Flats & Handwashing challenge Day 2 - Stash shot!

We had a few bumps in the road, but we made it through day one of the Flats & Handwashing Challenge!

PSA:  When your toddler starts fussing and grabbing at his diaper right after you snappi your flat...make sure your Snappi isn't trying to bite his nether regions!  My poor guy!  He's ok, but we had to switch to using the Boingo for remainder of the day because he would not come near me if he saw the Snappi.  I can't say I blame him.

Speaking of Boingos, another particpant shared a tip.  It worked wonderfully for us today, so I wanted to share with you.  When using folds with shorter wings, tuck the wings under the front of the flat and secure it that way.  Similar to the way a side snapping fitted is secured.  I also used this same technique with longer winged flat folds by folding the wings in half before securing.

Boingo tip! Tuck the wings behind the front panel and secure.  Stays in place very well and looks much neater. (Yes, that is a cookie. Don't judge. Little man woke up dry and asked to use the potty!)

See!?  Works perfect!

Today, I'd love to share what I'm using for the challenge.  Stash shot!!

Clockwise from top left: Stashify dark turquoise, Stashify Toboggan, Sweet Iris Design Snug Bug "T-Shirt" Rocket Pop, Blueberry birdseye (middle left & center), WCW shweggings, WCW soakers, ODC terry squares.

Notice the backdrop?  My husband's late grandma made this for our son. She passed away a few days ago and I just noticed that I grabbed this quilt for the stash shot.  I had to point it out because it brought a smile to my face. :-)  Anyway, let's talk diapers!

• 6 infant size Stashify extra stretchy bamboo/organic cotton luxury diaper squares. OMG, these things are amazing!  They are super soft with just enough stretch to get a great fit every time.  The infant size is 24" x 24".  My toddler is fairly small and these fit him very well without any extra bulk. (He'll be 2 next month and weighs 23 lbs and is 33" tall.) Since these are bamboo, they are very absorbent as well.  I chose dark turquoise and toboggan.  Stashify also offers newborn and toddler sizes.  I was able to take advantage of a Flats & Handwashing Challenge special on these for 15% off so these cost me $54.82 plus shipping. (Kristen, the owner of Stashify, is also participating in the challenge! How cool is that?!)
• 2 standard size *limited edition* Snug Bug "T-shirt" bamboo terry diaper flats from Sweet Iris Designs. I already had enough flats to get me through the challenge when I ran across these flats, but I couldn't pass up these awesome Rocket Pop serged flats.  I am such a sucker for patriotic stuff! Per the listing:
  

  "It all started as a big mess up, and we've ended up with a super-cool new diaper you can get only for a limited time. We've got just one roll of this fabric, and it is very similar to our normal Snug Bug fabric. The fabrics have the exact same component fiber percentages and the same weight. Both fabrics have one smooth side and one french terry side. Yet the fabrics are different enough to warrant a special listing. Our limited edition Snug Bug "t-shirt" bamboo terry diaper flats are incredibly soft and stretchy. You may have a favorite t-shirt that is just incredibly soft and comfortable. Imagine wrapping that t-shirt around your baby. That's this flat."

  
  What a glorious mess up this was! These flats are *huge* at 30" x 30". They are soft and the stretchiest of all the flats in my stash.  Because my son is a tiny guy, we could have probably gotten away with a smaller size.  However, I really like that the larger size allows for extra folding in the wet zone making these great for naptime.  They could also double as a great towel or swaddle blanket. 2 standard size Snug Bug "T-Shirt" flats cost me $27.90 plus shipping.
• 1 Orange Diaper Co. Toddler bamboo terry square. The flat that started it all!  As you may have read in my previous post, I found out about this challenge through my research of different natural fibers. Specifically, bamboo terry.  I found out about ODC a few months ago.  I was able to get a hold of this flat through the ODC B/S/T facebook group.  I *believe* I spent $11 shipped for this flat.  This flat is different than the other two brands of bamboo terry flats. ODC flats are made from double loop bamboo terry, as opposed to the single loop bamboo terry used by both Stashify & Sweet Iris Designs. (Check out the comparison photo between double & single loop bamboo terry below.) This makes for a fluffier flat.  These are not as trim as the single loop terry flats, but are just as stretchy and absorbent. In fact, I feel as though these are a bit more absorbent than single loop bamboo terry so this flat is my go to flat for overnights during the challenge.  I also have a newborn ODC bamboo terry flat that was graciously PIFed to me by another mama on the B/S/T board.  I am using this padfolded as a doubler in the toddler ODC flat overnight.  ODC uses bamboo terry in many of their products like their popular Loops side snapping sized fitteds, their Sweet Sleep snap in boosters, as well as a new and innovative prefold design that was just released. Check back next week for a review on that!

Left: ODC double loop bamboo terry.  Both sides have fluffy, loop texture.  Right: Stashify single loop bamboo terry.  One side has loop texture, the other side is knit.

• 6 Blueberry birdseye cotton flats.  I ordered these because, while I obviously have a thing for bamboo terry, I felt like I needed to try a more common flat diaper material.  I liked that the Blueberry birdseye flats were generous in size and, after reading many reviews, were one of the few brands that tend to stay more "square" after prepping.  Being cotton, they are not as absorbent as my bamboo flats, nor are they as easy to get a great fit because they lack stretch.  However, these flats are great for pad folding in a cover for easy on-the-go changes.  These are the most inexpensive flats in my stash and half a dozen cost me $16.95 + shipping.
• While these are not flats, I feel as though they are worth mentioning anyway.  I only own one  PUL cover now.  Last summer, my son started having issues with heat rash due to the decreased airflow to his skin while wearing PUL.  Because of this, we stopped using covers over our hybrid fitteds (most of my every day stash.) Eventually, we started having issues with compression leaks and had to figure out a new way to prevent leaks without reverting back to PUL. Wool interlock to the rescue!  These are double layer soakers and shweggings (soaker/legging hybrid pieces) by Wild Coconut Wear.  I have a decent sized stash of WCW and a few other brands of wool interlock now, but these specific pieces are phenomenal for overnight/naps.  We will be using these as covers during the challenge.  Wool interlock pieces generally cost anywhere between $30-$50 depending on the size and style.  (I will not be including these in my total cost because we use our interlock stash as actual every day clothing as well as diapering accessories.)
• I also purchased a pair of Boingos and one size 2 Snappi for the challenge.  A pair of Boingos cost $5.50 & the toddler sized Snappi cost $$4.55.  I also will be using a Sweet Pea OS diaper cover on occasion.  I won this in a giveaway last year and this, personally, cost me nothing.  However, Sweet Pea covers retail for $10.95.

Including the $3 plunger and $1.50 lid I picked up for the 5 gal bucket I am using to handwash, my stash cost me approximately $125.  While I know that my this may not be an inexpensive flat stash, it is still more cost effective than other diapering options I currently have in my every day stash. ($125 for 15 flats, closures and materials for handwashing. The fitteds in my stash cost a little more than $30/diaper.)  Also, after nearly two years in the cloth diapering world, I have come to value my WAHM diapers most.  I prefer to support small businesses and am willing to spend a bit more on handmade, high quality materials whenever possible.  I know this is not always possible for everyone, so tomorrow, I will be going over other options for creating a budget friendly flat diaper stash. 

If you are participating in the challenge, what is in your stash? I'd love to see what you are using this week!  If you are not participating in the challenge, or if you don't cloth diaper, what is holding you back from trying flats?