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1) GroVia Cloth Wipes: I truly think that if you’re going to go the cloth diaper route, it’s so much easier to use cloth wipes as well. You can just toss them all together into the laundry — no need to worry about putting wipes in the trash. I know many people make their own wipes from old t-shirts and such, but back when Little Deer was a newborn, I had zero energy to try and figure all of that out. These had good reviews on Amazon so I went with them. I got two packs of 12 for a total of 24, and that’s been more than enough. They’re hardy yet soft, and definitely get the job done. It’s very rare that I ever need to use more than one wipe per diaper change.

2) Country Save Laundry Detergent: After analyzing all the different popular laundry detergents for cloth diapers, I decided to go with this one. We had pretty soft water where we lived in Seattle, and I read that this worked best for that. I have no idea what our water is like here, but so far it’s been working great. It was relatively inexpensive too (bought it at a local natural grocery store). It doesn’t really have a scent to it either. I usually like laundry smelling yummy, but I know that usually means there are chemicals in it, so I appreciate that this doesn’t.

3) Kissaluvs Diaper Potion: This was an area that I researched a lot. There are so many options out there, and I think it just comes down to personal preference. I knew I didn’t want to have wet wipes, but rather a spray bottle (I didn’t want to deal with a diaper warmer). There’s a spray bottle all ready to go that you can buy by Kissaluvs, or you can buy this “potion” that’s concentrated and make your own. I just added equal parts water and witch hazel (which I had leftover from my postpartum days) plus a tablespoon of this concentrate. Easy peasy! It smells great and works well.

4) Biokleen Bac-out Spray: Since I got a cheaper brand of cloth diapers, I wasn’t worried about doing anything that may void a warranty. I had read great things about Bac-out spray, and decided to get a bottle. Before plopping a soiled diaper in our pail, I give it a quick mist of Bac-out. So far we’ve had zero odor issues and no staining. That’s success in my book!

5) Planet Wise Wet/Dry Bag: These bags are seriously awesome! When I wasn’t using it for diapers, it worked great for holding our wet swimsuits when Little Deer was taking swim lessons. The big pouch is lined and can hold all your wet things, and the outside zipper bag can hold the dry ones. I’ve put some pretty wet things in there and have never had a problem with leaks. We have the medium size which can definitely hold several cloth diapers. I may get a smaller one in the future (because rarely are we out long enough that we need to change her diaper more than once), but for now this one works well. And I think it will come in handy when we’re traveling over the holidays for sure.

6) Bucket: No bells and whistles here. I debated about how to store her cloth diapers for a long time. In the end I decided that whatever we chose, I wanted it to be out in the garage. It only takes a few extra seconds to walk out there, and that way I wouldn’t have to worry about her room smelling yucky. Rather than getting a nice trashcan or large wet bag, I opted to use a plain white bucket that we already had siting out in the garage. Done and done!

7) Cloth Diapers: Well, I guess to cloth diaper you need some cloth diapers! We have 24 Sunbaby one-size pocket diapers. So far these have been working out great! I love how soft they are, the fun prints, the fit, and the price. I don’t think we need all 24, but you can buy them in packs of 6 or 12, and it wasn’t that much more expensive to get 24 versus 18 so we went for it. I’ll talk more about how we chose these diapers (and other ones we tried) in my next post.

8) Laundry Hanger: I seriously love this drying rack! It’s light, folds in half, and is easy to store. The big clip up top makes it easy to hang from anywhere. Not to mention it can hold a ton of diapers for how small it is. It has 24 clips and easily holds two days worth of diapers. I also love how it’s portable. I often hang it out in the garage, but when it’s cold and damp I like bringing it in and hanging it in the shower (or on a chair hanging over the heater if I want them to dry faster).

9) Spray Bottle: You can really use any generic spray bottle. I use a 4 oz one like this. I have two — one in our diaper bag and one on the changing table. I just giveher a couple of spritzes then I pat dry with the GroVia wipes. I thought she might not love being sprayed, but she really doesn’t seem to mind.

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What are your must-haves for cloth diapering?