Flats & Handwashing Challenge {Day 1}

I'm taking the Flats & Handwashing Challenge this week.  

Why am I taking the challenge?

1.  I plan on using prefolds and covers on the newborn baby arriving in July so this will be a good chance to practice my folding skills.  I used some Gerber prefolds and rubber pants on Miss Raegan when she was a newborn and I wasn't impressed.  We used them to fill in while I built our stash of pockets.  Pockets seemed much easier and microfiber inserts were more absorbent than the prefolds I had.  I loved the jellyroll fold and couldn't really get any other folds to work for me.  I'm excited to try out some new ones.

2.  I've never used flats.  I hear flats are great.  I don't know why flats are so great, so I'm looking forward to finding out for myself.  I made the switch from microfiber inserts to cotton & bamboo prefolds with hemp inserts and I like the results so far.  Currently, my routine is to hang my covers (pockets) on the clothesline and dry my inserts and prefolds in the dryer, because otherwise they take forever to dry!   I hear flats wash really well and dry much more quickly than prefolds and inserts.  Bamboo prefolds are my favorite, but maybe that will change after this week!  

3.  I want to learn to handwash.  I want to spend more time camping.  With Landon in Cub Scouts and my husband an Eagle Scout, our family jumps at the chance to go outside.  In the past I've used disposables while camping to avoid extra laundry.  But, since Raegan's battle with diaper rash last fall, I've avoided disposables as much as I can... including traveling less to avoid laundry issues.  With two in diapers this summer, it would be nice to have the handwashing experience if we decide we want to get away for a weekend.  Maybe I will fall in love with handwashing and decide to handwash all the time to save on electricity!  Maybe not.  But I hope it will be a good learning experience.

4.  I love a good challenge.  Especially one with blog prompts.  I like writing.  I like trying new things.  I'm bored, because I'm stuck here on the couch most of the time waiting for my leg to heal.  This challenge is giving me something else to think about -- instead of sitting here thinking about all the cleaning jobs that I can't do with crutches.  I never thought I would want, so desperately, to vacuum the floor, or wash the windows, or finish painting the trim!  That is, until I sat here in the living room for six weeks staring at all of the things that need done.

Stay tuned for other posts about the challenge:

Day 1:  Why Are You Taking the Challenge?

Day 2:  Show Us Your “Stash” and tell us what did it cost?

Day 3:  Open Topic

Day 4:  What is your Washing Routine? 

Day 5:  Flats Experience- Folds you love, Are they working, etc.

Day 6:  Open Topic

Day 7:  Overall Experience, What did you learn, Would you do it?