In my 7 years of blogging, I’ve encouraged people to give cloth diapers a try even if their budget is tight, or there’s no washer or dryer. This year, I figured it was high time I put my money where my mouth is.

So I’m taking Dirty Diaper Laundry’s Flats and Handwashing Challenge this week. Six years strong, this is a week-long event that aims to prove that pretty much anyone can cloth diaper. After all, our grandmothers and great-grandmothers had no choice in most situations, and they rolled right along with their boiling pots, washboards and trusty lye soap.

To take Kim’s challenge, families commit to using flat diapers (cheap and easy to launder) for one week, to launder the diapers by hand and air dry them. Simple, “old fashioned” diapering like this is a great testament to the fact that most any hurdle can be overcome.

In other words, I don’t want to advise a family to try something that I haven’t done myself. Period.

So here goes!

Stay with me this week as I share our experience with flat diapers and handwashing with a bucket and plunger. It’s bound to be interesting! Tomorrow we’ll take a peak at the diapers and supplies I’m using. There will also be a giveaway mixed in one day this week, so look out for that, too.

Are any of you taking the challenge? Have you joined in the past? Share your thoughts and experiences with me in a comment below!