Saving More With Cloth

Cloth diaper enthusiasts know that cloth diapering has the capability to save big time money over their disposable counterparts. The system you choose (prefolds, fitteds, pockets, AIO) will have the biggest influence on the overall cost of cloth diapering. While saving money wasn’t my #1 reason for cloth diapering, it was an important factor, I didn’t want to end up spending more than I would on disposables. I’m always looking for ways to save money so here are a few ways I have saved money on traditional cloth diaper accessories. Some of these accessories were made with things I already had so we are creating less waste by reusing as well!

Instead of buying cloth wipes, I use baby wash cloths. These are popular shower gifts & it seems everybody has a surplus of them around. I like the Target brand as they are nice and thin. I also made some out of old receiving blankets by just cutting them into squares & serging the edges. They’re not the prettiest thing but they’re also not cleaning up the prettiest thing so they work just fine.

A quick google (or Pinterest) search will bring you to tons of recipes for wipe solution. I have also found recipes to make wipe bits, although that project is still on the to do list. Experiment and see what you like using ingredients you have around the home.

If you have the most basic of sewing skills, you can easily make your own wet bags. Again, you can do an internet search but it’s pretty simple. You will need some PUL, cute print & a zipper. For my daycare wet bags, I use about ½ yard of fabric & cut a little off the top. That will hold 9 hours worth of diapers for 2 kids. I also have a few smaller ones for when I’m out with one kid, a spare to keep in the car, etc. If you are able to buy fabric on sale (PUL will be the most expensive component) you can easily make your own wet bag for less than $5.

Skip the pail liner or make your own. I made some pail liners but within a couple of weeks quit using them. We have a front loading washer so it wasn’t convenient to dump the contents in. Instead I just put the diapers in a plastic pail with a lid &clean it after emptying.

Instead of buying expensive deodorizer for your pail, use essential oils. I have an extra cloth wipe that I put a couple of drops of tea tree oil & lavender on that I hang over the lid of the pail. The tea tree oil really neutralizes the odor and the lavender just smells good!

If you are into fitteds, consider making your own wool or fleece soakers/longies/shorties. Again, this is a great way to up-cycle things you may not use anymore. I found patterns and directions online & within an hour had a functional (read: not the cutest!) wool soaker to use at night. If you don’t have any wool around, check out consignment or second hand shops.

While I realize there are certainly more frugal ways to cloth diaper, I have found ways to save money in order to have a decently sized stash of bumGenius 4.0 and FuzziBunz perfect size diapers. The pocket diaper system is a must for us with daycare but by saving money with accessories, we are able to make cloth diapering even more affordable.

By Megan N.