I’m pulling from the archives today – this was actually my first post, but since I had roughly 2 readers at that point, I don’t think many of you will notice if I resurrect an oldy but goodie and shine it up a bit. :) Since today is the “frugal edition” of WFMW, I will tell you one of my favorite frugal tips.

I am one of those crazy people who use cloth diapers.

*gasp*

Don’t freak out! It’s not that hard! I crunched numbers when I was pregnant with AG and I figure it will save us about $1000-1500 for each kid we use them on. Let me repeat $1000 – $1500 per kid. I’m not so crazy now, am I?

Every single person you might talk to about cloth diapering will give you different information. There are a thousand different ways to cloth diaper, so this is surely not the ultimate guide or anything… this is, appropriately, what has “worked for me.”

Image from http://www.naturallytrendy.com

I use chinese prefold “diaper service quality” (DSQ) cloth diapers, which I found on ebay for a good price. You can get them bleached, unbleached, and sometimes even made of organic hemp or something like that if you’re so inclined. I would definitely recommend DSQ prefold diapers if you plan to use cloth for very long. The gerber cloth diapers (sometimes called “birds eye weave”) that you can find at Babies R Us and similar stores can’t compare with the quality and absorbency of the other prefolds.

Prefolds are your most basic type of cloth diaper, and can be purchased in different sizes. I started with 36 of the infant size, and then graduate to 30-36 of the “large” size, and those have proven to be good workable amounts for us. Many people can get by with fewer diapers – I prefer to only do diaper laundry twice a week, so I like having more.

You can find nice basic instructions online (I like diaperpin.com for info like this) for how to fold them, etc. I just fold them in thirds and fasten them with a “Snappi” fastener - no pins! These handy gadgets just hook into each side of the diaper and down the front to hold everything in place. I have LOVED not using pins! I don’t think I would have stuck with cloth diapers (pardon the pun) otherwise.

Image from http://www.thanksmama.com

After fastening the diaper, I put a velcro cover over the top (no plastic pants anymore, either!). I have used Prorap brand covers, mostly because they were the cheapest well-rated brand I found, and have purchased 5 of each size as they were needed. I have the classic velcro style, and they have held up great and prevent blow-outs pretty well. We actually have had WAY fewer blowouts with cloth diapers than we have had with disposables!

Image from http://www.thanksmama.com

FYI, there are “All in One” style cloth diapers that have the cover built in – as an added bonus you can find them in all kinds of adorable patterns! You don’t use any fasteners, and they basically go on like a disposable diaper. I don’t have any “AIO” style diapers because they are much more expensive. I have also found them unnecessary since we use disposables when we are away from home – if we used cloth in the church nursery or something, AIOs would make the most sense since they wouldn’t seem quite as foreign to the person changing them!!

Image from kmart.com

As far as laundering, wet diapers go straight into my diaper pail, dirty ones get swished in the toilet and rung out with my diaper duck and thrown into the diaper pail. Unless they are “soiled,” I let the covers dry and reuse them until laundry day. When the pail gets full, I take it downstairs and dump it in the washer – one cycle on cold with bleach and baking soda, one cycle on hot with detergent. No big deal!

So, why bother with cloth?
*Estimated $1000-1500 savings for each kid
*Basically boils down to 2 extra loads of laundry a week!
*Much better for the environment. I’m not an extreme environmentalist, but as a Christian I think that we don’t take our role as stewards of the earth as seriously as we should.

And they look so nice hanging out to dry on the line. :)

Have you tried cloth? Have any questions about it? (no promises that I know the answer, but feel free to ask!)

Here’s a great post from Denise over at Full Nest about her conversion to cloth diapers (she has six kids, so she knows what she’s talking about!)

For more Works for me Wednesday fun, head over to weareTHATfamily.com.