Flats Challenge Day 2: the prep

Today is day 2 of the 3rd annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge! This challenge is hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry.  This is my 3rd year doing the flats challenge.  The idea is to use flat diapers and handwash them for one week. 

So, what did i do to prepare this year? Well..... umm..... not much.  Having done the challenge before, I already had EVERYTHING I could possibly need.  The night before the challenge, all i had to dig out was a 5 gallon bucket and my gloves because I have already been using my flats! Normally, I use pockets while we are out, and flats at home and a disposable at night (because the pockets were leaking). 

So here are my supplies:

Covers... most of them

- One Baby (3 and a half months old)

- One 5 gallon bucket, to use as a wet pail (free, I am using an old cat-litter bucket)

- Several covers, I lost count (my little guy is between sizes so a lot fits him) only one of these covers is new to this baby - about half of them were used for 2 other babies.  All were purchased on sale, used, as seconds, and one was a gift. 

Some of the flats: back to front, Target, Sam's, and Ikea

Cover List:

• 2 thirsties size small  
• 2 thirsties duo size 1 
• 1 thirsties duo size 2 (night time) 
• 1 econobum 
• 2 blueberry coveralls 
• 1 bumpkins cover
• 1 bummis super brite size small
• 1 grovia shell 
  

- 12 target flour sac towels, 30"x30" (purchased 2 years ago for $1 each)
- 9 Sam's Club flour sac towels,  36"x29" (purchased last year for a little less than $1 each)
- 6 Ikea burp cloths 28"x28" (purchased last fall for $1.50 each)
- One pair of hot pink gloves (no idea where these came from)
- fleece liners (for overnight) - were purchased for my 5 yr old
- 2 pairs of boingos - (one pair for last year's challenge, one purchased for this baby, about $4 each pair)
- 2 snappis (purchased at a silent auction for about $1)

Ok, I'll admit, I have enough stuff for twins.  But my baby does go through 12+ flats a day and if he had a poopy day, we'd likely go through several covers.  

I'm not going to add this up because, it doesn't mean anything.  I got everything together for a friend to use flats last summer and I spent about $50.  This is nothing compared to disposables! 

If I lost all my cloth diapers in a disaster or house fire or something - I would replace them with ikea burp cloths, a few flour sac towels (from both sam's and target for size variation). I would probably fill my cover needs with thirsties duo covers - unless I was working in a tight budget and then I would use a combination of a couple thirsties and econobum as back up. -- I would not just replace my flats, I would replace ALL the diapers with flats.  I love my pockets, and hemp and all of that, but the simplicity of flats is very appealing, they also work. 

Jo fold in a Sam's flour sac towel - aka. adorable and functional