Cloth diaper storage

It's usually easy when it comes to storing disposables but with cloth diapers you want something so they can stay organized and in rotation that way one is not getting worn more than the other. Can you do this cheaply? Yes! I was on Pinterest and came across a basket idea but the baskets they were using were expensive and that is not what I had in mind.

One day while I was at the Dollar Tree where EVERYTHING is $1 I came across an isle of baskets. Now they weren't as good or as sturdy as the ones I had seen but they looked like they would do so I purchased 6 of them at $1 a piece. 

These baskets were just plain colored nothing special. I planned on doing my nursery in silver, gold, and black. I had a can of silver spray paint ($3) but no gold so I went out and bought a can which was around $3. I sprayed 3 baskets gold and 3 silver. Let them dry.

Once they were dry I used a drill with a screw bit and screwed one single screw in the top center of the basket to keep it hanging on the wall. 

It took no time to make this and my final cost was only $12! So far they've held up nicely. I even purchased an extra basket and sprayed it, it's used for my cloth wipes.

Sunning your diapers

• It will save you money on your electric because you will not have to use your dryer, it bleaches the stains right out, gives them a fresh smell, and the uv kills bacteria. 

There are a few things I've read but not had to deal with (okay 1) on the down side to sunning.

• Leaving them in the direct sun or heat too long can ruin your PUL/TPU, the weather may change without you knowing and they may get rained or snowed on (this one has happened to me!) and of course bugs.

Now all of these are easily avoidable. Don't leave them out too long or remove them from direct sun once bleached out, check the weather, and check diapers for bugs. I would not recommend drying diapers and covers (inserts are fine) because drying can shorten the life of your diaper so sun and hang dry as often as possible. I have a few pics to show how well sun bleaching works.

Wah la! Stains be gone! The sun works wonders on stains.

*for more tips on cloth diapering please comment and I can email you a copy of my cloth diaper 101 booklets. This includes diaper prep, wash routine, dry routine, cd safe rash creams, ways to strip your diaper, ways to rid yeast from diapers, DIY no sew wipe fabric, and wipe solution.*

Wash/Dry Routine

WASHING ROUTINE

THINGS YOU WILL NEED:

- Tide original powder (this is what I use and it works great) or any other CD safe detergent.

1- Make sure all Velcro is fastened. 

2- Make sure all inserts are removed.

3- Make sure all poop is sprayed off. 

4- Dump the diapers into wash, turn the pail liner inside out and add into the wash.

5- Wash cold rinse on the highest water setting.

6- Wash hot water on the highest water setting with detergent.

7- Run an extra hot rinse.

8- Hang dry all diaper covers.

9- Wipes, inserts, liners, doublers, wet bags, pail liners all may go in the dryer. Wet bags and pail liners also may be hung to dry if worried about PUL.

 

DRYING

1- Hang dry inserts as often as possible, it helps the wear but drying is okay for liners.

2- Try to always hang the diaper covers.

3- Dry liners on high heat but no longer than 45 minutes, if still wet then hang to dry.

6- If diaper covers or inserts are crunchy after hang drying then put them in the dryer

5-10 minutes to fluff them

 

4- If you have to dry the covers in the dryer then do so on the lowest setting.

 

5- Be sure to let the diapers completely cool after coming out of the dryer before pulling on the elastic.

Prepping washer and diapers

PREPPING THE WASHER

THINGS YOU WILL NEED:

-3 cups white vinegar 

-1 cup baking soda

- 1 cup plain Clorox bleach

 

1- To prep your washer; run the washing machine on the highest water setting, add 3 cups of distilled white vinegar and 1 cup of baking soda.

2- After the cycle is finished scrub the inside of the washer without scratching it.

 

3- Run another hot cycle with 1 cup of bleach.

 

4- Run a hot wash with nothing but water.

5- Wipe out the washing machine with a damp cloth.

 

PREPPING COTTON PREFOLDS & DIAPERS

1- Wash cold cycle on the highest water setting with ½ of the line of detergent.

 2- Wash hot cycle on highest water setting.

3- Put them in the dryer on hot until dry/ hang the diapers.

 3-Repeat steps 2 & 3 four to five times.

 

PREPPING SYNTHETIC

(MICROFIBER, POCKETS, AIO, MICROFLEECE)

1- Wash once with ½ of the line of detergent.

2-Extra rinse.

3- Hang covers/dry inserts on hot

 

PREPPING NATURAL FIBERS

PREP ALONE!!!!

 

1- Wash once with ½ of the line of detergent.

2- Wash two more times on the highest water setting and hot setting.

3- Dry in the dryer/hang covers

4- Wash three more times.

5- Dry in the dryer/hang covers.

 

PREPPING BAMBOO & BLENDED

PREP ALONE!!!

1- Wash hot wash on the highest water setting  add in ½ of the line of detergent.

2- Two more washes. 

3- Dry in dryer.

4- Three more washes.

5- Dry in dryer.

 

 

PREPPING USED DIAPERS

 

1- Wash once with detergent followed by extra rinse.

2- Dry in dryer.

*for a printout of all this info and more please comment and I will email you a copy of my cloth diaper 101 booklet I put together*

 

 

 

 

 

 

China Cheapies and other brands

When you begin your cloth diaper search it's always what will save me the most money? Then you're like wow these diapers are only $4 a diaper and these are $20, what is going on here? I'm sure then you will do a million reviews and then second guess yourself and think maybe they are giving good reviews for money. Well, I am no expert but I will tell you what I purchased and my experience so far.I personally wanted to have a good size stash, cute prints and not spend a ton of money. I done everything mentioned above and finally I made up my mind. The thing that influenced my decision the most was forums, not you tube videos or what the website said. I ended up going with sunbaby and alvas. 

SUNBABY seemed to be one of the cheaper brands that had the most positive feed back. The price is decent 6 pocket diapers and 12 inserts, they are really cute, and you can choose from MF, bamboo, charcoal bamboo or blended (MF/bamboo) all are $51 for that package. You can purchase bigger ones but that's what I went with. You can also choose from a size 1 one size diaper or a size 2 one size diaper. The sizes are pretty much for the leg holes. Size 1 is for skinnier and size 2 for chubbier. I purchased 6 size 1 with MF inserts and 6 size 2 with blended inserts. 

Berran in a size 1 OS Sunbaby diaper

MY SUNBABY REVIEW so far so good. Most people will say they don't see a difference in the sizes but I do. The size 1 fits my baby better around the legs. Now the size 2 is fine but the size 1 just fits tighter. I do not dry my diapers so I'm unsure how they hold up in the dryer but they have been fine line drying inside and out. My baby was able to fit into these at 4 weeks old, 8lbs. The PUL seems fine, the snaps are good, and I haven't had any leak issues. Now the inserts are another story. I would not recommend MF from any brand but do not waste your money on these. My blended work well. At first I was only using 1 but now he is a heavy wetter so I double them. I think I'm going to purchase some bamboo and try them out. I have contacted customer service just to see how fast they respond and I received an email within the same day so I do trust that they will be there for help in a timely manner.

ALVA carries several different diapers. They have pockets, aio, ai2 and covers. They carry all your inserts and you can get diapers with or without inserts. They also have several different bundles and their diapers are regular or you can get the double gussets. When I researched these it was either people who hated them or loved them. They are fairly cheap as well. 

Berran in a OS double gusset Alva ai2 diaper

MY ALVA REVIEW overall I've not had hardly any problems. The only ones I have had problems out of is my minky ai2 and my ai2 double gussets. They are the only ones who have on occasion gave me leak problems. Luckily I don't have many of these and like I said it's not always a leak but sometimes. I would not recommend the double gussets. They are made to hold in the poo but I've not had a blow out in the ones without but the poo has got in between the gussets and it's just hard to clean out. Besides that no problems. Again, I purchased MF inserts and as previously stated do not go with those. I'd buy the bamboo inserts from them if I were you. The ones I bought were the one size. I like their snaps because they have the double rows, the snaps are colored and they adjust well. The snaps are sturdy and I see no problem with the PUL. I hang dry these indoor or out so I have no idea about drying in the dryer. Again, baby could wear these at 4weeks, 8lbs.

OTHERS As for the other diapers I have, I have OS Sweetpea covers which is a more expensive brand. I paid $10 per cover. They have double gussets which I've had no problems with. I have not experienced leaks with these, the PUL and snaps are great. They could fit my baby 4weeks and 8lbs. I also have 1 thirstie cover. It is a 0-6 month size with velcro. I've had no leak problems with this one. The velcro is still working well. I did purchase this used. For both of these diapers I use a Green Mountain Diaper Clotheez bleached cotton prefold. These are inexpensive and absorb well. You do have to buy these in sizes but it's nice because when baby out grows one size you can use it as an insert or doubler in your pockets. 

Berran in a NB GMD clotheez prefold

0-6 month Thirstie cover

one size Sweetpea cover

*For tips and help with cloth diapering comment and I can email you a printable cloth diapering 101 booklet.*

Thinking about cloth diapering?

(Berran in a sunbaby pocket diaper, leggings from www.babyleggings.com)

 

Thinking about cloth diapering? I know it can be extremely overwhelming. Once you get started looking you find out there are several types pockets, all in one (aio), all in twos (ai2), covers then there are the inserts, prefolds, flats, microfiber, blended, bamboo, hemp. So much to consider. Now I am no expert as I have just started out myself but I can tell you what I know.

 

I started looking shortly after I found out I was pregnant and I came across a really helpful blog www.awesomeclothdiapers.blogspot.com

I actually gathered a ton of info from this blog which also has links to other helpful CD blogs and made me a cloth diapering 101 book which I can email if anyone would like to print it out. Anyways I know how overwhelming it is so let me help you out a little.

 

AIO: all in one basically like a regular diaper just take off toss in the pail and wash, but it does take a while longer to dry.

AI2: all in two. now I have this one and I really do not see much differenence between this and a pocket diaper although it has a front and back entrance and flaps. put on like a diaper, it has an insert which you just take out toss in pail after use, stuff in insert after washing.

 

POCKET: these are what I have the most of and I love them. It has an opening in the back where you slide the insert right in. they are easy to use and you just put it on like a regular diaper, remove the insert and toss in the diaper pail. You will have to stuff it after insert and pocket diaper is clean that way it will be ready for use.

 

COVER: This is just a water resistant cover it does need an insert, flat or prefold to absorb the pee and poo.

 

ONE SIZE: is a diaper that is made to fit a baby for the length of time he/she will be diaper wearing. they have snaps to adjust the rise, thighs and waist. All of mine are one size and has fit him since he was 4 week old. If you want to start CDing at birth I would suggest investing in some newborn size diapers. one size will be your biggest money saver.

 

now onto the inserts....

MICROFIBER this is what almost every diaper will come with. It may work for you but I do not like! Most forums and blogs I've read do not like MF either!

 

BLENDED is usually microfiber and bamboo. These to work really well. The microfiber is good for wicking the moisture away and the bamboo is really absorbent. These have worked well for us. At first was only having to use one but he has now became a heavy wetter so we usually double with MF or another blended.

 

BAMBOO & HEMP are natural fabric inserts they absorb really well but they do not absorb as fast as the MF which immediately wicks away moisture. I have not tried these so I am not sure how well these work from personal experience. I plan on ordering bamboo soon and will be sure to keep you updated.

PREFOLD is a fabric square you can purchase them in cotton, bamboo and hemp. I have the bleached cotton ones. You can fold them to go on baby like a diaper and use a snappi or diaper pin as a closure or you can fold just like an insert.

 

 



 

 

FLOUR SACK TOWELS are also used as flat, prefold or insert. I haven't tried these out either but I have heard that they are really absorbent. Will keep you posted on them as well.

 

if you need further information on how to care for cloth diapers please let me know and I will email you a printable cloth diapering 101 booklet.