When it comes to my cloth diaper organization, I want my system to be as easy to maintain as possible. I also want a system that makes my laundry easier, meaning I don’t spend time stuffing all of my diapers or pre-folding flats or anything ahead of time. I find with a family of 5, I just don’t have time for that.
And, well…folding laundry is one of my least favorite chores.
But just because we are a family of 5 doesn’t mean we have succumbed to disorganization. I have an organized storage system that is:
- Easy to maintain
- Easy to access
- Quick to put diapers away
- Not taking over my whole house
These are items important to me. I have seen other people’s systems that are attractive wall systems that proudly display all the diapers they own. Nothing wrong with that–be proud to show off your cloth! However, I am beyond the point of that really working for us anymore. I easily have 2 loads of laundry I need to do every day…overflowing loads of laundry… outside of my diaper laundry, and I just don’t have the time or desire to pre-stuff diapers.
Plus, not all of my diapers work in that sort of system, which you will see in the video below.
Video: My Diaper Organization System
Where Do My Diapers Go?
Inside the console cabinet, I have 4 baskets: one each for prefolds, fitteds, all-in-ones, and pockets & inserts.
I typically work my way through one basket at a time. I start with my fitteds, then I move to prefolds, then pockets, and then all-in-ones last. My husband tends to reach for the all-in-ones any time he does a change, which is why I don’t touch that basket until my other ones are empty. I just save them for him pretty much.
I find rotating through my baskets in this manner helps keep us from having a hodgepodge of unusable diaper parts (IE… fitteds with no covers left because I used them all with the prefolds. But if I run out of covers when there are still prefolds left, I can use the remaining prefolds as inserts for the pockets).
I may be overthinking all of this… but I hate having to do a load of laundry so soon because all of my covers are gone but many of my prefolds are still clean. This just helps me make sure I do full loads of laundry, spacing out my loads as much as possible.
Creams & Liners
On top of the console, I keep my diaper baskets in, I have some baskets for needed items like creams & liners.
One basket holds my fleece liners, which I use to help contain poop for spraying purposes. I also use them when I’m applying thick diaper cream to keep them off of the diaper itself.
Barrier creams are important to have on hand–you may not use them all the time, but when a situation pops up, it’s nice to have what you need to protect the skin. My daughter has a dairy allergy, and while we were getting this sorted out she was having a lot of diarrhea. This was wreaking havoc on the skin in her diaper area. A barrier cream is super helpful to make the poop easier to wipe, as well as soothe any lingering irritation.
Cloth Wipes
I love to use cloth wipes. They clean so much better than disposable wipes, and they are much gentler on the skin. Most baby wipes have chemicals that are also not too great for babies and can cause rashes in and of themselves.
I also have a wipe warmer, but I don’t use it in a typical way. Many people fill their warmer with wipes and either pour water or a solution of sorts over them. But as for me… I am too lazy for that.
All I do with my cloth wipes is toss them into a basket on top of the console table. In my wipes warmer, I just fill it with water at the sink. When it’s time to wipe the baby, I just open the top of the warmer, dip a wipe & squeeze it out, and that’s it.
Sometimes I make a homemade solution for my cloth wipes, and other times I dissolve a little cube of solution into my water.
Sometimes I also just use water with a teaspoon or two of baking soda dissolved in it. Baking soda is great to help lower acidity on the skin, which is important when your baby is dealing with frequent poops.
Keep Your System Simple
At the end of the day, you must keep your system simple. Moms are busy with never-ending to-do lists–you don’t need to make things harder on yourself.
As far as what you use for organization, it doesn’t matter. It’s up to you.
I’ve had times that all I do is empty the diapers from the dryer into a laundry basket and nothing more. Every time I needed a diaper, I just grabbed one from the basket.
That would drive some of you nuts. I get that. Hah… but lucky for all of us, we only need to worry about doing what is right for our own personality and family.
What do you do for your cloth diaper organization system? Share it in the comments!
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