Flats Challenge: DAY 2

I am participating in the 2nd Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge, hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry.  I have pledged to use flats, and handwash them, for 7 days.  The Challenge was an idea that came about after numerous articles referenced the practice of reusing disposable diapers.  Families with no money for new diapers were scraping out the solid contents or using a hair dryer to dry the diapers for reuse.  Not only is this unsanitary but it is also extremely dangerous. {read the original article} It was the personal mission of Kim of DDL to educate others that, although not ideal, hand washing the inexpensive flat cloth diapers was an option to families who had no other way to diaper.  No baby should have to suffer when there are ways to diaper for less than $50.00.


DAY 2

Night 1 in Flats went well!  Here is what he wore:

Organic flat, Diaper Bag fold, with a Sustainablebabyish organic bamboo doubler, and an organic Flat Pad folded.  All underneath Sustainablebabyish wool.  

I will be washing the diapers for the first time today!  Wish me luck!!

I should have been better prepared for the Flats & Handwashing Challenge.  However, I have been slightly preoccupied with planning my soon-to-be 5 year old's birthday party that is in less than 3 weeks.  And we are about to leave town for 5 days; my 2.5 y/o's speech evaluation we've waited 6 weeks for; dog-sitting this week; family is coming in 2.5 weeks so I must clean my house; and well, I have 2 kids under 5.  So this week just seemed to pop up out of nowhere!  I realized just this weekend I only have 5 actual flats (2 flour sack towels and 3 organic cotton flats).  And 2 PUL covers.  Yes, I have wool, but for under clothes PUL fits better. 

Sunday I made a trip to Target and still forgot to buy more flour sack towels.  Whoops.  Instead of going back, I'm just dealing with it.  I may go later this morning, but I had a headache yesterday (again - thanks to horrible allergies/sinuses) and didn't feel like it.  I did make it to a local CD Shop to buy a few more PUL covers (buy 2 get 1 free is awesome!).  I wouldn't have bought more PUL covers just for this, but they will also come in handy next week since I plan on using disposable inserts (for the first time since the water where I'm going is awful!).  So I feel it was worth the investment.

Here is what I have to use this week, as of now:

3 organic cotton flats
2 flour sack towels
3 receiving blankets (though I may pull out some more if needed)
t-shirts I pulled from my closet that I no longer wear
diaper pins
wool covers
PUL covers
wetbag for running errands
bucket to store dirties at home
Rockin Green Classic Rock detergent
clothesline outside (already there;)

That's it!  I am trying to keep it simple.  I didn't want to spend money to do this challenge for only 7 days.  I will be washing diapers in the bathtub, with good old fashioned elbow grease!  I plan on washing daily if I can, but there's a chance it will be every other day.  I am using the bucket to store dirties at home so I don't have to wash my large hanging wetbag that I normally use.  I don't use a diaper sprayer, it's plop/dunk/swish around here!  I do use flushable liners about 75% of the time, but not for this week. 

I finally told my hubby last night I am taking this challenge!  It just never occurred to me until last night to let him know I will be handwashing diapers in the tub all week.