{31 Days} Back to Basics Day 21
This month I am participating
in the nester’s {31 Days} challenge. My topic for the month is Back to
Basics. If you would like to follow along youcan find all of my posts here.
in the nester’s {31 Days} challenge. My topic for the month is Back to
Basics. If you would like to follow along youcan find all of my posts here.
When I was pregnant with my oldest, my husband and I made
the decision to cloth diaper. OK, we can
be honest here; Matt had nothing to do with that decision. In fact, he had never changed a diaper before
our daughter was born. So why not use
cloth? He knew nothing else to compare
it to! We are out of the diaper stage at
this point, both of my children, thankfully, being potty trained. However, starting with the cloth diapers made
us decide to use cloth with other aspects of our home.
the decision to cloth diaper. OK, we can
be honest here; Matt had nothing to do with that decision. In fact, he had never changed a diaper before
our daughter was born. So why not use
cloth? He knew nothing else to compare
it to! We are out of the diaper stage at
this point, both of my children, thankfully, being potty trained. However, starting with the cloth diapers made
us decide to use cloth with other aspects of our home.
I found that we were spending an exorbitant amount of money
on paper towels. It seemed like we used
them for everything, especially drying our hands, even though we had kitchen
towels clean and available. I tried
hiding the paper towels so we would only use them for big messes, but it was
too much of a habit to just grab them whenever we needed them.
on paper towels. It seemed like we used
them for everything, especially drying our hands, even though we had kitchen
towels clean and available. I tried
hiding the paper towels so we would only use them for big messes, but it was
too much of a habit to just grab them whenever we needed them.
I decided to stop buying the paper towels. At that point in time we were looking for all
the cost savings we could find since I stopped working to stay home with my
daughter. I picked up some wash clothes
from Target for $1 and cut up some old shirts, and we just started using rags
for everything. Now, we do not have any
dogs or cats that we need to clean up after, so I feel pretty comfortable using
rags for all of our messes.
the cost savings we could find since I stopped working to stay home with my
daughter. I picked up some wash clothes
from Target for $1 and cut up some old shirts, and we just started using rags
for everything. Now, we do not have any
dogs or cats that we need to clean up after, so I feel pretty comfortable using
rags for all of our messes.
It was a bit of an adjustment at first, but now it is second
nature, and we often forget to get disposable napkins or paper towels when we
have parties or guests come over. I
would like to sew some nicer napkins to use for more formal occasions (like
Thanksgiving and Christmas), but I have not quite gotten to that yet.
nature, and we often forget to get disposable napkins or paper towels when we
have parties or guests come over. I
would like to sew some nicer napkins to use for more formal occasions (like
Thanksgiving and Christmas), but I have not quite gotten to that yet.
Do
you use cloth instead of paper? Is it
something you would consider for your family?
Linking up with Clever Chicks
Hahaha…we use cloth napkins that I sewed up from some nice soft plaid flannel. We use them daily, but when company comes over they rarely know what to do with them, and ask for paper towels (once or twice until they get used to them). I do keep one or two rolls of paper towels on hand for "cat messes" and bacon grease. We use about 6 rolls per year (I know because I have to buy a package every spring, and 6 comes in a package). I would like to cut them out completely but for now, it works for us…I don't think I could get anyone else to go near cat spit up if they had to handle a cloth after.
We didn't cloth diaper but do try to use hand towels over paper whenever we can. Baby steps but yes, more environmentally friendly and cost effective!