What We're Working With {2nd Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge}

I am taking part in the Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry.  For 7 days I will be using only flat cloth diapers and handwashing them in an effort to prove that cloth diapering can be affordable and accessible to all.  You can learn more about the rules and why this challenge was started by visiting the announcement post.  This year there are over 450 participants from all over the world! 

{Be sure to read posts 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6 to see how the rest of the challenge went!}

In case you're doubtful of just how easy and inexpensive it is, here is a breakdown of everything I'm using for this challenge: 

one cute baby

one dozen Walmart Flour Sack Towels, 10 cotton/flannel receiving blankets, and a stack of made-by-me microfleece liners

4 Thirsties Duo Wraps and 2 Flip Covers (missing covers are dirty or in use)

a camp washer (ie bucket with lid & plunger with holes for improved agitation

I also have two sets of Dritz diaper pins and two sets of Snappis that I already owned. I already had all the covers (3 of which were actually won through a blog giveaway) and the receiving blankets (which had been contributing to the clutter in N's closet to this point). The flour sack towels cost $1.97 for a pack of 2. I might not have bought so many if I'd realized ahead of time how many receiving blankets we had and how much I like using them as flats. Depending on how quickly these flats dry, I might be glad I have so many. The weather this week is cold, cloudy, and rainy, so I won't be able to dry them in the sun like I would like to do. I'll be using my regular diaper laundry detergent, which is EcoSprout. To make things easier on myself, the wash bucket is working as my diaper pail this week as well. Depending on how the flats turn out after they've dried, I might start keeping it in the bathroom with some water so the flats can soak before I wash them. For now, it seems fine just keeping this bucket in the nursery. 

If you had to choose between washing diapers by hand or overusing/reusing disposable diapers, what do you think your choice would be?