wanted something easy- no paperwork, tagging registering, something that was in the same place each time- a fun place where you could bring your kids and let them have fun and play with the toys & be a little crazy, I wanted it to be ongoing -every month or every other month - I have stuff every month to exchange, I didn't want to worry about how much I was going to get for my stuff - I just wanted to know it was going to another mom that could use it, I loved the idea of getting off the computer and getting out and meeting other moms & their kids in person - not posting things online & constantly going back and forth on email, and I wanted selection - not just 10 people with stuff, but 80+ people with stuff to trade. Soooo.. after a little tweaking and almost a year of swapping and meeting and talking and swapping with other WONDERFUL moms - peace. love. swap has evolved into what I envisioned it to be. I still tweak here and there, and it's always going to be changing (for the better). I love the input from the moms. I love it when a mom emails me to get a clothing & gear swap started in her area, I love it when moms send me pictures of their kids with their "new to them" items... I LOVE LOVE LOVE doing the swaps. I would one day like to see one in every city - everywhere, every month - helping every community.

And to think, it will all have started right here in Grass Valley - Nevada County : )

(which by the way - the Nevada County kid's clothing & gear swap had a great turnout on 4/17 - these moms are PROS- we were so ahead of schedule and everyone did great! )

Anyways... that's all for now, just wanted to give my opinion on all the cool ways to exchange nowadays.

The next clothing and gear swap is in the San Francisco East Bay tomorrow - in celebration of Earth Day - location & times are on the website.

Happy swapping-

meg

Easter, Colfax swap & Upcoming swaps

2010-04-02T16:17:00.000-07:00

So the title says it all huh?? this is what happens when you don't blog often. stuff you want to write about builds up. So... 1. Easter - yep - this weekend, have a wonderful holiday with your families. The Nevada County swap was scheduled for tomorrow, but we moved it to 4/17 because of all the activities going on tomorrow. I hope the weather is nice.. : ) 2. Colfax swap - good times. Not as large as the other swaps, but small town and it was their first swap. I think we have a mom working on #2 planned for the fall sometime.. more on that later. Upcoming swaps!!! wow, lots... 4/17 Nevada County, 4/22 (Earth Day) in SF - East Bay, 5/12 live on Good Sacramento - swapping at Funderland in Sacramento, 5/15 in Rocklin, 5/22 in Vacaville, and then 5/29 in Cameron Park/El Dorado Hills. BUSY BUSY! Elle is taking over the Rocklin swap, Wani is taking over the Cameron Park/EDH swap, and starting a new one in Placerville. And.. me? I am working on the Bay Area & my hometown Grass Valley of course. If you know of anyone in the bay area interested in taking one over send them my way. I got some great stuff for the baby #4 at the last swap, still have a few things on my list, but I am mostly covered, I will try to take some pics and post soon. Hope you all have a great Easter and find lots of eggs!

Rocklin kid's clothing and gear swap... this weekend 3/20

2010-03-16T14:38:00.000-07:00

Hi! just got back from a great little getaway with the fam. Went to Fort Bragg (next to Mendocino) - good times. : ) The Rocklin swap is coming up this weekend and is always a BIG swap - lots of stuff. We also have some great stuff to raffle off & our first vendor - Lorraine Bragg - and independent Mary Kay consultant. Being a vendor is a great way to get out and meet the moms in your community. There is often an hour - hour and a half between the start of drop off and the swap start - Kid's usually are playing, so vendors will give mom something to check out while waiting. Let me know if you would like to set up a table at one our swaps. Some of them get close to 100 moms. I also have firmed up a date for the East Bay swap - in Emeryville on 4/22 - Earth Day!! perfect. It will be at Head Over Heels Gymnastics, 4701 Doyle St. Bldg. F Emeryville CA.. They have a great facility. This swap will be in the afternoon on a Thursday - if you work - maybe you can make it by on your lunch break - it will be from 12-3pm. It will be the same as our other events $5 admission, however - HOH is a non profit gym and they will need to cover their costs too, if you want to do open gym during the swap, it will be an additional $5 to play (normally it is $10 for open gym, so this is a great deal). Stay tuned for details or check the website, there will be parking instructions up soon. If you know of anyone in the Bay Area that would like to participate as a sponsor, vendor or raffle donor - let me know. Look forward to seeing you soon!!

Till then,

happy swapping,

meg

New kids clothing swaps on the horizon

2010-03-02T09:45:00.000-08:00

Hi ~ it's been awhile, it's been busy. Sometimes it hard to fit in the blogging part of this. I try to keep the website updated, and the facebook page & get the word out about the swaps - we have some new locations coming up! and then.... after the kids, house, husband.. etc. etc. little time left to blog!! Anyhoo... The El Dorado swap was very cool! We had a lot of moms from all over the place - even as far as Gridley! I think the main thing about p.l.s events that moms need to know - is that they aren't little swaps - we get a minimum of 40 moms that show up & up to 100 (probably more to come at some locations) - we have clothing racks and tables (lots of them) & really it's like coming into a consignment shop & being able to take what you want & not pay for it. It's large, it's organized & your kids have a place to play and run safely while you SHOP! yeah!! what more could you ask for - well also things that don't get taken go to families, kids & babies in need & they are ongoing ~ not just a once in a while deal - because if you are like me - pretty much every month I have stuff to get rid off & I really don't have time to take pictures and post things, or have a garage sales & I just never get what stuff is worth when I take it to consignment. We do have a couple new venues/events coming up. 1. The Sacramento kids swap - thrown by Good Day Sacramento & airing live on their morning show will be hosted hosted by p.l.s and held at Funderland Amusement Park on Wed. May 12. This will be the sort of kick off event in Sacramento, subsequent events will be held quarterly on a Saturday. 2. The Vacaville kids swap ~ p.l.s will be hosting our first swap here at Aerials Gymnastics on May 22. This is going to be huge. The venue is huge, people can come from Davis, Vallejo, Fairfield... etc~ it's going to be a great one. El Dorado will continue on a quarterly basis - on the last Saturday of the month, while Nevada County & Rocklin will go every other month. Marin County and Berkeley up next, locations, dates & times to be announced shortly - as well as the Yuba City/Marysville area. I will post here when a new one starts or if any changes are made- Also, info will be posted on Facebook. You can always sign up for email updates on the website too. We will need a lot of reliable volunteers for the Sacramento swap -early risers - since we will be setting up at about 6am!! helloooooo ( I am NOT a morning person). I got a few things at the Cameron Park swap - a pair of boots for Milla. some random bell instrument, tennies, and a dress for Lola & a couple puzzles. Lots of stuff leftover including a great highchair and baby bath that will go to young moms in need. Nothing for the baby at this swap - I already have so much stuff... will keep my eyes open for a mobile, crib light thing, diaper genie - I saw all of these at this swap - but don't want to take yet just so it can sit in the room for 6 months. what's the point. There really is a ton of stuff (good stuff) at these swaps though.. hope to see you soon,

until then ~

happy swapping!

Meg

2010-02-12T09:54:00.000-08:00

So, the Nevada County kids swap was HUGE!! So cool to see still so many new faces coming through & familiar faces as well! Apparantly no too many people read my memo about the new policy: if you don't bring your stuff on hangers, you are going to have to hang them yourself when you get there. We had people hanging stuff everywhere... we ran out of hangers. Hopefully that will be a lesson learned. It's so easy to hang your stuff one night before the swap- after the kids are in bed (b/c if they are like mine, they will take stuff OFF the hangers as I put them on!). I do it - I have some volunteers that do it - I have plenty of hangers that I get to you if you need them... We don't mind hanging some stuff - but we don't have enough volunteer power to get the mass quantities of items organized and hung in hour and half. The next swap coming up is in Cameron Park on 2/27- it's a great location, and is also close to Shingle Springs, El Dorado Hills and even Folsom. Anyone is welcome. So --- on the baby front, we found out what we are having.... ANOTHER girl!!! so that's it - we are done. 1 boy - 3 girls. I think that's sufficient. I wanted to be able to have a boy for my husband's family, since it was the last chance they had of carrying on the Franz name (my son has a different dad) - Anyhoo.. we will be happy to have a healthy baby... no matter what gender. : ) So, this means I can start taking home a few outfits here and there. Most of kids lived in onesies - and this baby is due in July - so it's going to be warm. I need to take back some boy stuff that people gave me. I have a really cute crib bedding set that Carolyn picked up for me at the Rocklin swap.. So I know some of the things I will need as the due date gets closer is a co-sleeper or bassinet, carseat (which I will buy new just b/c of safety issues), a stroller, sheets, - all of which can be found at the swaps. I still have my boppy, receiving blankets, bottles and some other stuff from when Lola was little. So I will let you what great finds I take home and post pictures here and there. Feel free to comment or send pics to be posted - you can also post pics on our facebook page. Oh! I also forgot to mention that my husband bought a trailer for me!! I think he got tired of loading and unloading the truck - and with us bringing PLS to all of these new areas, I will have 2-3 swaps per month.
Alright that's all for now.. the natives are getting restless.
see you soon!
happy swapping!
Meg

Nevada County kids swap this weekend 2/6/10

2010-02-02T13:12:00.000-08:00

Gearing up for the swap this weekend at Gold Country Gymnastics. I have some bigger things that people were supposed to pick up at my house. One of those things is a bed rail. I will post on the yahoo group too - I like to get rid of some of the big items online b/c I just don't have the room to take everything. SO if you want it let me know! :) One thing we will be doing different from here on out is having people hang their own items at the swap when they don't come with items on hangers. We do have plenty of extra hangers - it's just time consuming for the volunteers to hang, sort and put everything where it needs to go. :) It worked out great at the Rocklin swap. Just make sure to NOT hang pants, shorts, or skirts for the 0-2 size range (unless it's part of an outfit). Thanks!! that's about it for now - I should find out what the baby is in the next couple of weeks (had my amnio yesterday - but they couldn't tell with the ultrasound) - Once I know that, I will be able to start looking for more items we will need for the baby!! I will keep you posted. Also, p.l.s. is looking to expand into the following areas, we are in the process of finding venues and booking dates - let us know if you would like to be added to any of the following lists:
Redding,
Yuba City/Marysville
Fairfield
Berkeley
San Jose

happy swapping,
meg

Post 1/23 Rocklin Swap

2010-01-25T18:51:00.000-08:00

Wow, what a great swap. TONS of people (and even more tons of stuff!!) We had some great stuff to raffle off from Natural Decor Design - 4 lucky winners!! Next swap... Nevada County @ Gold Country Gymnastics on 2/6, then a new one in Cameron Park on 2/27 (looking for a mom or mom's group to take the Cameron Park/El Dorado Hills one over, so it can happen on a regular basis.) and one in Rocklin again on 3/20... and oops I did it again .... Colfax on 3/27. On and on they go. Pretty soon they will be everywhere! So what did I get for my yet to be born babe at this swap? Well - let me say this - anyone who knows me or has seen me at the swaps knows I barely ever pick anything up for myself, except for when I am packing stuff for donation at the end - then maybe I come across something I could use... So, thank goodness for one of fearless sidekicks - Carolyn. She has been volunteering for p.l.s. since swap #2 & if it weren't for her (and other volunteers that find stuff for me) I probably still wouldn't have brought anything home for myself. So far, I have found a breast pump, a few gender neutral onesies, and a crib set - now this is just for the baby yet to be born- I do pick a few things up for the girls of course when I can, Lola is easy, but it's hard to find stuff for Milla, because she only wants to wear stuff that is either pink or that twirls - preferably both. Carolyn actually put aside the crib set for me - and I am not even sure what I am having, if it's another girl, this set won't work & I will bring it to the next swap. I don't really like getting a bunch of stuff right now because the baby isn't due until July, so if you need any of those things right now (ie breast pump, crib set) please let me know - I would hate to keep something for six months that someone else could be using. Anyways, I am going to keep posting things here that I do pick up for the baby on the way, I want people to know how easy it is to get everything you need from the swaps. However, Mat's mom (my mother in law) LOVES to shop & of course I can't turn down any gifts - :) - so barring any gifts from family, everything I buy will be recycled (aka used)- Hope to see you soon, and until then...

happy swapping!
meg

Rocklin swap today 1/23

2010-01-23T07:21:00.000-08:00

wow, time flies, I can't believe I haven't written anything since the 8th. I have thought about it though.. usually in the shower, or right when I go to bed or when I am at the grocery store. :) I don't know how people blog every day. Today is the Rocklin swap- it's raining, but I think it's supposed to clear up later. We are doing a sports equipment section -if it's good, we will do it at the other swaps too. I LOVE doing these, and truly believe you can get pretty much everything you need from the swaps, and what you can't find here, you can find on Craigslist, freecycle or a consignment shop. Trust me, I am not cheap (my husband will confirm that) - I just love the idea of not buying new things when we don't have to! Why should we? That's just more stuff that goes to waste, and the last thing this world needs is more waste. If you have ever read my blog, you have heard me mention The Compact - we still live by this, trying to compact our lives, make it simpler and only buy the things we really need & when we do we buy them used and/or try to always buy local. I thought it would be fun to (for those of you who don't know I am pregnant) not buy anything new for this baby (i know ... HORRIBLE, how mean) I will write about what I buy and where & show that you really can get what you need from recycled resources - of course some things will need to be new, but I will go into that later. It will be fun, and I will write about it (obviously not every day - but more than once a month :)
So..more on that later, have to go to Rocklin now to get set up for today's swap!
Happy swapping!
meg

In the news...

2010-01-08T13:38:00.000-08:00

I am pretty excited about the recent exposure on both Good Day Sacramento and the CBS evening segment called "Save with Dave". The links to the segments are posted on both the website www.peaceloveswap.com and also the facebook page.

Check them out if you have a chance. My focus now is 2 things: trying to get the word out to the schools & get them to send fliers home with students & finding sponsors. I really want to be able to bring the swaps to all different communities, but

financially it's hard to do with travel and storage issues (let alone the extra time it takes) hopefully funding through sponsors will help. I wanted to initially have moms start them in their own communities, but I haven't had any takers on that yet :)

It's harder and more time consuming than I think people realize and once they find that out - they aren't really sure they want to do it. But it is always an option.

We will have one in El Dorado Hills in May - so, that will make 5. I would like to expand a little more in the Bay Area as well maybe hitting San Jose, Santa Rosa, and maybe Berkeley. We'll see - I am due with my fourth kiddo in July, so I will be busy.

Until then....

Happy swapping & see you soon,

meg

p.l.s. on Good Day Sacramento

2010-01-04T19:22:00.000-08:00

Hi - tomorrow (as long as no storms roll in) we are scheduled to be on Good Day Sacramento- one of my favorite morning shows. I am sooo excited. There will be a mock swap set up to show how our swaps work. If you feel like coming down - please do! Be at American Powerhouse Gymnastics by 8:45 am - bring kids & stuff to swap if you have it. The next real swap in Rocklin is still on the board for 1/23 -drop off starts at 10am. Remember - all donations to peace. love. swap. are tax deductible - this includes sponsorships! I hope everyone had a great holiday. We kind of all passed around a nice chest cold for the last two weeks... good times. But - nonetheless, still a wonderful holiday season. Now is a great time to have a swap in your community, if you would like help, please contact me @ peaceloveswap@gmail.com

See you soon ~
happy swapping
meg

happy holidays from p.l.s.

2009-12-29T14:03:00.000-08:00

So "the holidays" are almost over.... most people include New Year's in the holiday mix - so officially we've got a few more days. There won't be a Nevada County swap on January 2, and after a lot of thinking (and looking at schedules) - The Nevada County swap will go on every other month (even months - starting 2/6)- and alternate with the Rocklin/Roseville swap (odd months starting 1/23). For those of you that don't know, I am pregnant (about 3 months along) and doing any more than 2 swaps a month is a stretch with all the loading & unloading (helloooo still need a trailer) :). I am also doing a swap in Colfax in March (3/27) and also in Marin County in April (5/25)- plus, I want to help moms and groups start a p.l.s. swap in their own community. All of these new dates, locations and new times are on the website - so please check the upcoming events page. And, as always - we are looking for sponsors - the amount of followers and website traffic we get grows on a daily basis - it's a great way to reach out to a lot of moms & it's tax deductible.

Have a GREAT New Year - and I will see you in 2010!!

happy swapping -

meg

No Swap for Nevada County in January

2009-12-14T11:17:00.000-08:00

HI! Hope everyone is almost done with all of their holiday shopping. :) yeah right. If you can make it to the Rocklin swap on 12/19 there will be a special area for GIFTS (for babies & kids). I went back and forth on this a bit but have decided to skip the Nevada County kid's swap on 1/2 - It just falls too close to the holidays- the day after New Year's Day. We will resume on our normal schedule and hours on 2/6. Still looking for sponsors and/or donors to be able to reach our goal of getting a trailer to haul all of this stuff around in. If you know anyone that might be interested, please send them my way - or you can make a tax deductible donation on the website wwwpeaceloveswap.com. The segment on Good Day Sacramento was cancelled on 12/7 because of all the snow, but has been rescheduled for 1/5. If you would like to take part and come down for the "mock swap" on the 5th - shoot me an email at peaceloveswap@gmail.com and let me know. I hope everyone has a warm, safe & family filled holiday season - Hope to see you at the Rocklin swap on 12/19 - and for those of you in Nevada County - see you in February this gives you the whole month of January to clean out those closets and bring your old stuff in. : )

Until then.......

Happy Swapping!

Meg

winners of the nevada county raffle -

2009-12-06T14:43:00.000-08:00

I am going to post the winners of the Grass Valley raffle here too - I posted on Facebook too.

The winner of the FREE 30 Day membership to Monster Gym is Kris Wetherbee. The winner of the FREE 30 membership to South Yuba Club is Molly Stafford.

Yeah!! congratulations :) If you or someone you know would like to donate an item to the raffle, or sponsor the swaps let me know - sponsorships are tax deductible.

Also - don't forget you get 50% off your first month's tuition at Gold Country Gymnastics when you mention peace. love. swap. :)

Enjoy the discount and prizes!

Happy Swapping!

meg

p.l.s. news and updates

2009-12-06T12:35:00.000-08:00

Wow! great turn out at the Nevada County kid's swap yesterday. The upside... plenty of stuff to go around - great gifts from the gift swap section.... the downside? (if there is one) - the fact that I don't have enough room in both of my cars (btw one is a F-250 longbed & the other is a small SUV) to cart everything to and from the swaps. Thank goodness for the volunteers that took some stuff with them on Saturday. I still had to leave the truck at the swap - drive the car home, unload, then come back for the truck.... Solution?? I need to get a trailer- this will allow me to keep the stuff in the trailer between swaps too. No loading and unloading 6 times for one swap - just loading and unloading at the swap. Anyone that goes to the swaps (especially this last one) can attest to the fact that there is a TON (not literally but close) of stuff left over. I will look into donors to come and pick the stuff up the day of the swap - but many places that I have donated stuff to don't want stuff every month - so I am always in search of new chartible organizations. I have recently aquired non-profit (501(c)3) status, so all money & sponsorship donations are tax- deductible. Or on the off chance that someone wants to donate a large enclosed trailer - that too would be tax deductible. I am looking forward to the first Rocklin Swap on 12/19. I am hoping for good weather and for a great turnout - I am a little scared b/c it's so close to Christmas, but we will see how it goes! I will email the winners of the Nevada County Raffle and post of Facebook later today. Also, there were some large items that were not taken at the swap yesterday - I have posted the items on the p.l.s. yahoo group page - thought I would try to give to some swappers before I donate on Monday and Tuesday.
Thanks - stay posted for more changes, upcoming news and other updates - you can subscribe to blog posts (I don't blog every day - maybe once a week if I have the time) - you won't get inundated with updates...Until then~
Happy Swapping.

Nevada County Swap this Saturday... 12/5

2009-12-03T15:58:00.000-08:00

So the Grass Valley p.l.s. Kid's swap is coming up this Saturday. The theme for the swaps - both Grass Valley and Rocklin are recycled baby & kid's gifts. If everyone brings a couple toys or movies (or other gift-worthy items) that their child isn't using anymore - think of the gifts we will have to choose from! Of course - this won't cover all your holiday shopping : ) - but every little bit helps. Remember- when your child isn't using an item anymore - bring it in! - Yes- even if you paid $40 or $50 for it!! I know some people (first timers mostly) are afraid to "give" their stuff away because they're afraid that they won't get anything in return. Not true - I have given all my old baby & kid stuff big and small - and it has come back to me. It's truly a "pay if forward" thing. Oh, and then there is that donation thing - you want me to donate $5 and bring my stuff in to give away for free?? Try to remember - what kind of credit you would get if you take it to a consignment store - not much. Plus, if you are anything like me - by the time I leave the consignment store I am at least $20 in the hole - usually more. If you take your stuff to thrift store - you get nothing & if you try to put it on craigslist or have a garage sale - it's pretty time consuming and you still don't get your money back. Most people that have come to swaps - come back regularly & understand the value - and don't mind making a donation- If you can't make a donation - you can always volunteer. If you can't donate your time or $5 to the cause - will I turn you away? No, of course not. Just try to understand how much time, effort & money that goes into producing the swaps. Although it started as a small swap- it's grown into a pretty large swap. Now in 2 locations and doing a 3rd in the spring in the Bay Area. peace. love. swap. is different than organizing a swap with friends or a small group- although these kinds of swaps are great, and offer smaller groups a way to get together and exchange stuff - peace. love. swap. wants to offer a large amount of items on a regular basis - I want to be like a consignment shop for you, but without you having pay for items, and without the hassle of having stuff turned away or getting pennies on the dollar for your stuff. I want kids to feel welcome - I want them to play with the toys & take things home (and bring them back when they get bored) - I want the swaps to be in as many communities as possible - so that every mom has a place to go to get rid of the stuff that she isn't using and pick up the items she needs.. Anyway - that is my vision. I am truly passionate about the swaps & want them to be as large and successful as I can make them! Being the daughter of swap queen - I wish my mom was here to enjoy this - and now that I am pregnant again & the hormones have kicked in - I miss her more than ever. So, wow, I am all over the board today. I have some other stuff to write about but will save for another day --- when the 2 is shouting "potty" "potty" - it's time to go.

More later... looking forward to seeing everyone at the Grass Valley swap on Saturday!!!

Happy Swapping.

meg

Kid's swap #4 - Great Turnout

2009-11-12T15:10:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone that attended the kid's swap in Grass Valley on Saturday the 7th. I am just now getting around to updating the blog... : ) I only have time to do stuff late at night, early in the am, or during nap time.. I am always looking for local charities having to do with kids/families/moms to donate to after each swap, so if you know of anyone shoot me an email (peaceloveswap@gmail.com )

So, normally you have to bring something to swap to get in, but it occurred to me that sometimes people might need stuff, but may have brought all their stuff to the last swap - I don't want to exclude those moms, because sometimes you just need a few things. So, in December you will be able to attend even if you don't have anything to exchange. There is a catch - all families that have stuff to swap get entry at 10am - while if you don't have anything to swap, you can not enter until 10:45 or any time after. This gives priority to the moms that bring stuff, but still allows those to pick stuff out if they didn't have time to round some stuff up. My vision is to make these kids swaps like a consignment shop/sale without having to get credit for what you bring, filling out forms, being told you can't bring certain things, plus you can take what you want for free. The catch... you have to make the donation $5.00 (unless you volunteer.. then it's free) - and I only think you should make a donation if you find stuff to take home. The kids swaps are for the community, for local moms and dads ~ However, doing the swaps has become a job or business to me - I take a lot of time to put them on, market them, work on the website, print and put up fliers, not to mention the storage & hauling stuff back and forth and finding charities to donate to after the swaps. So, I wish I could do it for free, but I am really trying to cover my costs. To make it a monthly event where you kids can come and play at the gym for over an hour - and you can take whatever you need, knowing that leftovers are going to charity... I think is worth $5. ... If I ever find a sponsor that could sponsor the events - that would be great, but again, more time... I have the girls - Milla 4, and Lola almost 2, and any of you that have kids know how much you actually get done around the house when you are a stay at home mom. So.... I just want everyone to understand the $5 donation thing - the money goes towards operating the kids swaps & hopefully growing them... I think every community should have an ongoing event like this... See you at the next swap...

Till then... happy swapping!

Meg

Sometimes we have to listen to our kids...

2009-11-01T13:01:00.000-08:00

So, my neighbors gave my daughter, Milla, a bike about a year ago, and she is 4 now, so she just recently started getting into riding it... Here I am the one that does the kid's swap and I kept having this urge to want buy her a new bike - I mean this one is a little beaten up - I even offered to get her a new one for Christmas (I figured a first bike was something special) -no no no... Milla wants this bike. "Well, at least can I buy you a new seat" I asked. "No, I like this one" she said. "But there is a tear in it" I told her. She doesn't care. It works, it's a bike, it's pink and purple and that's all that matters to her. And then, she did to me again for Halloween, I was looking on the internet and through the catalogs trying to find her the "perfect" costume. She decided on being a witch by going through all of our old dress up stuff from old Halloweens - we got some green face paint, and that was it. It made me realize that sometimes it's not our kids that want all of this new stuff, it's us - sometimes we want it for our kids because we didn't have it when we were growing up, or our neighbors kid has that really cool thing- so my kid should have that too... or for whatever reason - We just want them to be happy I guess... But, what we don't realize sometimes is that it doesn't take much to make them happy. I am the queen of buying recycled stuff and getting stuff from the swaps - Milla tells everybody that she "got it from the swamp" (she calls the swap the swamp)- Even if I didn't get it at the kid's swap - Milla tells them I did (good advertising I guess! ) ... And I too sometimes forget that we don't need to get our kids that shiny new bike or new toy, we can get a gently used one from peace. love. swap. kid's swap, or online on craigslist or freecycle etc... Our kid's are just as happy with something recycled as they are with something new - trust me - plus you you don't have all that plastic and twistie tie thingys and waste to contend with - Especially with Christmas coming up. We bought the kids stuff from consignment stores last year for Christmas - I can't remember the amount of waste created by the holidays - that goes into landfills - think of all the wrapping paper and packaging that the toys come in- it's pretty disgusting - if everyone just replaced, like 2 toys with gently used toys - think how much waste that would eliminate! just a thought. Anyways.. looking forward to the next kid's swap in Grass Valley next weekend November 7 at Gold Country Gymnastics. Email me if you have any questions or if you want to volunteer. Also, we are expanding into the Rocklin/Roseville area in December so spread the word! The first kid's swap there will be December 19 at American Powerhouse Gymnastics.

working full time vs. being a SAHM......

2009-10-23T14:46:00.000-07:00

Who would have thought that staying at home with your kids was actually more work than going to work??? :) I feel like I am more busy now that the girls (Milla 4, and Lola almost 2) are home with me, than I was when I was working full time. It's very cool and I love having the time with them - I just had no idea - and I have to say to all the SAHM's out there - you rock - !! Is it bad of me to say... it's totally easier to get your kids dressed and send them somewhere while you go to a job for 8 hours. I have actually been trying to write this for several days - and literally can not find the time - unless it's at 10:30 or 11 at night & then I am too exhausted. I used to have trouble sleeping when I was working... no trouble now. Lola is actually taking everything out of my desk drawer right now as I am writing, and Milla went up to get more crayons and I haven't heard anything from her in a bit... so you know that's not a good sign. -- ok - we've got more pens... It's only 9:30 in the morning and we've almost broken the garage door opener, had some near misses with the pens (Lola likes to take Milla's pens and try to write on the walls) - oh yes, and Lola dumped my foot "pedi-egg" shavings onto the carpet.... but the bottom line is that I am here with them. I do want to try to write more - not specifically about the swaps - but about being at home with the kids and what it's like trying to start the swaps and green/eco topics in general... feel free to chime in.. I can't remember if I posted this previously or not, but it's been almost a year since my husband, Mat, and I decided to "join" the compact. We didn't really do anything to join - it was just really a decided to try and live this lifestyle where we weren't going to buy things new, and we were going to buy what we did need locally. We have fallen off the wagon a few times (ie our computer broke down, I tried some new Murad facewash... :) ) but for the most part - I shop at Briar Patch our local co-op market - I get clothes from consignment, and of course... THE SWAP!! :) -- and basically - if we don't need it, we don't buy it. Not really because of the economy (although that's a good reason too, and it helps the bank account too), but because I think as a society, we consume too much. If you have never checked out the compact, check it out. The link I posted is for a local yahoo group, but you can google it too. So, I think having the swaps on a regular basis will be great for this general purpose - you can come every month and exchange your kid's stuff - get rid of what you aren't using & take home some "new" items that you might need. I would love to see it grow as well. I am looking for a venue in Roseville and would like to expand further west. If you would like to do one in your area, please let me know - I would love to help you. They are fun, they help your community, they are green... what more could you want. ok well time to go, we are going to walk downtown to put up some fliers for the kid's swap on November 7. As always email me peaceloveswap@gmail.com if you have any questions!

Happy swapping!

meg

2009-10-06T07:58:00.001-07:00

Had a blast at the swap on Saturday. The new location at Gold Country Gymnastics was so cool - thanks so much to Sonia, for letting us do it there!!!! New clients can mention peace. love. swap. and get 50% off their first months tuition. Thanks to all the volunteers that came out and helped. I truly love this for the community. I just took the leftover stuff from the swap to Women of Worth yesterday - I kept some of it for the next swap too. Since we are going to be meeting on a regular basis now, you don't want to miss out on all the good stuff that comes in! Also, if you want to drop stuff off in between a swap, you can just email me to drop off & you can set up a time. If you need something specific, or want to post something you might want to try to sell before putting in the swap - post it on the facebook page or join this yahoo group- you can post things you are looking for, want to sell, big things for free, whatever ( I kind of like the yahoo one better than the FB one b/c it's just for posting :) - it's very similar to fr--cycle.org)

So, I am looking for work to :) if anyone has heard of anything, obviously I am good at planning events~ because as much as I love doing the swaps, it does not make much money~ and I was let go in early Sept. I am going to keep doing these though because I think they provide a great service to the community & believe what goes around comes around.

gotta go lola is getting granola bar all over my bed. :)

peace~

meg

Swap this Weekend....

2009-09-30T14:22:00.000-07:00

So, our 3rd swap is coming up this weekend at Gold Country Gymnastics in Grass Valley, CA. I was at Day of the Young Child at Sierra College on Sat. Sept. 26 promoting the swap and handed out a TON of fliers. Then, Cheryl Noble had me on NCTV's cable show: Mission Possible on Monday the 28th... (thank you Cheryl). Not to mention I have been pounding the pavement putting up fliers - we had the Draft Horse Classic at the Nevada County Fairgrounds (i put a ton up there...) Anyways... I think this one is again going to be bigger than the last - If I had to guess- I would say 100+ moms & dads... It will start at 8:30 am - that will be the drop off time - So between 8:30am-9:30am you can bring your items in and drop them off and then play with your kids in the gym while we get organized. The swap will start at 10am- it will end at 11:30.

There is also going to be a raffle this time - everyone that comes to the swap that drops items off will get a ticket for the raffle - you will also need to show your ticket to get in, so hang onto it!! :)

Some tips:

1. wash your clothes before you bring them

2. if they have holes or stains - DON'T bring them in - use them for rags, usually charities don't want these items either- DON'T put them in the landfill... again, cut them up & use them for rags.

3. PLEASE put your clothes on hangers.... you can take hangers home with you, i don't want to keep your hangers, but with as many clothes as we get hanging is easier than piling. :)

4. don't hoard... if your child can't use something right away, don't take it for later just because you like it. Let someone else take... they will bring it back :)

Ok.. see you Saturday!

Happy Swapping!

meg

full time "swapper-preneur"

2009-09-16T17:08:00.000-07:00

So, as of September 2, I am a full time blogger/swapper-preneur. I am working on the swaps full - time now. Although... technically, I am now a full-time mom and I still have the rentals - so that's kind of like being a property manager too. (oh and did I mention we are re- modeling our own house?) so - it's not like "not working" = not being busy. I will keep looking until something else opens up - but until then, I will focus on the swaps which is what I truly love doing. I can't wait for the next one! I am so excited that Gold Country Gymnastics in Grass Valley has decided to sponsor our next swap. It's going to be a good one. I am really going to focus on getting out there to the schools and getting some stuff from the 5+ kids. We get a ton of stuff from the 5 and under crowd, but I want to build up some stuff for the older kids too. That's on the agenda for this week - getting in touch with the schools to see if they can send something home in the folders. Well gotta go~ happy swapping!

The Tot Swap is now officially peace. love. swap.

2009-09-13T21:10:00.000-07:00

SO it's a been awhile since I have "blogged" I have been busy! but... now it’s official The Tot Swap is now.....

peace. love. swap. I am not infringing on any trademarks I have all the domain names - .com, .net and .org (although I can’t afford to forward them all to the same site yet- so just go to www.peaceloveswap.com ) J I will be tweaking the website here and there, as I am sure there are mistakes. The date of the next swap is still October 3 – great time to bring in COSTUMES!! I am working on (or rather my husband is) building clothing racks for the swaps – we are trying to build the racks out of all recycled and/or donated and leftover materials. They are made out of copper pipe, 2x4’s & plywood – if you have any of these things you can donate email me at peaceloveswap@gmail.com !

I LOVE doing these swaps ~ but they take an incredible amount of time to organize before, during, and after each swap ~ I have clothes and baby stuff all throughout my house - I am still trying to get stuff donated from the swap last month!

Some of the changes to site (and swap) are as follows:

- THERE IS A NEW LOCATION! GOLD COUNTRY GYMNASTICS IS AWESOME!!! and has graciously offered to sponsor our next swap! I am so excited for the kids to have a place to play while we get things organized! (and no stairs!!! yeah!)

-I am going to look for other businesses to sponsor the swaps. I think it’s a great way for local businesses to reach local moms and dads and support a local philanthropic business like peace. love. swap. So if you know of anyone that owns a local business – please encourage them to sponsor – sponsorships start as low as $25. Traffic on the site soars a couple weeks prior to an event – and their link will stay up on the past event page.

- Also, I have changed the donation “option” to just a $5 donation - and if you can’t make the $5, donation you can donate an hour of your time before or after the event. I really feel like this is a community event, and everyone should be able to chip in evenly. If you don’t find anything to take home with you – of course you don’t have to make a $5 donation. I feel like in most cases people have been able to take home good amount of stuff - definitely worth $5.

- You will be able to drop off your items any time before the event - There will still be a drop off time the day of the event - but if you want to drop off any other time, feel free to contact me to set up a time.

- If you want to volunteer - please email as I actually have a signup sheet and 3 shifts. you can sign for any of them.

- You will get a ticket when you drop your stuff off - keep it (or remember your #)- you will need it to get in.

That's it for the changes! As things get bigger the swap will have to evolve to accommodate everyone. Please let me know if you have any questions.

if it's not one thing it's 10 others

2009-08-10T14:53:00.000-07:00

So, it's been awhile since I have posted anything. I have been having to work at my real job. :(

but I got an email the other day telling me that there is already another totswap.. I mean technically I am The Tot Swap not TotSwap but.... whatever. So now I have to go and change everything - I mean I don't have to, but branding is so important, and really, no one wants to be confused with another business. So it goes... It's hard to come up with something that isn't already taken - or trademarked - people buy domain names even if they aren't using them and trademark the most random words you would ever think of.. Whatever- (somebody even actually trademarked "whatever" - I checked..) Anyhoo... Back to the drawing board. Trying to start a business is hard. There are so many times I have thought I wanted to start my own business & then I came to a road block or something got hard and I just quit or gave up - but I am not going to give up this time - I am going to do this - even if I fail. Every one of those times I had a light bulb moment but didn't follow through because something got a little hard, I swear somewhere down the road I saw my light bulb idea become somebody else's reality because I was to afraid to fail or too lazy to try. Anyway, I think I have a name picked but I have posted ones on the website to see what people think.. check it out. I know no one follows this blog - but I think it might get pretty interesting as I actually try to become a non-profit organization - watch me grow? watch me fail? (hopefully the first one) I know I have a really great idea - it's just a matter of executing it - have to run now - have to go pick the girls up and make dinner.

Seeking more Swappers

2009-07-27T13:08:00.000-07:00

Not that anyone is actually reading this blog, but someone emailed me today that's coming to the next Tot Swap that has 5 kids - holy cow! she was excited for the next Tot Swap and can't wait to come up to Grass Valley and trade out her all of kid's clothing, toys, books etc... It reminded of something. I mean I have been hearing it for years ~ usually from "successful" people (which is totally subjective - I mean what's your definition of "successful") - but, anyways I just recently found out that it's true. What is this golden nugget of wisdom you ask?? Do what you are passionate about - the rest will fall into place. Now, I haven't made any money doing The Tot Swap.... - but I can tell you that I am so passionate about it. I love every minute of planning and working and setting up. I love the idea of growing - I love the ideas that are constantly coming to me because it's my pet project. I love talking to the people involved & how excited people are about it. Almost every day someone new emails me that they are coming - and almost everyone that contacts me tells me how excited they are. Now how great is it to be doing something so wonderful for your community, filling a gap that is needed, doing something you love, helping the environment by recycling clothes and other items that might have ended up in a landfill, and donating to charity... This is is awesome!! Now, it's just figuring out a way to do it more often - it's addicting. Back to the drawing board :) seeking more members - the more people that come, the more stuff there is to swap. Join the groups on Yahoo & Facebook - be active in the online communities. If you know of someone that would like to sponsor The Totswap - contact me, the business(es) would get a badge on the website that link to their website, signage at The Tot Swap event, and their logo on all Tot Swap collateral. Pass along any info you might have and I would be glad to contact them.
Happy Swapping
Meg

2009-07-24T18:14:00.000-07:00

Hi! Back from my trip - Had to go to Minnesota for work. Missed the family & it's good to be back - I have taken the bar off across the top and made a more convenient way of posting and being more interactive. There are two groups you can join. One is on Facebook and the other is a Yahoo group. The Facebook Group has discussion board and wall just like Facebook so if you have something you want to share with the group - go ahead. The Yahoo Group is kind of like Freecycle (if you are familiar with that - if not - it's awesome, check it out at www.freecycle.org )
You can post stuff on the board and if people have chosen to get notices it will go directly to them via email. I created these basically because I had some people that wanted a page on the site that allowed to post "wants" not stuff that was going to be at The Tot Swaps for trade like clothes, books and movies etc.. but things like a bike, crib, car seat -- bigger, specific items that might not be at The Swap. I would like for most things to be given/traded/free because I feel like what goes around comes around - and if we are all in the same group as soon as someone is done with it, it will go back to someone who needs it. I don't want someone to get something for free and then when they are done with it sell it. If I find out that someone has done that, they will be removed from the group. That being said - I also know that many times we have stuff that we might not be ready to "give away" yet - so if you have a large/expensive item that you want to ask $ for that's fine - just be reasonable - and make sure that you put that in your post - be upfront. Hopefully after awhile everyone from the email list I will be on one or the other group. If you have any questions - email me thetotswap@gmail.com
Here are the links:
FacebookGroup
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheTotSwapGV/

2009-07-20T14:04:00.000-07:00

So~ I am still working on putting up some kind of tool on the website where you can post specifics wants. Unfortunately, there are 13 year olds that know more about computers than I do -and when I call the "tech support" people that host my website - they are super polite - but unfortunately don't know much more than I do. So... they have to "elevate" the problem... whatever that means :) elevate it to to an actual engineer instead of customer service person. Anyway... I digress.... My website issues wasn't going to be the topic of this post - I did want to make a note though that for the time being if you do have a want, you can post it at the top of this blog - there is a bar that runs across the top of this blog - just click where the little pencil is... there is space there to type what you want and and then click "post" to view them - in the same bar across the top you should see a little black arrow right to the left of where you posted - click on this to drop down and you should see all the posts (if people choose to use it..) Keep in mind this is only for the time being until something gets going on the site.

Email me if it doesn't work or you have problems with it.

thetotswap@gmail.com

Sooooo... the real issue at hand -what I wanted to "blog" about was the buzz surrounding The Tot Swap, and how great it is- because of the economy & we are in this recession... and people don't have extra money - so this is a great way for people to get stuff for their kids for basically free or next to nothing... This is SO TRUE... However..... I just wanted to bring to the table something that maybe hasn't been touched on.. The impact that Swaps have on the Environment. I have been a bargain shopper wayyyy before the recession hit. I have always shopped at consignment shops and been a big fan of hand me downs and recycling & swaps for a long time. Mat (hubby) and I joined a group in January - called The Compact - which some of you might have heard of - here is a link to the local SF blog http://sfcompact.blogspot.com/ - the general idea of this group is to use less stuff - if you don't need it, don't buy it, shop locally - don't buy from big box stores & basically "compact" -or - simplify your life. We have fallen off the wagon a couple times...(our computer broke in February) I think there are varying degrees of The Compact - but Mat and I just try to follow the general principal - which is to consume less. We - as a society - buy so many things 'new' that we don't need... ESPECIALLY for our kids. For Christmas - I bought 90% of my kids' Christmas gifts at a consignment shop -not because I couldn't afford to buy new - but because I didn't want to. Have you ever seen the amount of waste created on Christmas day from all the packaging from the toys/clothes and other items? Bags of cardboard and plastic - most of which ends up in our landfills. My kids didn't know the difference, they had a great Christmas. I think so many of our kids are being conditioned to want more and more stuff. What happens to all that stuff? They play with it for awhile, and then get bored and don't want it anymore, and then they want more new stuff - they simply don't need it. This is the beauty of The Tot Swap - we are constantly trading our kid's stuff, so they are constantly being entertained with new stuff - which they crave - without all trash - Plus, we are bringing in our our old clothes that our kids have grown out of - and picking out larger outfits, without the waste. Clothes, toys, books, everything is lasting longer because it keeps getting recycled. It's staying out of the landfills - If you are buying LESS NEW - then less packaging is ending up in the landfills. Now take that one step further - if we had a CO-OP where we could go any time and trade and swap - how great would that be.. well that's in the works. Keep checking back. But for now - ask yourself the next time you are about to buy something... those five little words.."do I really need that?"
thanks,
meg

Website back up and running www.thetotswap.org

2009-07-15T09:34:00.000-07:00

Ok - finally re-worked the website... www.thetotswap.org OMG - I had no idea how difficult ( or maybe I am just really slow) all of the web stuff was ... And I still can't get things exactly the way I want it- I am so type A - and I want things a certain way. I can sit in bed at night for hours working on it. So, we watch a movie in bed and work... actually Mat watches and I keep asking him what just happened. whatever... it's fine for now. So, thanks to everyone who is getting back to me with the survey/questions I sent out - I think a co-op is definately on the table. Maybe somewhere down the line in 4 months or so. Getting word out about The Tot Swap is key - getting fliers up and growing the swap. I am going to increase the age up to age 12. Hopefully, we can get more stuff for the larger sizes 6 and up. I also think at the next swap I will take on some more items - walkers, highchairs, bouncers etc. still no cribs... later for those. So that's it for now - check back soon.

The Day After....the 1st Tot Swap!

2009-07-12T13:46:00.000-07:00

So, it's the day after the 1st (and pretty successful... I think :) ) TOT SWAP... yeah!!! And... I don't know about you but I already have another bag started for the next one. I am starting (obviously) a blog. I also got on Twitter - which I have no idea how often I will actually use- I will probably only "tweet" when a Swap is approaching. I also have a Facebook profile setup for The Tot Swap and the dates will be listed there too. The next one will be August 22. I think I will wrap things up at 2pm this time though. One thing I think I will do differently for the next one - is try to have a "Drop off time." Everyone would come (or try to come) during the drop-off time... say between 10:30 and 11:30 ~and the Swap would run from 11:30 - 2?? The reason for this is a lot you that came first and left by noon or 12:3o missed the stuff that was dropped off later in the day - I don't know, just a thought. I know it's hard though for everyone to come at a certain time... which brings to my next brainchild :) which I will get to in a sec. I just wanted to thank everyone that came out and participated. Those of you that helped me set up and tear down - thank you so much - With Mat (husband) at work, I could not have been able to get all those tables up the stairs & everything done without your help. thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!! Those of you that I did get a chance to talk with, it was so cool being able to chat with you and get your feedback - I think eveyone's feedback was positive. I will probably send out a little survey for you to fill out - if you don't want to that's ok too - some of you filled it out at the swap - so if you did that you don't need to fill it out again. I am just trying to get as much feedback as possible - mostly about (ok back to my next brainchild) - trying to open a full time Tot Swap. If you spoke to me at all I probably shared my idea with you to get your feedback. My ultimate goal is to create a year-round, full time Tot Swap. It will similar to a co-op in that you would pay a membership to join, but unlike co-ops like briar patch or other co-ops where you buy stuff - the stuff there wouldn't be for sale - everything will be "swappable" or in other words - free. If you wanted to volunteer time in the shop instead of paying for a membership - that would be an option. As long as moms kept bringing in their stuff to replenish the inventory - and they brought back the stuff they took after they used it -we should be able to keep a fresh amount of inventory. I will have free classified ads on the website for members that want to sell larger more expensive items before the swap them - non members would be able to browse the classifieds. There would be an area for you kids to play while you shop/swap (kids would be welcome). Plus- don't worry, there would still be a large community swap quarterly - this way we would have a place to have it! - this is just an idea that I am trying to put into motion. Everyone I spoke with seemed very much for it - A lot depends on how many moms would want to be members. How the community feels about it, and ultimately, where I could get SUPER cheap rent :) - We shall see.. I would just like to be able to be here for people all the time - I know for me - once a month is nice, but I would like to have it be a shop where I could go whenever I want. Also setting up and tearing down is bitch. ha ha just kidding it wasn't that bad. I am just lazy. Beth's husband Will did most of heavy duty stuff anyway! Anyhoo... check back often - It only took me 5 hours to write this between breakfast, naps, playing with our new toys, going out and flying our new tazmanian devil kite (thanks to the person who brought that - just so happens that my daughter was looking for a kite!!) mac & cheese... Nap time now - so finishing up! Again... don't know how often I will blog or tweet or whatever - but I will keep you posted on things & if you see the survey I send out and have a chance to fill out and email it back to me that would be GREAT! See you next month. August 22 - don't forget.. put it in your calendar now so you don't forget!
Meg