When Phee was a baby, we received and used a large quantity of burp cloths. We used cloth diapers and had a mountain of cloth wipes. Honestly, we never seemed to have enough!
But, once she grew out of the spit up stage and I started to sort through clothes and baby gear, I didn't know what to do with all those burp cloths and wipes. It felt odd to pass them on sometimes, especially since those seemed to be the items that were dirtiest and washed most often. At the time I didn't have anyone to pass them on to. Really, unless you have friends to pass them on to or plans to store them for another baby, it can seem hard to justify holding on to them.
On the flip side of that, Phee took to the burp cloths. She wasn't ready to give those up, any more than she was ready to give up receiving blankets. Both make such lovely blankets and forts for dolls and stuffed animals.
To this day, we still have every burp cloth and wipe that we received. Well, not the really gross ones. Those hit the trash can long ago. But the ones that are in good shape still have life in them, and over the last four years we've found many ways to reuse and repurpose them!
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| So much easier to handle than a bulky towel! |
- handkerchiefs/snot rags for sick kiddos (much softer than tissues)
- blankets for baby dolls and stuffed animals
- stash one or two in the car for sudden spills and messes
- really old, stained ones can become dust rags (soft so they don't scratch furniture)
- towel for drying hair, especially for little girls (much easier to hold than bulky towels and super absorbent)
Cloth wipes
- handkerchiefs/snot rags for sick kiddos (much softer than tissues)
- dish towels for play kitchens
- stash a couple in your purse/diaper bag for quick cleanups (keep a water bottle handy for wet wipes)
- blankets for small toys or for a dollhouse
- tiny dust rags for children who are helping clean
- towelettes for washing tiny hands and faces after meals (we keep some in a jar on the counter)
- wipe for your eyeglasses (soft and smooth so no scratching)
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| Washing her dishes. |
I'm sure there are many more uses you've come up with. What's your favorite way to repurpose burp cloths and wipes around your house?
The original version of this post first appeared on a blog that I used to write with a friend, Bottles & Briefcases.
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