growing a change: 3rd Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge: Day 2

Using flat diapers is truly easy and affordable. I've tried several different flats and really love them all. My favorites are the unbleached Clotheez flats from Green Mountain Diapers. They are so durable and hold their shape very well. Small is a perfect size. The large is nice for origami folds on larger baby and pad folded fits perfect into a one-size cover opened up to largest rise.

Top to bottom:
1. Geffen Baby- Hemp Jersey Flat diaper, 60% hemp/40% cotton. Only comes in one size & it's fairly small, but on a small baby it's perfect. Luxuriously soft and absorbent. But it's $6.95 for one diaper.
2. Green Mountain Diapers- Cloth-eez Birdseye Flat diaper, size small, 100% cotton. My go-to diaper! Holds a nearly perfect square shape, very durable, cleans so easily and dries the quickest! $12.00 for 6, not a bad price at all.
3. Hemp Babies- Flat Weeds. 55%hemp/45% organic cotton. One size, it's a perfect size. Only a single layer, but Very absorbent! However it takes the longest to air dry and the texture is a bit rougher than the others. I love this flat for nap time, nighttime, or car rides. $7.50 for one diaper.
4. An Old Receiving Blanket- 100% cotton. I have to say, this is a very soft, very absorbent, and very economical option for diapering! If you don't have extras, check local resale shops! Receiving blankets are just as awesome as my purchased flats!
5. Green Mountain Diapers- Cloth-eez Birdseye Flat diaper, unbleached in size large, 100% cotton. Another go-to diaper, but too big before baby was 15 pounds. $13.50 for 6, still a great price for a quality flat diaper.

I primarily pad fold my flats in Thirsties duo wrap covers or Flip covers because this option is quick and fits both my kiddos that use diapers. (My baby girl is in diapers full time. My 2nd son is potty training, so he uses diapers when we head to town, out for the day, at nap & nighttime). These covers hand wash very easily and dry extremely quick, especially the Thirsties covers. Flip covers really are one-size! We have loved them from when baby was about 8 pounds to my toddler that's almost 3 years old and weighs 38 pounds! I almost always add a cotton or hemp doubler inside the pad fold, but not for this challenge. My other favorite fold is the origami fold, using a Snappi to secure and covering with Thirsties cover with snaps, fleece or wool covers. Both fleece and wool covers at nighttime rock! No leaks! No wet sheets at 3am! I've never tried the fancy expensive ones, but our WAHM made fleece and wool are so affordable, fit awesome and work great!

Thirsties Duo wrap, Size 2 in Ocean, with the Cloth-eez large flat. Snap closure does not have the inner flap to tuck the pad-folded diaper into, but it still works great! Thirsties have double gussets at the leg openings that prevent leaks.

Thirsties size 2 on my nearly 3 year old, 38 pound son, who still needs a diaper when we head out of the house.

Thirsties size 1 in Rose with aplix closure. Aplix closure has an inner flap that's nice for pad-folded diapers.

Thirsties size 2 in Orchid with aplix closure on the smallest rise setting. She's only about 17 pounds. Size 2 covers a really wide weight range.

Flip one-size diaper cover in Blossom with a pad folded flat and a cloth-eez cotton doubler on top. Flips have a flap for the diaper inserts to tuck into in both the front & back, but no double gusset. I usually fold a doubler inside the flat, but occasionally add it at the last minute like this.

I'm also a fan of using cloth wipes. For a long time I used the cheap Wal-Mart baby wash cloths and they work fabulous. Also, cutting up one of my husband's old t-shirts gave me a bunch of cloth wipes that also double as diaper liners when using diaper rash cream.

Drying cloth wipes (& nursing pads) indoors. These wipes are Green Mountain Diapers Birdseye 2-ply wipes. Great quality, perfect wiping texture from the Birdseye, extremely durable. I don't like wipes to be too soft because they just slide right over the mess without cleaning it up!

For this Flats and Handwashing Challenge, my husband made me a camp-style washer. For my first hand wash, I used the plunger without holes drilled and it worked fine. However, with the holes in the plunger, the water really works thoroughly through the diapers and seems to clean better! And less splashing! We can really use this for camping and for hurricane season when we loose power. I love it!! Right now, I'm using Nellie's Laundry Soda and it works great. It's biodegradable and non-toxic.