T Rex Family

T Rex Family

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Flats - Day Two...

Today was chore day.
 
First item on the agenda - diaper laundry. I dumped my 14 flat diapers, 1 cover, 2 BumGenius pocket covers (for nighttime only but stuffed with flats), and a few cloth wipes into the laundry room sink along with my favorite green tea scent of Rockin Green laundry detergent.


As the diapers became soiled the past couple days, I rinsed them in the sink so that come wash time I did not have to do the usual cold water prewash. I let them soak for a few hours and as I switched the non-diaper laundry loads, I would agitate the soaking diapers.


The kids were very interested. Anything out of the ordinary becomes the greatest interest of the moment. In fact, my "good neighbors" whom we adore left some storage containers at our door step. They know I like to try and reuse things as much as possible before it goes into the recycle or trash bins.

Thanks to them and those containers, the kids were enthralled for the next 2 hours while I dusted, vacuumed, mopped, agitated diapers, and organized. Occassionally, I would have to break up an argument as to which container was whose - they were all almost exactly the same but of course, one was "the best one". Normally, Bebe Sister is my little helper but today she wanted to play with Big Brother. (By the way, Good Neighbors D&M - they took all the containers into the last giant containers you gave us.)

During nap time, I rinsed the diapers and rang them out. I was very nervous about getting them completely rinsed. I think I rinsed them 3-4 times just to be certain. And ringing them out was the toughest part. I will never get grumpy at that noisy spin cycle ever again.


Then onto the line they went. It's my make shift line that I've been using for a while. And the lawn furniture has always been very accommodating to drying diapers as well. By day end, everything was dry and folded.


Bebe Sister likes to look out at the diapers when they are drying.
This first handwashing cycle of diapers was not too bad. I am used to drying them outside but the washing part was different. I really appreciate my machine very, very much. I don't think it is one modern convenience that I would want to give up. It was not terribly labor intensive nor time consuming, just kind of, well, a soggy chore.

Which modern convenience could you not live without?

4 comments:

Emily said...

Seriously amazing and inspiring! I'll get there yet! ;)

I could not live here a minute in the summer without central air conditioning. Although, my grandmother did. She also used cloth diapers. And had 10 children. And had the patience of Job. Too bad I didn't inherit ALL of her qualities! ;)

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Jess and the boys said...

I'm a new follower, keeping up with the Flats Challenge! Please follow back if you have a chance! :)

-Jessica
And Then There Were 4...
http://giveawaysandlife.blogspot.com/

Julie Kieras said...

I definitely could NOT live (or would Not WANT TO) without my washer / dryer and this challenge definitely makes it real! Washing a half dozen cloth dipes a night is nothing, but I sit there imagining if I had to wash ALL the clothing we go through and I just thank GOD for modern convenience.
that's about it though - phones, tv, radio, CD players. I could live without. Oh, yeah, um computers - gotta have it! LOL :) But I prob. could live without it too!

Kim said...

I love your passion about the things you care about. Your kids will be better for it! I agree, the washer is one thing I could not live without. I think the dishwasher I could - I always feel more accomplished when I hand wash the dishes (they are cleaner).

I cannot comment on some blogs lately. Bebe sister's blog is one. It keeps bringing me back to the sign in page endlessly. I've been having this problem with any blog that requires blogger approval or doesn't have the option name/url as a sign in option. Frustrating!