The Evolution of Our Stash

These photos tell a story. Not just about diapers, but about learning, adapting, and figuring out what actually works versus what looks good in product photos.

Year 1: The Honeymoon Phase

That first photo makes me laugh now. Look at those diapers. They’re immaculate. The colors are bright. The elastics are tight. There’s not a single stain or wear mark.

We had 18 diapers. I thought that was excessive. (Narrator: It was not excessive.)

We had:

• 6 pocket diapers in different brands (because we didn’t know what would work)
• 6 all-in-ones (same reason)
• 6 fitteds with covers (trying to cover all our bases)

Total cost: About $400. I tracked it in a spreadsheet. Yes, really.

Year 2: Reality Sets In

The second photo is from our first big international trip. Look at all those wet bags. THREE LARGE WET BAGS. We thought we needed redundant systems for our redundant systems.

Spoiler: We did not need three large wet bags.

But see those diapers? They’re starting to look lived-in. The bright whites are more… off-white. The colors have that worn-in quality. Some elastics are starting to loosen.

We learned so much that year:

• Which brands held up to constant washing
• Which prints hid stains (spoiler: busy patterns are your friend)
• Why pocket diapers are superior for travel (we’ll die on this hill)

Year 3: We Got Carried Away

Oh, Year 3. Peak collection. 47 diapers. FORTY-SEVEN.

We justified it as:

• “Building our backup stash”
• “Investment pieces”
• “Different diapers for different situations”

Reality: We got bored in lockdown and stress-shopped for cute diaper prints.

Some of these diapers we used exactly once. Some still had tags on them a year later. It was excessive and we knew it but also… those prints were really cute.

Year 4: The Great Minimization

Marie Kondo came for our diaper stash. Well, not literally. But we did the thing.

“Does this diaper spark joy?”

More importantly: “Does this diaper actually get used?”

We donated or sold 20+ diapers. What’s left in that photo? The MVPs. The ones that work every time, wash up well, fit both kids, and don’t cause fights over who gets “the good diapers.”

Down to 27 diapers total. This was our sweet spot.

Year 5: Kid #2 Changes Everything

New baby, same diapers. That’s the magic of cloth - they work for multiple kids.

But notice in this photo - we’re back to basics. No fancy prints. No boutique brands. Just the workhorses that we know will perform.

Why? Because with two in diapers, we don’t have time for diapers that require special treatment, fit weird, or need constant adjusting.

Boring? Maybe. Effective? Absolutely.

Years 6-7: Battle-Scarred and Proud

That last photo is our current travel stash. Count the stains. Count the worn elastics. See that diaper on the left with the slightly faded snap? That’s been around the world. Literally.

These diapers have:

• Survived 40+ international flights
• Been washed in 12 different countries
• Handled everything from food poisoning to airplane turbulence
• Outlasted most of our other baby gear

Are they pretty? No. Do they work? Yes. Would I replace them? Not until they fall apart.

What These Photos Don’t Show

The Failed Experiments

The diapers that leaked. The ones that pilled after three washes. The “one size” diapers that fit no size well. The cute boutique brand that fell apart in six months.

They’re not in these photos because we got rid of them. But they represented probably $200+ in lessons learned.

The Hand-Me-Down Pile

Several of our best-performing diapers came from other families. Used, stained, with stretched elastics. We replaced elastics, stripped and bleached them, and they’ve been going strong for years.

Those don’t photograph well, but they’re the real MVPs.

The Midnight Laundry Photos

There are no pretty photos of washing diapers at midnight in a hostel sink. Or the time we had to air-dry everything on a hotel balcony in Singapore. Or the makeshift drying setup in our campervan.

That’s the reality these gallery photos gloss over.

The Honest Bottom Line

Looking at these photos chronologically, you can see us learning in real-time:

• Start with variety → Find what works → Stick with it
• Buy cute things → Realize cute doesn’t matter → Prioritize function
• Overpack everything → Learn what’s actually necessary → Travel lighter
• Baby pristine gear → Accept wear and stains → Focus on performance

For New Cloth Diapering Families

If you’re just starting out and your stash looks like our Year 1 photo - enjoy it. Take photos. Because in a year, those diapers will tell a story.

The stains are proof you’re using them. The worn elastics mean they’re working. The faded colors show they’ve been washed a thousand times and are still going.

Don’t try to jump straight to our Year 7 setup. You need to go through the learning process. The mistakes. The excessive purchases. The discovery of what works for your family.

Where We’re Headed

We’re probably in the final stretch. Our youngest is showing signs of potty training interest. Soon, these diapers will be done with our family.

Some will be donated. Some might be sold. A few favorites will probably end up in a memory box, because apparently I’m that person now.

But for now? They’re still working. Still traveling. Still proving that seven years ago, despite having no idea what we were doing, we made a choice that worked.

Even if it took us a few years to figure out exactly how to make it work.

All photos taken with whatever camera was handy, in whatever lighting was available, in whatever country we happened to be in. The mess in the background is authentic and unedited. You’re welcome.