Though words like “champ” and “genie” fill our lexicon when it comes to baby registries and diapering discussions, thankfully when it comes to cloth diapering, no specially-designed equipment is required. Basically, all you need is a pail or a bag large enough to hold 2-3 days worth of dirties that has a way to close. Any mass merchandiser, house wares shop, or hardware store should have a variety of suitable pails or bins for just a few $$$. So, here are a few things to keep in mind to help you choose the pail that’ll be most suitable for your family: Where will the pail be in the house? Size matters. Come to think of it, shape matters too. A round pail or an rectangular flip top pail will each fit differently in different spaces. You could also forego a pail altogether and just use an extra-large hanging wetbag on a doorknob, a hook, or the end of the change table if you don’t have floor space for a pail. Or have a mixture of both – keep a hanging wetbag in the washroom for the times you need to flush the poop and a diaper pail next to the change table for all the non-poopy changes. Change it up according to what works for you. Is there more than one child in diapers? How big the container is matters too – especially if you’ve got more than one in diapers. Keep in mind that it just needs to hold as many diapers as you go through between laundry washes – 24 if you have only one child and wash every two days, 48 if you have two, etc. Choose your lid wisely. The lid is an integral part of this system (or the zipper or drawstring on your hanging bag). A good closure not only keeps odours at bay while still allowing you easy access to the pail during a diaper change, it will keep you and your family safe and happy. For example, if there are older children or pets who could get into the pail, a flip-lid can may not be the best option for you, while a plastic garbage can with locking handles to keep the lid on tight may be just the ticket. Also, if a large plastic tote with a very secure locking lid is frustrating to get into after every diaper change and thus doesn’t get used, a different type of pail may make your experience with cloth diapering much more pleasant. It all depends on your own family’s needs and preferences… As with all things in cloth diapering, we hope this will help you figure out what works for YOU!

Some may say that cloth diapering twins or multiples must be too much work. But never fear! It’s easier than you think – it’s just a bigger load of laundry. All the same “rules” apply to cloth diapering twins that apply to singletons: -count on about 24-30 diapers per child (+ 6 covers if needed), -use a pail with a liner so you can just dump them in the washing machine without any other work involved, -and wash every 2-3 days. The only difference is that it might be a good idea to have a few extra diapers on hand to give yourself more wiggle room between washes – say closer to the 30 mark per baby. You might also want to make sure you have an extra-large diaper pail to accommodate the extra diapers (or two pails in two different locations…. feel free to be creative.)  From talking to parents of multiples, we've learned that often twins (or more) are more on a routine schedule and may eat more regularly (ie every three hours) which helps to predict diaper changes more easily. We also recommend choosing diapers that are easy-to-use and easy to have ready for diaper changes, just to keep life extra easy and to be extra nice to those who are giving you a hand with the extra baby care! If you want a diaper that goes on in one step and doesn’t need a separate cover, check out Fuzzi Bunz diapers. The Fuzzi Bunz XS pocket diaper or the TiniFit All-in-Ones are extra appropriate choice because they both fit smaller babies - as multiples tend to be - all the way down to four-five pounds. (And talk about a cute diaper on a tiny little bum – oh my goodness.)  The big difference with these two:  Fuzzi Bunz are a tad smaller and have snaps.  Tini Fits have a velcro closure and pack a lot of absorbency with a relatively trim fit. If, on the other hand, you’d like the most budget-conscious choice or you want to have as many natural fibres up against your babies’ skin, consider preemie-size organic prefolds and newborn-size Super Brite covers. These will make your life easy if you have a few preloaded ready for diaper changes. Merely fold the prefold in thirds and lay it in the cover. The diaper is then ready to use.  Having 6 covers per baby will allow you to "pre-load" several covers so they are ready to go when needed. Oh, and don't forget, if you want to use prefolds, the best way to stock up on them is with the Bummis Organic Cotton Diaper Kit. It has everything you need and offers great savings.  Note:  The Bummis Kit comes with prefolds that we find work best on babies at 8lbs+). Both pocket diapers and the prefold/cover combo are great for adapting to large wash loads, as well. These types of diapers wash thoroughly and dry quickly, hopefully only requiring you to do two or three loads of laundry a week – the same as if you were cloth diapering only one child! Cloth diapering twins is completely doable. We hope the rest of your adventure with your multiples is just as marvelous!

So, perhaps you’re new to cloth diapering or even just starting to consider it, or perhaps you’ve been using cloth for years but want some new ideas for your washing routine. Either way, washing isn’t what it used to be – it’s fast, it’s easy, and in most situations you never even have to touch the dirties. (Unlike the grandmother in our picture, who undoubtedly spent hours with her hands in the wash bin to get her diapers clean and white…) There are just three steps to getting clean, ready-to-use diapers: First, get yourself a big pail with a lid – you don’t need any specially-designed “diaper pail,” just anything with a lid will do. In many of the New & Green mamas’ homes, all you’ll find is a standard garbage bin with handles that flip up to keep the lid in place. You see, nothing special. Inside that pail, place a waterproof pail liner – this is what makes the process especially easy. Now your diaper pail is set up and waiting. The second step is the diaper change itself. If there’s only pee on a diaper, there’s no need to do anything special – just toss that diaper in your pail. If there are any solids, simply knock them off into the toilet and then toss the soiled diaper into the pail.  Note:  Poop from a breastmilk fed baby is not considered "solids" and does not need any special treatment. Just throw it in the pail with the peed on diapers! After two or three days, it’s laundry day! Take the liner with all the dirty diapers in it to the washing machine. Dump everything into the machine, followed by the bag, then do a rinse on cold, a wash on hot (with detergent), then toss everything in the dryer or hang them up to dry – and you’re done! There need not be anything more to a regular washing routine than that. And you didn’t have to touch the dirty diapers since the time they were taken off the bum of your wee one! Beyond routine, the only other considerations when it comes to diaper laundry are detergents and the added cost on your utility bill due to the increased energy usage. Regarding detergents, there are a few detergents recommended by diaper manufacturers, which you can read more about on our “Diaper Care” page. And while there are a few no-no’s when it comes to which detergents to use, don’t let the decision stress you out. You won’t ruin your diapers by using the “wrong” detergent – the worst that can happen is that residue from some detergents will stay behind on your diapers and cause them to leak. In that case, throw some vinegar in a Downy ball, add it to your next few loads to strip off the residue (the diapers won’t smell like vinegar – we promise), then switch detergents and your diapers should be good as new. As for the added energy costs, we find that the average for Vancouver and the Lower Mainland is an additional $15 on your utility bill each month if you use both the washer and the dryer for each load, assuming you wash every two days. If you don’t use the dryer, the you'll drop your cost per month closer to $5-6. Do you have a routine that works for you?

AMP Duos are a relatively new diaper to the market and very innovative.  These are one of the only pocket diapers that we have found that can work on a newborn baby and will fit them well right up until 18lbs.  There is a trick we have found that will make the fit perfect on a tiny newborn (watch for an upcoming post to see this in action).

We love this diaper with BabyKicks Hemp as the insert as it provides a lovely, trim fit and the option of laying the insert inside the shell or stuffing it inside.  The video discusses why you may choose one method or the other.

Enjoy and do let us know if you have been using this system.  We love to get reviews from our families about how their diapers are working for them.

And just a little aside - JoeyBunz Hemp Inserts are truly fabulous and families are beginning to take notice of this.  They are absolutely flying off the shelves!

Ewwwww, no one wants a stinky room! Dirty diaper storage should most def not make your house stink like an outhouse. There are two things that you can do to virtually eliminate any lingering smell in your pail. It keeps the smell down, really cleans the diaper pail, it's quick and non-toxic. The two part system involves using a diaper pail liner (which many of you already use) AND giving your pail a quick wipe every time you take the diapers out to launder them. What do you need?

• 1 diaper pail (any garbage can of sorts with a lid will do)
• 2 diaper pail liners
• Spray bottle filled with a 50% vinegar, 50% water solution - add some drops of essential oil if you don't like the smell of vinegar
• Cloth wipes

The How To:

1. Remove diaper pail liner bag #1 from diaper pail full of dirty diapers
2. Spray down the inside of the diaper pail and lid with the vinegar and water solution
3. Wipe down the inside of the diaper pail and lid with cloth wipe
4. Toss cloth wipe in to the dirty diaper bag
5. Line Diaper pail with fresh diaper pail liner

That's it. You're set for your next change and ready to throw the diapers in the wash. It was quick, easy and you have a fresh smelling, disinfected pail. Happy (fast and easy) Cleaning!