It’s In the Bag!

When I first started cloth diapering the state of my diaper bag never crossed my mind.  I didn’t realize how much space cloth diapers took up.

My son was already 3 ½ months old and we had our bag packing down with our sposies.  We had everything we needed with plenty of room to spare.   Then we switched to cloth diapers and our diaper bag organization was thrown for a loop!  I was convinced that I was going to have to get a bigger diaper bag to handle our new diaper load, but after about a month I figured out what worked for us.

I have Skip Hop Duo diaper bag.  It’s not terribly big, but not small either.  We use an all-in-two diapering system (Best Bottom) so we are packing both covers and inserts.  I also needed room for other necessary baby items, plus my things.  Here’s a rundown on how my diaper bag works!

Outside:

There are two front pockets on my bag.  One has my wallet in it, and the other has things like keys, Chap Stick, camera, etc.

On one side there is a cell phone pocket that, obviously, houses my cell phone.  On the other side there is a bottle pocket.   This usually contains a bottle of water for mixing formula.  When I was breastfeeding, this is where I would put a rolled up burp cloth (Gerber Pre-fold).

The back of the bag has a pocket for the changing pad that comes with the bag.  There is also a strap that I use for a small hand sanitizer and a pacifier pocket.

On either side of the bag there is a zipper pocket.  In one, I keep an extra onesie and mama items.  The other has first aid items, diaper cream, lanolin packets, etc.

Inside:

There are two pockets on the inside of the bag.  One holds my Pronto wipes case.  This case is bigger than most so it takes up more space, but I don’t have to worry about running out of wipes!  The other pocket holds 2 Dr. Brown’s Wide Neck Bottles.  When I was breastfeeding, this is where I kept the Hooter Hider.

The large compartment is where I keep my diapers.  On one side, I put my inserts, folded in half.  I can stuff about 5 inserts in there.  On the other side, I put my covers, also folded in half.  I usually carry anywhere between one and three covers.   In between those, I keep a cheap bottle for formula mixing (can anyone recommend a good mixer bottle?).

I toss a formula dispenser and burp cloth on top on my way out.

Most of the time I only have a couple inserts and a cover for quick outings, and it all fits very well with a little room left.  When I have it loaded with inserts and covers, that bag can look pretty bloated, but everything is well organized and in its place.

After a few trial and error sessions with my bag, I have finally found a way to pack everything I need and still keep it organized…without dishing out another $60+ on a new bag.  That’s money I can use to buy more diapers!  Not that I’m addicted or anything……

By Nikki M