Cloth Diapers

I remember when my sister went crazy for her cloth diapers.
All she wanted to do was show me her new diapers, covers, laundry detergent and wet bags.
Of course, at the time I couldn't understand why anyone would be so excited to use and clean what her baby was doing all his smelly business in.

This is no longer the case. When Eloise turned four months I tried some of my sisters cloth diapers, I found they soaked too much, and were a pain to take on and off.
I was discouraged enough by the whole thing that I decided it just 'wasn't for me.'

This went on for a few more months until I saw a friend using "Flip" diapers with pre-fold inserts.
It looked easy and clean enough, I like that you could re-use the cover, plus, was it just me, or did they get cuter looking??

So I went to a local cloth diaper store and excitedly took a "sample" of a bunch of different types of diapers. I found out what didn't work (fitted motherease) what kinda worked (pocket diapers) and what I LOVED. My flip diapers with inserts.
Now I was the one spouting off words like "pre-folds", "AIO's" and "Stripping liners" without so much as batting an eye.
My sister grinned at me as I told her: "I've never been so excited about something Ella poops in."

I can't say I'm a complete convert, as I only cloth diaper during the day, but I love being able to wash and re-use them. Not having to buy box after box of non-deteriorating diapers, and well, there's all the pretty covers too!

I haven't had any issues yet with bum rash; Eloise seems just as comfortable in them as any disposable, and I just do a simple cold-water rinse with a hot-water wash, using Nellie's detergent.

Now it's my husband who keeps looking at me oddly every time I go off about how cute my diapers are are and "don't you just love them?!?"

What Have I Started??

It all started with Jeremie and I agreeing that we simply have too much clothing.
Our dresser was packed to the point that the bottoms of the drawers were falling out, the closet was stuffed to the brim, and even two plastic bins full of more 'off season' clothing were living in the closet and basement!
Finally I had had enough.
Stuff had to go!
First though, I needed inspiration, a challenge! Something to get me burning with de-cluttering desire!
I came across this site with the "333" project.
A challenge to only use 33 items of clothing for 3 months. (excluding things like under-roo's etc.)
I happily read through lists of other challenge-takers of what they considered their most worthy 33 items to be.
As a self-proclaimed 'clothes horse' 33 items seemed veeeery steep to me, but I figured if I could get down to 66 maybe, or some other small(ish) number I'd consider it a great success.
So I started to purge; soon enough clothing was flying out of drawers and off hangers, I was trying on clothes to see how they fit my post-baby body, and the donation pile steadily grew.

Suddenly I realized: "This feels GOOD!"

It was liberating getting rid of clothes I had schlepped from closet to closet, drawer to drawer.

Soon, I only had 2 pairs of jeans instead of 5, 3 blouses that fit well instead of 6 that only fit so-so, 5 basic t-shirts I wore all the time, instead of the 8 I normally left sitting in the bottom of the drawer.
Even now I find myself thinking: "Do I really need 2 pairs of yoga pants and 2 pairs of black leggings, if I can easily do with just 1 of each?"

I am however, being careful. I'm going to store the clothes I'm unsure or hesitant to donate for at least a couple of months. If I go back for the item, it's worth keeping. If it sits in the bin for 3 months, clearly I don't need it all that much.

I am proud to say I now have in my bureau:
- 4 tank tops
- 5 t-shirts
- 2 shrugs
- 3 yoga pants
- 2 leggings
- 1 linen pant
- 2 jeans
- 1 jean capri
- 5 long sleeve t-shirts
- 4 sweaters

In my closet:
- 9 nice tops
- 2 vests
- 4 skirts
- 1 pair black pants
- 7 cardigans
- 4 dresses
- 3 coats
- 1 blazer
- 2 winter coats

Total: 62 items of clothes! Not quite 33 but that's pretty pruned down for me!
The only problem now is that it's addictive! I'm finding myself staring at my book shelf, mentally boxing up the books I don't need any more, or thinking of other homes they could go to.
I think of all the kitchen 'stuff' I have but never use and is sitting in a box in the basement.
The fabric and sewing notions I've had since college because I'm "sure I'll use it someday."

I have never been more excited to rip into my stuff and de-junk and de-clutter. To have nice, organized clean spaces, instead of piles of stuff I'm keeping for no apparent reason.

I think part of it is also attributed to the new Ikea catalogue.
I love flipping through it and seeing how organized their tiny spaces are and wishing: "if only I could re-create that, so I'd have more space for my things."
But something flipped in my head today, and instead of wishing I could go and buy more furniture to hold more stuff, a lightbulb went off and I realized that I could just simply get rid of my stuff, and then not need the Ikea furniture!
I would save money and space! It was an epiphany, I tell you.

So here's to organization, more simplicity and a less cluttered life!

Peace,
- Jenny