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Flats and Handwashing Challenge Day 6

I am taking part in the Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry.  For 7 days I will be using only flat cloth diapers and handwashing them in an effort to prove that cloth diapering can be affordable and accessible to all.  You can learn more about the rules and why this challenge was started by visiting the announcement post.  This year there are over 450 participants from all over the world!

Recap of Day 5

I finally got caught up on Handwashing. I ended up washing 5 buckets full of flats (about 8 flats and 1-2 covers plus wipes and liners) throughout the day. After washing the first three loads I started using a wet pail. This seamed to save time and energy during the last 2 loads that I washed last night . My drying rack only holds about 12 flats, I had the rest hanging all over the house. All where dry this morning except the Bamboo Flats, yet again. I spent a large part of my day washing/wringing/hanging diapers, my other daily chores and duties have been neglected. The biggest lesson I have learned, don't fall behind on handwashing. I have a long busy day ahead of me, time to play catch up.

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 the Jo fold

 

Flats and Handwashing Challenge Day 5

I am taking part in the Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry.  For 7 days I will be using only flat cloth diapers and handwashing them in an effort to prove that cloth diapering can be affordable and accessible to all.  You can learn more about the rules and why this challenge was started by visiting the announcement post.  This year there are over 450 participants from all over the world!


It's Day 5 and I'm running out steam!! Instead of washing Flats last night I choose to go to bed early. I let them soak over night. I am trying my hardest to avoid washing them this morning but if don't I will run out today. With this crazy humidity it's taking more than 5 hours for the flats to dry, even outside .

Tips I have learned:
1) Roll your covers and pockets in a towel. My wipeable PUL covers dry faster then my flats this way

2) A second bucket comes in handy. while washing in one bucket , I have more flats and covers soaking in the second.

3) it's possible to get by with a dozen flats BUT I would suggest having extras if possible. For days that you feel like slacking on Handwashing

4) Rubber gloves are a must have, but only if you remember to wear them

5) Receiving Blankets are great choice for flats. They are bigger than most brands of Birdseye flats, are inexpensive and easy to find. I love having the bamboo and hemp flats for night but they take a few hours longer to dry.

Now I must go and get the washing over with.

* note: I first wrote this post at 8 am, I am publishing now at 11am and I still have not washed these Flats yet

Flats and Handwashing Challenge Day 4

I am taking part in the Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry.  For 7 days I will be using only flat cloth diapers and handwashing them in an effort to prove that cloth diapering can be affordable and accessible to all.  You can learn more about the rules and why this challenge was started by visiting the announcement post.  This year there are over 450 participants from all over the world!


What I think about Handwashing

Handwashing is not as fun as I first thought when I signed up. Other than dry, sore hands it's not physically challenging for me. However I am finding it very time consuming. Being a WAHM I'm finding it very difficult to fit yet another chore into my already busy day. In case your wondering here is a quick break down of my wash routine during this challenge. I wash once in the morning and once at night when the kids are sleeping.
morning:
1) while kids are eating breakfast, take bucket full of diapers up to the tub and fill diaper bucket with warm water. Agitate for a minute, snap lid on and let soak
2) Strap B on my back in the ergo, go agitate soaking diapers another minute then dump. Fill bucket with hot soapy water, agitate then snap on lid for another soak
3) pack school lunches , while tidying kitchen
4) walk twins to bus stop
5)while B plays with Daddy (just getting home from night shift) go agitate diapers again . Then dump and fill with cold water. Agitate till water is clear
6)wring out diapers till I can't possibly wring anymore
7) hang diapers outside on the drying rack.

Evening:
Is much the same as the morning except when I break I'm attending to business duties (sewing, packaging,shipping,checking and updating online shops, blog, and Facebook page)

In between all that I'm cooking, cleaning,mothering B all day, helping with homework, and other daily chores and errands.
By the end of the night I just want to sit and watch my favourite shows, but I can hardly keep my open
I think I could do this full time if I needed to BUT I would be making more of an effort to EC and early potty train B to help lighten the work load.

wiggly baby wearing a hemp flat in the diaper bag fold with a snappi

Flats and Handwashing Challenge Day 3

 

I am taking part in the Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry.  For 7 days I will be using only flat cloth diapers and handwashing them in an effort to prove that cloth diapering can be affordable and accessible to all.  You can learn more about the rules and why this challenge was started by visiting the announcement post.  This year there are over 450 participants from all over the world!

My Favourite Way To Use Flats

  Most of the time we are using a pad folded flat inside a cover or pocket. B is at the stage where he HATES to lie still for a diaper change, sometimes I have to pin him down. Also while we practice elimination communication with him, its fast and easy to take off at potty time. This makes outings a little easier too.

  when pad folding I only use my covers that have tuckable flaps (made by me). shown above is pad folded receiving blanket with a smaller square of flannel ( what was left of a yard after cutting a 30"x30" flat) pad folded and placed in the wetzone. I usually add a fleece liner on top as well.

  This is our favourite night time combo, a Bamboo fleece flat pad folded with a wool doubler underneath laid into a t-shirt tie diaper. We have a pair of hand knit wool shorties that I put over all this.

  When he allows me a few extra minutes for changing, I use the Diaper Bag fold. This fold puts 12 layers of absorbency up front, perfect for my heavy wetting boy. I like to fasten this fold with Boingos or pins and let him go coverless around the house.

  Once the flats are dry, I pad fold them all and stack them in our diaper drawer. I can then just grab them as needed and stuff in a cover or pocket , or fold them into a diaper shape just before changing.

There are still a ton of folds that I have not tried yet, but I plan to before the week is over. This chart of folds is very helpful.

Recap of Day 2

  Yesterday was much busier than Day 1.  I ended washing 3 loads of flats. 1 in the morning and 2 in the evening. Due to the humidity the flats that I had washed and hung in the morning where still damp after 8 hours. The ones I washed in the evening where all dry this morning except the bamboo fleece flat which was still a bit damp. I keep forgetting to use the rubber gloves that I  bought and added to my supply list, needless to say I have blisters forming and extremely dry and chapped hands from wringing out the flats.

 Other than that we have not had any major issues yet, and I have already learned so much in the past 2.5 days.

Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge Day 2

 

I am taking part in the Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry.  For 7 days I will be using only flat cloth diapers and handwashing them in an effort to prove that cloth diapering can be affordable and accessible to all.  You can learn more about the rules and why this challenge was started by visiting the announcement post.  This year there are over 450 participants from all over the world!

My supplies for the challenge:

Flats & Covers

12 flannel receiving blankets

6 Osocozy Birdseye flats

2 Rumpeez hemp flats

3 cotton stretch terry baby bath towels

6 flats made by me, of various fabrics (bamboo fleece, bamboo terry, velour, flannel)

3 T-shirt tie Diapers

3 Pockets

4 PUL covers

4 wool covers

2 fleece pocket trainers (for EC)

Accessories

12 micro fleece liners cut from diaper making scraps

12 single layer doublers/trifolds made from scraps

20 homemade wipes

1 Snappi

1 set of old style Boingos

Wash Supplies

camp style bucket washer

Ecos Detergent

rubber gloves

beach towel, I roll my covers up in the towel to help absorb excess water to speed dry time

drying rack

So far things have been going smoothly, I have washed 2 loads of flats so far. I am going to wash at every 8 flats so I don't have to do back to back wash loads.

The flats are drying inside today