Dirty Diaper Laundry Flats and Handwashing Challenge

As some of you know, I have joined the Dirty Diaper Laundry Flats and Handwashing Challenge!  What does that mean?  It means that for a full week, at the end of this month (May 23-30), I have committed to diapering Stinky in only flats...with a maximum of 5 different covers...and handwashing dipes for the whole week!

You all think I'm crazy, right?

I might just be.  But here's the thing.  Some people can't afford to buy diapers.  Some can't afford cloth or disposable!  Honestly, if it weren't for blog reviews, I would probably be in the prefolds and covers boat myself. (For the record, Stinky's sleeping in his Thirsties cover and prefold tonight, because it almost always holds in the pee!)  SOME people can't afford even cheap prefolds or flats and covers!  And THAT is why I joined this challenge.

I joined the Flats and Handwashing Challenge to show that cloth diapering...or diapering in general...can be accomplished for a low cost.  I have a dozen flats.  That's it.  12.  I'm debating, and may turn a couple of tshirts into flats as well, just to show how they can be used.  Shoot, you can buy a tshirt for a quarter at a garage sale.  Can you imagine??  A whole diaper stash for $5?  I might even buy a couple of wool sweaters at Goodwill and make a couple of covers.  Yep...you can even make covers on the cheap if you do it right!  So, that's one reason I joined.  To show that it can be done.  And cheaply.

Another reason?  A lot of people argue that they can't cloth diaper because they don't have easy access to a washer and dryer.  Well guess what?  Neither did our grandmothers.  Or their mothers.  You know how they washed their diapers (and other clothes)?  By hand.  I wish I had a bucket and plunger to use.  I've seen those kits and they're really neat.  But I don't.  And some other people don't have the $10-15 to spend to buy one.  So I won't.  You know how I'll wash?  In the tub.  Or the sink.  Or the hose out back if I have to!  And I'll dry them on the line.  Or in the tub, if it's raining.  Or wherever I can find a bit of space.

Need one last reason?  (Trust me, there are more!)  One last reason I joined this challenge is to prove to ME that it can be done!  Yep, that's right.  I guess I know, intellectually, that this is totally doable.  I know other people are going to do it, and I know they'll succeed.  But I want to prove to me that I can do it.  I want to prove to me that, should I ever need to, I can do this.

Do I forsee any problems with this challenge?  Perhaps.  The biggest is that Bugsy has a full-day appointment at our local Children's Hospital smack dab in the middle of that week.  I'll still plan for the flats.  I'll probably pack them ALL.  But I'll pack a few other dipes too.  You see, Stinky's tummy is very unpredictable.  Very volatile.  Very temperamental.  And if he's having a bad belly day, even though he'll be 15 months old, he may go through 10 or 12 diapers during the day.  (Yes, I said that right.  Today, for instance, was a bad day.  14 months old, and I did 11 diaper changes today.  11.)  So I forsee a potential issue that day.  But I'll do my best!

Thank you, Dirty Diaper Laundry, for suggesting this challenge!  And thank you, Diaper Junction, for sponsoring me with a dozen flats!  You are making this challenge a possibility for me!