And so it begins.
I have long been interested in all things DIY in the cloth diapering sphere. I made my very first set of diapers from a pattern I found on Etsy. Although the results weren't perfect, I saved a lot of money and without those handmade diapers I never would have been able to afford to cloth diaper.
After successfully making my own diapers, I went on to purchase many used cloth diapers on eBay and Poshmark to add to what I already had. Since that very humble beginning, I have been able to buy cloth diapers new, and I appreciate the benefits that come with that. But- I readily acknowledge that if I hadn't been able to start on a budget- I never would have been able to cloth diaper at all.
I know I'm not the only one that has been in that situation. If you're in that situation now- how do you get started? If you live in small-town USA, it may seem that you don't even have easy access to the materials necessary to make cloth diapers.
I believe that anyone can cloth diaper, regardless of budget. There is always a way. You may just need some help finding that way.
With that in mind, I decided to create a challenge for myself. Here it is:
First, create a diaper stash for under $50. BUT- only using items that I can buy in my small town. Here in Craig, Colorado that means I'll be buying from thrift stores and Wal-Mart.
Second, put away my diaper stash and rely solely on the diaper stash I was able to put together for my challenge. I hope to use my new diaper stash exclusively for at least one week.
Now, here are the rules.
- After much deliberation, I decided that I will use my sewing machine for this challenge. However, everything I make will be utilizing simple techniques that anyone can implement, and including variations that can be hand-sewn.
- Most previously-purchased diapering accessories are off the table. This includes Snappi's, wetbags, cloth wipes, diaper pods, etc. Here are the accessories I will allow myself to use for this challenge:
- diaper sprayer
- one set of simple diaper pins (which although already purchased, I will include in my final cost breakdown.)
- basic laundry hamper for dirty diaper storage
After this challenge is complete, I hope to pass my diaper stash on to parents in my community that could really use them.
I already shopped my diaper stash on Saturday, and was amazed at how do-able this really seems to be! I'll be posting every day or two to bring everyone up-to-date on the process and show the things in my diaper stash.
Please comment below and share this with someone interested in cloth diapering on a budget. It's my hope that we can increase awareness of how to create a homemade diaper stash, and help people build the confidence they need to do it.
Thanks for following me on this challenge. Can't wait to share more!