Flats & Handwashing Challenge Day 2: Let's talk about the stash! Materials and Cost

One thing that holds people back from trying cloth diapers (aside from the laundry) is cost. Some of the modern cloth diapers cost $25+ a piece! While high quality diapers are an investment, for many families $25 is a lot of money and one single diaper won't get you too far. If this is the only side of cloth diapers you're seeing then it absolutely makes since that you'd feel like your $25 is better spent on a box of disposables. I have a few expensive diapers, and, I'll admit, they're pretty awesome, but, at the end of the day, the purpose is to catch poop.

Here are the official rules of the challenge, and then I'll get into my own cost breakdown. I gave myself the added rule that I would not purchase any new diapers for the challenge.

Materials Allowed

The following diapering items can be used:
• Any flat cloth diaper, store bought or handmade. A flat should be only 1 layer of material for easier handwashing and faster drying.
• 1 night time diaper per night of your choice although you are asked to make flats work for you (this diaper must also be handwashed)
• Doublers (not inserts meant to be absorbent enough to stand alone) if you absolutely must.
• A diaper sprayer.
• Wet bags/diaper pails for storage.
• Handmade “washing machine” for diapers such as the camp style washer
• Non Electronic Portable washing machines (must be powered by you and cost less than $100.
• Commercially available or handmade covers.
• Commercially available or handmade detergents.
• Snappi or other devices for closure.
• Pocket diapers STUFFED WITH FLATS. (note that the potential for repelling on the stay dry lining could make your challenge harder but you can see what happens)
• Homemade or store bought fleece liners.
• Iron (to use in order to expedite drying time or sterilize)
Materials Not Allowed
• Electronic washer/dryer.
• Pockets with inserts other than flats, AIO’s, Fitteds, Contours, Prefolds, AI2’s, etc.
• Flushable liners.

Rules for Everyone

• You cannot use your washer or dryer.
• If for some reason something arises and an exception is made you need to disclose in the Conclusions Survey or on your blog if you are a blogger.
• There is no limit on the number of flats or covers you can use. Should you purchase 100 flats for $100 and go a whole week without washing? No. Use your common sense on this one. As a tip the more diapers in your camp washer/ sink/ tub the harder the washing will be.

For a little clarification, a flat diaper is defined as a single layer of fabric folded in various ways to create a diaper. Flats are awesome because they can be made from anything. Yes, cloth diaper companies sell diapers specifically marketed as flats, but chances are you have some very good flats laying around your home and don't even realize it! Flannel receiving blankets, flour sack towels, and even old t-shirts make awesome flats! Incidentally, I don't actually own a single "official" flat diaper.

Here's the cost breakdown for my diaper stash and washing supplies. I also looked around at some cheaper options you could substitute for some of the things I use.

Flat Diapers and Diaper Doublers

20 flour sack towels (Walmart sells a 5 pack for $4.88) - $19.52
7 Carter's 34"×28" receiving blankets (baby shower gifts) - $0
7 square receiving blankets various brands (baby shower gifts) - $0
3 Hemp Babies doublers (bought used for $3 each) - $9

Total cost for diapers/doubles - $28.52

I realize not everyone has a baby shower or receives gifts for their baby. Receiving blankets are often sold for less than $1 each at thrift stores, and I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to find a mama looking to get rid of some on a buy/sell/trade site. (Obviously, use good judgement and be safe if you choose to purchase or sell anything through a b/s/t site)

Diaper covers and accessories

2 Nicki's Diapers one-size diaper covers ($10.95 each) - $21.90
1 Thirties Duo Wrap Size 2 - $12.75
1 Econobum one-size diaper cover  - $11.95 (I got 2 with a BOGO deal, but a friend is borrowing the other one)
1 Blueberry one-size diaper cover (bought used) - $5
1 Flip one-size diaper cover - $9.95
3 pack Snappi diaper fasteners - $11.98
1 bumGenius Outing wet bag - $12.95

Total cost for covers and accessories - $86.48

So, I'm using 6 covers, and, while it's nice that I have options (especially when your baby gets poop on 3 of them in one day), it's definitely not necessary to have that many! In a pinch you could probably get away with 2, though 3 or 4 would give you a little more breathing room. Cotton Babies seems to always have the BOGO sale going on the Econobum covers (2 for $11.95), but if that's too expensive, Gerber plastic pants are about as inexpensive as you can go (if you're buying new). A 4 pack is $6.25 at Walmart. The downside to the plastic pants is that they're sized so you'd have to buy bigger ones as baby grows.

Also, while I like my Snappis, I feel like they're kind of pricey for what they are, and, if I'm being honest, they actually don't work that great with receiving blankets. A pack of 4 diaper pins is $1 at Walmart and may end up serving you better. The small "outing" wet bag is also a luxury that you can easily go without. Plastic grocery bags work just fine, in my opinion. Many people also store their dirty diapers in a diaper pail or a large hanging wet bag, but, because I'm hand washing and washing every day, I'm just tossing my dirties in the bucket that I wash them in so I didn't include any cost for dirty diaper storage.

Washing Equipment (I went with a camp style washer set up)

1 5 gallon bucket - $2.98
1 bucket lid - $1.38
1 plunger - $1.29
1 1.95 gal container of Sun laundry detergent (used for clothes laundry as well) - $7.99
1 indoor drying rack - $15

Total cost for washing equipment - $28.64

I bought my bucket from Lowe's, but then discovered that Walmart's were a few cents cheaper. Also, after my first day of washing I found the bucket lid to be super annoying so I stopped using it. As long as you can wash somewhere where a little splashing isn't an issue (I wash with the bucket in the bath tub) I think you'd be fine to to not buy the lid. I chose Sun detergent because it's one of the cheapest at Kroger and I really love the scent. I've been really pleased with how it cleans my clothes and diapers (hand washing and machine washing). And I'm totally guessing on the cost of my drying rack. I bought it several years ago and can't find anything similar to it online, but I know it wasn't very expensive because I wouldn't have bought it if it were!

Total cost for everything - $143.64

You can see that the bulk of the expense comes from the covers, but it wouldn't be hard to really pare that down. Consider that a box of disposables is generally around $25. The budget for my cloth set up would allow you to purchase roughly 6 boxes of disposable diapers.

Day 2 Update

Ellie was a poop machine today! She's usually a once a day pooper, but I think we ended up with 4 poopy diapers. The diapering is pretty easy, but I got really frustrated with my wash routine today. It took me nearly 3 hours to get everything washed and hung up to dry and that's just not reasonable. I've asked the Facebook group for the challenge for some tips and hopefully things will go more smoothly next time.

{This is technically from a few days ago, but how cute is a receiving blanket on the bum!}