Living in New York City AKA The Capitol of the World is literally living from one extreme to another – weather wise. One month it is hot, humid with 100+ degree heat. And, the next, we are in the midst of a Polar Vortex. Yes, as I write this, it is freezing cold being closer to MINUS 10 degrees with inches of snow laying on the ground. Never a dull moment around this town I tell you!

For an adult living here, you soon figure out that if you are a real New Yorker you have 2 wardrobes – one for the cold and one for the heat. And here is a fun fact; as a lot of the apartments here in NYC are so small, it is not uncommon for people to have storage units where they keep their clothes & switch out between seasons – true story.

However, this is a completely different scenario for a Little One. Of course, you go through the main 2 seasons (winter and summer), but they grow so fast that there is really no point in keeping anything in storage until the next year. Right? Well, unless you are planning on having more children and  handing-down the clothes BUT that is a whole other story.

So what options do we have as parents, in this situation, living in New York City?

Miles Storm playing among a bunch of his outgrown clothes and toys

Little Swappies NYC

This Australia Day AKA Sunday the 26th of January, in New York City the 5th Little Swappies Meet-Up is happening over at the Avenues: The World School in the FlatIron District of Manhattan from 10AM – 12 Noon.

Launched by Lauren Patterson a Mother of 2; Little Swappies is a meet-up where families can unload gently used children and maternity clothing, books and toys and in return take home goods that suit one’s current situation. A good rule of thumb is to give items that you would happily pass on to a friend or family member (or sell on Ebay), without stains, tears or obvious damage.

The cost to attend is $20 for advance tickets which you can buy HERE or $25 at the door. Children are Free to attend. Little Swappies are also offering a premium ticket for $40 which includes a voucher for 2 brand new items of clothing from the Children’s clothing line Frank and Lu. Love that!

So what do you get for the ticket price? Well, let’s start with FREE babysitting from Urbansitter and a free eco-friendly pram cleaning with Clean Bee Baby (both of these things are enough for me). But, there is also going to be singing and dancing with Kids at Work, and our favorite Super Soccer Stars will be in the house to brush the Little Ones up on their David Beckham skills! Additionally, there will be free prizes given out throughout the event and a ton of free family photo opportunities (don’t forget to tag Little Swappies)! Not to mention, you will be reducing clutter in your home, meeting other parents, saving money on items that you need and giving back to the community.

Photo taken by Sofia Lynn Photography

As a parent I think that the reduce, reuse, and recycle ideology hits home even more because it is clear how the choices that we make today affect the world for our children and future generations — Lauren Patterson.

To take part, attendees must bring along 5 suitable items, falling into the categories of books, toys, children or maternity clothing. The age for this is newborns to 6 years of age. Once on site, event organizers will categorize the items by size and gender to avoid any messy digging. You know, keeping it all neat and tidy. In exchange, you will be given a bag to fill with stuff that your Little One/s can wear or use. Genius right!

As added incentive, all unswapped items are donated to Little Swappies charity partner – Covenant House Mother/Child Crisis Center and Nursery Program. Last year alone Covenant House took in 550 homeless mothers all under the age of 21, providing them with shelter, support and warm meals. With this in mind, you can be assured that everything is given back to somebody in need. Nothing is wasted and everything is going to a good home.

Miles Storm and his closet, how much of that still fits him?

Please share the Little Swappies Love by following them on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram (for some visual vibes). This way, if you cannot make the meet-up happening on the 26th of January  you will be kept up to date on all future events.

Thanks for reading Willy B Mum, we hope you enjoyed the post. Feel free to also follow our new instagram feed HERE and help us to Keep It Green!