Flats--Cloth diapering they way grandma did it.

I've received a few questions about flats, covers and how they work so I thought I'd give a little run down.This one is more for parents with young babies.When I made the decision we wanted to use cloth diapers for Jude I didn't realize HOW many choices I would have. They have pre-fold, pockets diapers, inserts, flats and the list continues. At first my mind was set on whatever cost the most must be the best. That obvious right? After lots of research we decided to skip all the fancy stuff and stick with what has worked for years. Flats. For those who don't know what a flat go ask your grandma. My grandmas even used the birdeye brand which is what we use for Jude. Also all those spare receiving blankets you received and never use. THEY CAN BE USED AS FLATS! Talk about a money saver!

                 So what is a Flat and why did I choose to use them and would advise others not to rule it out?

•  Flat cloth diapers (AKA flats) are a single layer large piece of absorbent fabric. If you’re familiar with the more popular prefold diaper, a flat is the same thing without the multiple layers.
• Flats are really inexpensive so if you’re on a very tight budget they will not hurt your wallet. The average cost for a dozen Birdseye flats (one of the more popular brands of flats) is $12.50. That’s $1.04 per diaper. You’re going to be hard pressed to find diapers at that price. 
• To use flats you’ll need either diaper pins, one or two Snappis or Boingos. These fasten the flat so that it doesn’t come undone. You’ll also need covers. It’s suggested that you have about three to six covers and that one cover is used for two days. If any excrement gets on the cover it needs to be washed. I chose to use Sweet Pea Covers. If you decided to buy them you should definatly check out Sweet Pea Cloth Diaper Covers. Most her procedes go to benefit her awesome little boy at Team Iron Aiden.
• You can do pretty much anything to your flats and it’ll hold up. What I mean is that you can be careless about using bleach, vinegar, drying on high heat or even washing in hot water that’s over 180*F. This diaper is so simple that it can take the abuse we some times put our diapers through. I think it’s perfect for the mama who does not want to have to think or remember a diaper washing routine.
•  Flats are also less expensive because they are one size. By using different folding techniques you can customize your flats to fit your tiny newborn through potty training. 

      Prepping was simple. I ordered 12 bleached and 12 unbleached. I washed the bleached one one wash with hot water and using the Arm & hammer free I've been using. The unbleached washed 3x( only once with detergent). Because they were not bleached it takes a few more washes to get all the natural oils out.  I bought snappies to hld the flats but honestly the cover holds them in place just fine.  I also love that I'm able to hand wash the flats and they are super simple to keep clean. I used a storage bin, and a plunger to agitate and oddly I actually enjoy it lol. But it is definitely a work out.

Receiving blankets/flats drying after a good hand wash.

       We also bought some baby washclothes( regular $1.00 for 25 cents a pack AKA a $6.00 savings!)

Prepping in our handwashing machine lol

 and I made a home-made wipe spray which was simple and yet very effective

Basic Wipe Solution
This basic recipe can be adapted by changing the type of soap or oil.
1/2 cup baby oil
1/2 cup baby wash
2 cups water

Simply spray it on the cloth and it replaces a wipes. We will only be using this for #1 for now. I'm not confidant to use it on #2s yet lol.

Cloth Napkins

So I was reading over at Stacy Makes Cents( WHOM I LOVE BTW) and found her post about cloth napkins. It got me thinking about another possible cost to cut. So this one really depends how many paper-towels/napkins you go thru a month but we REALLY use them. I buy a pack of the viva/ and or bounty papertowels for between $9-$10 for 8 Rolls. We usually go thru this in about 2 weeks. Adding up to about $20.00 a month.  Now in her post she found a GREAT deal on cloth napkins but I decided to sew my own. We ended up buying a soft flannel sheet and I was able to cut out over 50 pieces. I'm still working on them as we speak but as of now this is what I have made.

I store mine in a container on our kitchen table

These are in no way perfect( my first ever sewing since home economics in 7th grade lol)

The sheet cost me $1.00 and will make 50 pieces. Saving me an average of $20.00 a month ($240.00 a year!) Defiantly a nice saving and plus these are so much cuter!


Read inspiration for my decision to use cloth napkins @ Stacy Makes Cents  

SIMPLE All purpose Cleaner

So I wanted to share a SIMPLE post for the All purpose cleaner I mentioned in the earlier blog.  In the past I have been using Lysol All Purpose Cleaner.

On average at walmart these run about $3.00 a bottle. Some cleaners depending on what you use can run a little more or a little more.  I found a solution that I can make at home that includes things most people have in their house, and cleans just as effecitvley and better!

          Let me give you a little information first.  Using Vinager as a household cleaner is something my grandparents knew about when i mentioned it. It was using in days past as a regular household cleaner. They really were on to something.

The basics of vinegar

• Vinegar is a natural bi-product of vegetables, fruits, and grains. It's both edible and biodegradable. Vinegar has a basically unlimited shelf life. In addition, literally any alcoholic beverage left exposed to the air will eventually become vinegar. It's cheap to make, cheap to clean with, and cheap to cook with. Vinegar can also be diluted easily with water, added to a multitude of food, and can clean even the messiest greasy mess. It's an all around versatile liquid.

Acids break down grease and bacteria

• Molds, grease, and bacteria are no match for the cleaning power of vinegar. But why is this? Since we now know that vinegar is acid based, it's easier to understand how it can clean so effectively. When an acid is applied to grease, it breaks it down quickly.
  The typical vinegar that can be purchased at the grocery is a 5 percent solution. And yet, it's very effective at cleaning just about everything in your home. Grease, germs, and bacteria in the kitchen are no match for the cleaning power of vinegar. Fingerprints on the windows are gone in second. Vinegar is a great, streak free window cleaner. It's excellent for cleaning the sink garbage disposal and for disinfecting the refrigerator. Want a great shine on a no wax floor? Use vinegar. It's excellent at removing wax build up. It can also be used as a deterrent to insects. Vinegar is such a powerful cleaner than for the most part, it should be cut 50-50 with water to dilute the solution.

Why vinegar is such a good cleaner

• Vinegar is also environmentally friendly. It's biodegradable and won't harm the environment in any way. It's even effective and safe enough to use to kill grass or weeds in place of spray weed killer. One study showed vinegar kills 99 percent of surface bacteria, 80 percent of germs, and 82 percent of molds on a counter. That's with a 5 percent solution just like you could purchase at the grocery store. Since vinegar is natural, it won't harm your plumbing at all.
  Since vinegar is an acid, it's great for breaking up water mineral deposits. Vinegar can be used to dissolve buildups like lime deposits on drains, in sinks, and on shower heads.
  Vinegar is also relatively cheap. A big bottle of plain white vinegar will cost 2 to 3 dollars less than one single bottle of household cleaner that can only clean one part of the house. Cutting the vinegar with water makes it last even longer.
  READ MORE HERE ON USES FOR VINEGAR 

     

        So I started with a small dose I took 1 cup distilled white vinager. I bought the HUGE bottle at walmart for $2.00.

Then I added 1 cup of water.

Add them into a spray bottle I bought mine at Walmart for .99 cents.

Technically this is all your need to clean with and it WILL clean good but its going to leave your house smelling like vinegar for at least 15-20 minutes while it dries. If your fine with that then your set to go. Once it dries vinegar has no smell. I decided to add some essential oils to mine to lessen the vinegar sting. Mainly so my hubby didn't tell me every 3 minutes how the house smelt like vinegar like he did the first time I used it lol. Any scent will so and I want to get some peppermint drops for my next batch but I added this kind for now.

Now start cleaning!! All together you can make 256 oz of cleaner following the 1c plan listed above. for just $2.00. If I bought 256 oz worth of Lysol All Purpose cleaner that would add up to roughly 12 bottles costing me roughly $35.00.  May not be alot to some but when living off one income every penny counts!

Simply Grace

Let me start by saying this. This blog is called Simply Grace for a reason. It is SIMPLY GODS GRACE that has allowed me to come to this place I am today. I'm learning to live a simple life and be happy with what he has given me. This blog was created for a few reasons but you will see a pattern that most everything I post is in some way is  inspired by the birth of my son Jude. Before Jude came along I had no problem with our "eco/frugal/family" status.  Once I held that precious little guy in my hands that all changed. I went into fierce mommy protection mode. Jude was born on 10.10.12 and I had to go back to work 01.02.13. I went back to work and then my husband and I quickly decided that the home was the place I should be. Now saying this PLEASE do not think I'm judging ANYONE who chooses to not stay home or cannot stay home.  We are by NO means rolling in the dough. We made this decision knowing it would be a major lifestyle change. No more eating out, weekly trips to target( that's the heart breaker right there!). But in our personal life having me home and having Jude in his family unit 24/7 was what we though was best for us. So my last day of work was 01.18.13.  This being said I am slowly learning to live a frugal lifestyle. I'm also learning in doing so we can do things alot healthier for our family.  Little things like switching to an all purpose cleaning recipe insted of buying my cleaners( I'm a CLEAN momma so I go through alot very fast) can save me TONs of money. So that's what this blog is for. When I find things to help save money, make our lives more eco/chemical fee while doing so, and anything and everything in between. I wanted to have a place to post it for myself so I can always come back, but also to share with anyone who wants to use it. So be sure to check back often for updates.

Nicole W.