Tuesday, January 20, 2015

A Quick and Cheap "IKEA hack" for Cloth Diaper Supplies

So I found a good use for an IKEA item.  But why do people call these things "hacks"?? Basically, I picked something up at IKEA, and I'm using it as really convenient storage for my cloth diapering accessories.....so because that's not necessarily the use that the manufacturer intended, does one get to call it a "hack"?

Anyways, I was looking for a convenient place to stash our cloth wipes, spray bottle, and other accessories (Snappi fasteners and diaper creams) near the changing table.  At our old house, we'd put a shelf on the wall above the changing table, but everything fell off all the time.

Then last time I went to IKEA I got one of their wall-storage systems - a rail and two buckets - and had Tom mount it above the changing table.  It fits everything I need in easy reach, and nothing can roll off the shelf!  It's been working out so perfectly. 


The aesthetic is a bit modern and sterile for my taste, but the utility is inarguable. 


In case you're interested....

My cloth wipes are the cheapy-cheap-cheap "baby washcloths" you find in multipacks at places like Burlington Coat Factory or Walmart (usually 4-6 for $1).  They hold up really well, and are just as effective as the fancy - and four times as expensive - flannel ones made by the cloth diaper companies. 

My wipe solution recipe
a squirt of baby wash
a squirt of baby oil
warm water to the top

Tom likes to spray the solution on the wipe first.  I spray it directly on the baby's bum, and then wipe :-)
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5 comments:

  1. AnonymousJanuary 20, 2015 at 8:56 AM

    For those of us new to/considering cloth diapering: what all goes in the buckets? I like the up above idea! Sorry if it's a silly question for a pro mama. :)

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    1. ChristineJanuary 20, 2015 at 9:09 AM

      Oh, no problem. Pretty simple stuff. In the left bucket is just a bunch of cloth wipes. The squirt bottle hangs on the rail, and it's filled with wipe solution (recipe above). The right bucket has: Snappis, cloth diaper-safe cream, baby powder, baby nail clippers, baby comb, and the Nose Frida. I think that's it!

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  2. Cammie DianeJanuary 30, 2015 at 8:45 PM

    Reading about your wipe solution makes me want to try cloth wipes... I've gone back and forth between cloth and disposable diapers, but I've never tried cloth wipes... and we go through so many!

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    1. ChristineJanuary 30, 2015 at 9:05 PM

      I find that as long as you're already using cloth diapers, it's not a big deal at all. The wipes just get thrown in the diaper wash with everything else!

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    2. EricaFebruary 19, 2015 at 3:27 PM

      I find cloth wipes work so much better than disposable. I feel like I use so many disposable wipes for one change (depending on what I'm tackling) but cloth wipes go soooo much further in clean up! I also put some lavender and tea tree oil in my solution.

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