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Using some ideas gathered from around the web, I’ve put together 3 really cheap ways to get started with cloth diapers. Choose what works best for you based on your available funds. Each emergency stash is designed to get you through about 2 days, depending on the age/size of your baby.
The $20 Plan
COVERS: Use scraps of fleece, a large fleece blanket or yardage to make no-sew diaper covers. All you need is a pair of scissors. Here’s my tutorial with photos. You can make your own pattern by simply tracing over a diaper laid out completely flat, making your pattern a little bigger to allow for coverage. Your no-sew covers can be tied closed.
If you don’t have any fleece or wool to repurpose, it can be bought by the yard at Wal-Mart for just $2.97. One yard measures 36×60 inches and that yields about 3 covers. Tip: roll in the sides of your fleece wrap for better poo containment. Double up covers for naps.
DIAPERS: Purchase flour sack towels (large foldable squares of cotton) at Wal-Mart for $1 each. You can get 18 for $18 or less. Or, use old receiving blankets that you already have. Nothing on hand? They are easy to find used at yard sales for 25 or 50 cents each ($4.50 to $9 total). Old t-shirts or cotton towels are quite absorbent and can also serve as emergency diapers.
The $40 Plan
COVERS: Buy 4 Nicki’s brand pull-on diaper covers from Nicki’s (aff) for $27.80. Shipping is free.
DIAPERS: Fold up 18 old cotton t-shirts for diapers. Or cut 18 square diapers from these household items: old cotton blankets, cotton sheets, or large kitchen towels. A good size is 27×27. If you need to buy some extra t-shirts or receiving blankets, try Goodwill or yard sales. They can often be found for 25 to 50 cents each. Some people will let you fill a bag for a dollar.
FASTENER: Purchase a Snappi ($3.95) or Boingo ($5.50) fastener.
The $50 Plan
COVERS: Buy 4 Nicki’s brand pull-on diaper covers from Nicki’s (aff) for $27.80. Shipping is free. OR, buy 4 Diaper Junction brand basic one-size covers for $31.80.
DIAPERS: Purchase flour sack towels (large foldable squares of cotton) at Wal-Mart for $1 each. You can get 18 for roughly $18 or less.
FASTENER: Purchase a Snappi ($3.95) or Boingo ($5.50) fastener. If you buy the Diaper Junction cover, you can “pad fold” your diapers and skip buying a fastener.
Erik in a Diaper Junction one-size cover:
OR THIS……….TRY CLOTH FOR LESS THAN $20
Covers: Buy two waterproof pull-on covers from Nicki’s (aff). Shipping is free. It will cost about $13.90.
Diapers: Fold up 18 old cotton t-shirts for diapers. Or cut 18 square diapers from these household items: old cotton blankets, cotton sheets, or large kitchen towels. A good size is 27×27. If you need to buy some extra t-shirts or receiving blankets, try Goodwill or yard sales. They can often be found for 25 to 50 cents each. Some people will let you fill a bag for a dollar.
This 1-day stash allows you to start small and try cloth part time.
WAIT!! How do you fold the diapers? Here’s how to pad fold a flat (square) diaper for a newborn, and for an older baby. You can pad fold anything (t-shirts, blankets, towels, diapers, etc.)
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