Since today is an open topic day I thought I would share a little about how we are making cloth diapers work while we are camper living at the farm until we get our house finished this summer.

Our camper isn't as small as the one in the picture above but it's a definite downsize from our current house.  I mentioned earlier this week  that the challenge inspired me to get back to cloth diapering and to purge our excessive amounts of diapers.  

When living in such a small space with 3 very active kids you quickly run out of room.  While in the beginning of my cloth diaper journey I adored pockets stuff with microfiber inserts over time my love for them faded.  They get build up and need to be stripped, they start to feel funky and take up a ton of space!  

I love the simplicity of flats and covers, we even have a few pockets thrown in but use flats to stuff them as well.  These are the pockets that are workhorses or I am in love with the print.  But still how do I fit everything for 5 people in a camper??

For starters our cloth diaper stash use to take up 2 entire clothes baskets at least (honestly I'm not sure they were ever all clean at once)...you know the big ones that are about 30" x 15" and over a foot tall.  Now I can fit all of our diapers in a 15"x 10" x 12" bin that has a lid!!  Did you see my post earlier in the week?? We have over 40 flats and 14 covers and all of them FIT into one box!!  That is so much easier to store than 2 giant laundry baskets.  

Since we use diapers multiple times a day they have to be readily accessible so the box sits at the end of our loveseat.  This makes it easy to reach but also out of the way.  We put the lid on it so we can use it as an end table as well.  I always have a few ready to go diapers & cloth wipes in a basket on the shelf on the other end of the loveseat so that anyone can change a diaper.  (Heck who am I kidding...if I am home I do most of the diaper changing LOL.)

Check out my Instagram this weekend for pictures of #camperliving storage solutions.

Do you live in a small space?  How do you make it work?

  

When someone says the words hand washing...

everyone's mind to women beside a creek scrubbing clothes against rocks.
However that is not the reality for most folks.
While I do know there are people who still must wash their clothes this way.
Most in the US have access to a sink and/or a bath tub.

So what do you need to hand-wash diapers?
Small dish pan (less than $2 at a big box store)
Laundry detergent
Bar soap (I use pink Zote)
and some type of washboard (I am using the bottom of a cheap plastic dish drain).



We are staying in our camper at the farm this week so I am washing inside the bin our camper tub.  This gives me a space to contain any splashes and sit while I work which at 6 months pregnant with baby #4 is a blessing.


Step 1: Dispose of any solids and rinse diapers as soon as possible after use.  I typically rinse and drop them in the bin throughout the day.
Step 2: After the baby is down for the night I empty the bin into the tub, rinse it out and dissolve a small about of our regular powdered laundry detergent in warm/hot water.
Step 3: Make sure all diapers are unfolded and drop into the wash bin.  Swish them all around and up and down a few times.
Step 4: Let them sit.  I leave them overnight to soak as I handwash in the morning before work so they can dry outside.
Step 5: Empty wash bin/rinse bin and rinse each diaper.
Step 6: using my Zote bar I rub both sides of each diaper/cover/wipe and scrub up and down on my makeshift wash board.  Stains get scrubbed extra hard.
Step 7: Quick Rinse diaper and hold it up to see if I got everything.
Step 8:   Rinse diaper really well to ensure all soap is gone and wring out.  Place in clean bin.
Step 9; Shake out each time and snap any excess water you can out.
Step 10: Hang outside on the clothes line to dry.

It takes be about 30 minutes in the morning to wash diapers and hang them out without any "helpers."  I love seeing the diapers on the line.  If I am at home I tend to wash as we go and this week most diapers have been completely dry within an hour for flour sack towels and 2 hours for the Geffen baby & flannel flats.


If you have more questions about handwashing my go to resource is Fluff Love University.

Do you handwash regularly?  What tips and tricks do you have?

There a many different ways to fold your flat diapers.

I tend to use 2 folds almost exclusively because 

1 is super easy and the other I've found to be the most absorbent fold.  These folds are new or life changing...but they work and that is what is most important.  

Up first is the pad fold.  This is the fast and simplest fold.  It has enough layers however typically after a poopy diaper the cover will also need to be changed out as this fold doesn't contain very well.

Step 1: Fold diaper in half like a hotdog.

Step 2: Fold diaper in half like a hamburger.

Step 3: Fold in one third of the diaper.

Step 4: Fold over the other third.  

This lays inside the diaper cover or you can stuff it inside of pocket diapers.

The next fold is the one I love.  The origami fold.  

This fold is quick and easy once you learn it.  The layers are concentrated in the center of the diaper and allow for great absorption.  It's easy to add another pad folded diaper to the center for overnight diapers.  The wings on this one also help contain messes extremely well!  I would suggest having these prefold before diaper changes as active little ones hate sitting still.  

  

Step 1: Fold diaper in half like a hotdog.

Step 2: Fold diaper in half like a hamburger.

Step 3: Pull the bottom right corner of the diaper (only 1 layer) to the left.  This will make a triangle on the left side and a square on the right.

Step 4: Flip the diaper over so the triangle is on the bottom.  

Step 5. Fold the square (top 2 layers) over 3 times to create a pad in the middle.

Step 6:bring the center of the diaper up and fold the wings in.  Secure with Snappi (or pins).  

There you have it 2 easy and fast folds that make cloth diapering with easy.  

What's your favorite fold?

So who in their right mind would volunteer to use only cloth diapers and hand-wash for an entire week??  This girl!!

For the last 4 years I have signed up to do the flats & hand-washing challenge.  Each year for a different reason.  You can read about my previous experiences here.   

Just a quick bit about the challenge...for 7 days participants agree to use only flat diapers with covers and wash them by hand.  The idea is to show that anyone in any situation can cloth diaper.  Why is it important?  Research shows 1 in 3 families struggle to afford diapers for their children.  Flats are an easy and cheap way to diaper.  

 You can read all about the challenge and other participants here.

So why did I decide to do another year of the challenge?

I have 3 reasons.

1. I love a challenge.  This year's challenge is upped as I have a very heavy wetter and I'm 24 weeks pregnant with number 4.  

2.  I have gotten into the rut of buying disposable diapers which is crazy since we have been cding for 9 years.  This is the push I need to get back to cloth diapering.

3.  We are trying to downsize.  Flats take up the least amount of space and honestly are the fastest to use.  So with this challenge I am finally saying goodbye to most of my all in ones and my microfiber inserts.  

Have you ever used cloth diapers?  Why or Why not??

  

Today we are talking about folding and closing flats :) 

This is my favorite part of flats!  I love experimenting with all the different folds and finding out what works best for us.  FYI if you are just starting out your favorite folds will change as your baby grows.  Some folds that I loved when our LO was a newborn just didn't cut it 3 months later.  Some folds I loved last year don't work this year.  So don't get discouraged if what was working all of a sudden doesn't work any more.  

So what are my favorite folds? 

Classic Pad Fold- this is the easiest to do!

Origami

Kite Fold (This has been my absolute FAV this go round)

Need more ideas

Here's a table with links to 15 various folds

My Flat Fold Pinterest board is full as well.

Until we meet again...may God bless you and keep you!

Caci

Today's topic is how do I travel with flats when running errands...

I don't think using flats when running errands is any more difficult than any other diaper, especially if your toddler is like mine and constantly moving!  

For me no matter where we are, what kind of diaper we are using, changing a diaper is a challenge!

To make life easier and diaper changes quicker I pre-load one cover (typically a Flip) with a pad fold prior to leaving the house.  I also make sure I change him just before leaving.  If I think he might fall asleep or I might be gone a while I will add extra absorbency to this diaper.  

I use a flannel flat or a receiving blanket in the origami fold and then pad fold a flour sack towel on top (this is also our overnight solution).

Typically I don't need to change him prior to getting home.  However if I do I always carry around a wet bag.  After the change I stuff both the diaper and the cover in the wet bag.  As soon as I get home I will toss the flat into the wash bucket it and rinse the cover if it's not soiled.  Once the cover is rinsed I hang it to dry.  

Now let's say it's Sunday and I'm going to leave home at 9 to head to Sunday School followed by church as 10:30, lunch with the family at 12, hanging out with my farmer, taking the kids to the park, and then heading to my Sunday night group at 6...what do I do???

I prepare!  I take at least 2 extra covers and 6-8 diapers (you never know when he's gonna blow).

I start at home by using the doubled up diaper and have one cover pre-loaded and ready to go with the pad fold so whoever changes him in the church nursery can just throw everything into the wet bag.  Once we leave church he typically falls asleep so we are sure to change as soon as possible after we pick him up.  Since this typically happens at the barn where I have access to a sink and such I will grab the snappi from the earlier diaper and the cover.  This gives me a chance to wipe out the cover (rinse if soiled) and for it to dry before I need it again.  Then our day goes on normally just as if we were at home.  

You see flats aren't difficult....they are really quick and easy to use.  If you aren't into fancy folds the pad fold is as basic as you can get and gives you 12 layers.  Think it's not enough?  Add an extra layer...it might be a little bulky but it works.  

Until we meet again may God bless you & keep you!

Caci

Washing diapers is similar to washing any clothes.  

It's important that you are using enough detergent to get them clean but no so much you are leaving a residue.  If you are like me an live in an area where you have hard water this makes it even more challenging.  

I love Fluff Love University!  It's a great resource no matter if you are handwashing or using a washer and dryer.  When I first started using cloth diapers there were so many places on the web saying to add extra rinses, just a teaspoon of detergent and everyone had their own homemade concoction that "worked."  The scientist in me questioned this often...but I was sure these ladies knew what they were talking about...they had been doing it for years.  I found that just because it works for them doesn't mean it works for me.  

So what have I been doing this week? 

I washed in the sink using a make shift wash board on Monday & Tuesday.  But honestly that made my back ache and seemed to waste a lot of water.  So halfway through the week I changed.  I grabbed a 5 gallon bucket (we only have 1,000) and washed it out really well.  Bought a new plunger and some Foca detergent.  I keep borax at home.  

I used our cordless drill to drill a hole in the top of the bucket just big enough for the plunger handle to fit through.  I also drilled holes in the plunger itself.  

Handwashing Routine

Cold Rinse- place bucket in bathtub and dump in diapers and covers (fill the bucket 1/2-3/4 full) add cold water until about an 1 inch below the top of the bucket.  Plunge the diapers 50-100 times wait 5 minutes and plunge again.  Remove diapers from bucket, set aside. Dump water.  

Hot Wash #1- add hot water (about 1") then add 2 TBSP detergent, 1 TBSP Borax swish it around to dissolve.  Plunge the diapers 50-100 times wait 10 minutes and plunge again.  Remove diapers from bucket, set aside and dump water.

Hot Wash #2: Repeat hot wash #1 but this time as you remove the diapers from the bucket wring them out well.  We do an assembly line (if the boys are "helping").  The little one grabs a diaper or cover and gives it to our oldest who "wrings" it out and then he passes it to me and I actually make water come out of the diaper.  Yes including them takes longer but they enjoy helping.  

Dump water and rinse the bucket well. 

Cold Rinse- place diapers back in bucket and fill again until it's 1" below the top.  Plunge 50-100 times wait 5 minutes and plunge again.  Remove diapers/covers and wring out thoroughly.  At this point I put the wet diapers into a laundry basket so I can carry them to our porch to hang to dry.  

From start to finish it takes about an hour.  I will say there are days that ours sit a little longer than the 5-10 minutes or get more/less plunging than others.   It all evens out.  If I am at home I will fill the bucket up about 1/2 way with cold water after the mornings first diaper change and drop the flats into the bucket as I got throughout the day.  This seems to work well for us however this only happens about once a week so I am sure the diapers could use a soak.  

I adapted my routine from Fluff Love U.  Here's a link to their instructions which includes a video. 

Today is day 3 of the #Flatschallenge from Dirty Diaper Laundry.  

I am really enjoying the challenge, even if it means staying up a little later to handwash diapers.

The whole idea for me is to show others that you can cloth diaper on a budget and without a washer or dryer (if needed) and while having other commitments.  I hear a lot of moms say, "I would cloth diaper if I stayed home but I work."  Well news flash I have a full time job, a 7 year old who plays baseball at least twice a week plus has Cub Scouts one night a week, I lead a group of 5-10 year olds on Sunday nights at church, and my husband farms full time and expects me to help out when and where I can.  I'm not trying to "mom shame" anyone but if you are struggling and need to diaper your children cheaply there is a way to do it...no matter your schedule.  As the farmer would say, "You just need some want-to."

Feeding a baby calf last night after a 10 hour work day.

So how did my first washing go?

On Monday night I washed the day's diapers.  I had 10 diapers.  It was a combo of flour sack towels and flannel flats along with 2 covers and 4 pockets I sent (stuffed with FST) to my mother in law.  I will go into my wash routine later this week but really it wasn't bad.  The flats that hung as they would on a line outside were dry this morning however the ones on the "drying rack" were not.

How do I handle child care while doing flats?

For one you should know that my childcare consist of my mother-in-law, my husband and one of my closest friends.  While I'm not going to say any of the above love the idea none of them buck it either.  For my husband and MIL I send FST stuffed inside of pocket diapers.  This makes it easy and quick to change the farmboy no matter if they are at home, the silage field or the milk barn.  When my BFF keeps him I sent flats and covers.  The flats are already pad folded and ready to load into the covers but she knows if she wants she can use any fold she is comfortable with.  Honestly I'm about the only one who uses various folds and a snappi.  If you want your childcare provider to use a certain fold because it works better you just need to take a few moments to show them how to put the diaper on and be sure all the diapers are prefolded.  It makes life easier on them if they aren't trying to remember how you make an origami fold or did you say a j-fold?

So what about that DIYs you mentioned?

Part of my flat stash is made up of homemade flannel flats and homemade fleece covers.  The flats are simple and quick to do and you can even do them if you don't have a sewing machine (they just might not last as long).  The covers require some basic sewing skills and a machine.  However there is an option even if you don't have a sewing machine for a cover.

Check out these tutorials

DIY Flannel Flats
DIY T-Shirt Flats
Fleece Cover
NO-SEW Fleece Cover

I hope today's post gave you some encouragement on trying flat cloth diapers.  Come back tomorrow to see how I make flats work while we are out and about.

Until next time may God bless you & keep you!

Caci

I'm not sure I can really call this a tutorial as it's very simple to make your own flannel flats.

Materials:

flannel material (finished product will be approximately 27 x 27 inches)

Ruler, measuring tape, or yard stick

Thread

Scissors

Sewing Machine or hem tape

Iron

Note about flannel: not all flannel is created equally.  You can get flannel cheap at many craft stores and even my local Wal-Mart carries it.  You can even find old flannel sheets and cut them up from thrift stores.  But my favorite flannel is diaper flannel.   Diaper flannel is double napped meaning it's been brushed on both sides.  So both sides are the same. I find it to be more absorbent and to hold up better over time.  The diaper flannel I use to is $4 a yard.  4 yards of fabric will get you 5 diapers with some left over for doublers or wipes.  Also the diaper fabric comes 27 inches wide which means 2 less seams you have to worry about!!!

Steps:

1. Prewash on hot and dry on hot using the same detergent you always do.

2.   Measure and mark out a  28 inches square on your fabric. (To make life easy you can leave the selvages on if you are using diaper flannel.)

3. Cut out the square.

4. Fold each cut side down 1/4 inch and press.  Once you have ironed down all your cut edges, if you are using hem tape: place your tape on top of nice new crisp edge.

Fold over another 1/4 inch (or enough to cover your tape) and iron again.  

5. If sewing fold over another 1/4 and press.  Pin down your folds to ensure they stay in place.  

6. Using a small zig zag stitch sew down your folds.  

Now you should have a 27 X 27 inch flannel flat.   

In a pinch you could stop at step 3 however your flats will fray quickly.  

Think you could whip some up?  Be sure to share some pictures if you do!  

Until next time may God bless you & keep you!

Caci

Blame it on the 2 year old, 

blame it on the 32 week pregnancy brain...

blame on the weather...

whatever it was I completely skipped posting yesterday about this year's Flats & Handwashing Challenge.

Yes...with a very active 7 year old, a wild monkey of a 2 year old, 32 weeks pregnant and helping out around the farm, while working 10 hour days, and trying to maintain some semblance of order in our house....

I decided to take Dirty Diaper Laundry's 5th annual challenge again this year!  (Read about last years Day 1, Day 2, Day 4&5)