Need to DeStash?
Want to ReStash?
Have to build a Stash?
I hear ya.
Which is why fresh & fluffy is hosting a STASH EVENT September 28-October 1st.
For 4 days, I'll host diaper consignments...
We're also working with We Heart Nolan, accepting cash donations.
Here what you need to know if you want to build your Stash though the event:
* Sellers set their own pricing. fresh & fluffy will not discount.
* Everything is purchased at your own risk. Items have undergone inspection, however, nothing is guaranteed.
Here what you need to know if you want to DeStash:
* SPACE IS LIMITED.
First register, first serve. I ask that you need me know approximately how much destashing you're doing.
* I'm asking for items to be dropped off BEFORE 9/26. Contact the shop regarding setting up a day and time to drop off your items.
* At this time, I'm only taking diaper and diaper related items.
Wet bags, pails, pail liners, inserts, prefolds, flats, covers, pockets (with or without inserts)...
NO: detergents, wipe solutions, stain removers... anything which could be deemed as "opened and used"
NO: Clothes, hats, swim
NO: Other misc. nursery/baby items (blankets, mobiles, furniture, strollers, etc.)
NO: Diaper bags
Depending on space/registration, I may be able to bend a little.
* fresh & fluffy staff will use discretion in determining items condition and inclusion in the sale.
Aplix should be sticky, snaps should snap, no excessive staining...
* Times will be established for drop-off/inspection of items to sell and to pick-up items which did not sell. If you choose not to pick up your non-sold-items, I am working with an organization, St. Johns Outreach/Sister Helen's Pantry, to accept cloth diapers.
* fresh & fluffy will provide an electronic copy of items which were accepted for the sale prior to the sale's start.
* DeStasher sets the item's selling price.
* You can label and tag your own items OR I can do it for you for a charge.
* Payout:
In-Store Credit: 100% of sales, to be credited to your customer rewards.
Cash/Paypal: 80% of sales, minus 8.75% tax
You can also chose to donate part of your sales to We Heart Nolan.
T&Cs to be updated as I think of things... I'll let you know if things change.
Questions?
Drop me a line stephanie@freshandfluffyshop, find me on Facebook , or call the shop 716-649-5720
FYI: You don't need to decide if you want credit/cash right away.
Just let me know before the event.
If you're DeStashing, an approximate number of items it fine (50 items OR 10 covers, 10 inserts, 10 pockets) either way... just so I know how much room to make.
ALSO, we're running a cloth diaper drive.
St. Johns Outreach Sister Helen's Pantry in Lockport is looking for cloth diapers; they're a member of the National Diaper Bank Network.
If you have stash items which still function, but maybe aren't sell-worthy, please drop them off at the shop.
Friday, September 7, 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012
Who Likes Free Stuff?!
I do!
You do!
We all screech for free stuff!
If someone in your house isn't going back to school soon, chances are that someone around you has someone who is and then you'll get sick through some kind of 6-degrees-of-Kevin-Bacon-chain-reaction.
mmmm.... bacon...
Sorry, distracted. Anyway...
So, with a whole new crop of germs floating around, how about you arm yourself with some BabyGanics Germinator Products?
Don Pardo, tell the readers what's included in fresh & fluffy's "Back to Germs Giveaway"!
* A pack of 75-individually wrapped Germainator Wipes
* A pocket-sized foaming Hand Sanitizer
* And not one, but TWO 20-sheet soft packs of alcohol-free sanitizing wipes!
This prize is worth over $25!
Want this Prize Pack?! a Rafflecopter giveaway
There'll be TWO WINNERS!!! So that like, increases your chances or something...
We all screech for free stuff!
If someone in your house isn't going back to school soon, chances are that someone around you has someone who is and then you'll get sick through some kind of 6-degrees-of-Kevin-Bacon-chain-reaction.
mmmm.... bacon...
Sorry, distracted. Anyway...
So, with a whole new crop of germs floating around, how about you arm yourself with some BabyGanics Germinator Products?
Don Pardo, tell the readers what's included in fresh & fluffy's "Back to Germs Giveaway"!
* A pack of 75-individually wrapped Germainator Wipes
* A pocket-sized foaming Hand Sanitizer
* And not one, but TWO 20-sheet soft packs of alcohol-free sanitizing wipes!
This prize is worth over $25!
Want this Prize Pack?! a Rafflecopter giveaway
There'll be TWO WINNERS!!! So that like, increases your chances or something...
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
What Cloth Diapering has Taught Me (so far...)
Where do I begin with the domino-effect cloth diapering has had on my life?
I guess at the beginning...
When I started considering cloth while lil' was incubating, it opened my eyes to how much toxic stuff there is around. But we'll stick to diapers... Look at your box of disposables or even your box of pads/liners... where are the contents? You know, "Made from, stuff?"
There are none.
Right.
Once we got into USING cloth, I started thinking about the amount of detergent we were using.
Cloth diapers require very little detergent to get clean.
If I don't need that much detergent for drawers, how much do I need for my clothes?
Right?
We use a scant amount of detergent for everything now.
Sure, I COULD go even greener and make my own detergent, but some of the ingredients aren't recommended for cloth diapers. Plus, I'm too lazy for that don't have time.
You shouldn't use fabric softener on cloth diapers.
Hm... what is in fabric softener? Stuff... maybe I don't need softener either
Now we use wool dryer balls in the dryer instead of softener (or sheets). The drying time has been cut way down; my AIOs used to take a cycle-and-a-half to dry, now it's one. And everything (clothes too) are SO SOFT.
That ball of gas in the sky, the sun (?), yeah, maybe I could use that too... Hanging clothes out is a free way to dry your clothes. We toss the clothes/cloth into the dryer for like, 5 minutes, on fluff with the dryer balls and everything is crunch-free.
Besides that, lil' and I have been taking out bike to the grocery (it's less than 3 miles away, why drive? Unless it's raining or snowing?)
We try to buy fruits and veggies in season.
What changes have you noticed?
Friday, June 1, 2012
Exciting Times at fresh & fluffy!!!
Let's recap the all the exciting things that have been going on over at fresh & fluffy:
* We now offer Gift Certificates! You can purchase them for preset amounts at the f&fwebstore or you can choose your own amounts if you come in. If you order on-line, I require insurance; it's built in to the cost of shipping.
* We are starting to assemble grab-n-go gift bags. Items are price tag removed and bags are stuffed with colored tissue paper to give it that "I totally got this ahead of time!" look.
Have a friend who just found out she's expecting? Grab the "It's Positive!!!" bag with Morning Magic Pills (to curb morning sickness), Natural Stretch Oil and a tea samplers.
Making it over to meet the new baby? How about the "New Baby" bag? It has a small organic velour animal rattle, natural rubber paci and a bottle starter set (which converts for use from newborn to toddler).
More bags are to come! We're striving to meet all needs and price points.
If you order ahead, you may be able to customize what goes in the bag; if you want a little lion instead of a ducky and we have it, we can swap it.
* We were mentioned in the May 31, 2012 Edition of The Hamburg Sun
*We were on Winging It! Buffalo Style! May 23, talking about staying safe and green in the summer.
* We now offer Gift Certificates! You can purchase them for preset amounts at the f&fwebstore or you can choose your own amounts if you come in. If you order on-line, I require insurance; it's built in to the cost of shipping.
* We are starting to assemble grab-n-go gift bags. Items are price tag removed and bags are stuffed with colored tissue paper to give it that "I totally got this ahead of time!" look.
Have a friend who just found out she's expecting? Grab the "It's Positive!!!" bag with Morning Magic Pills (to curb morning sickness), Natural Stretch Oil and a tea samplers.
Making it over to meet the new baby? How about the "New Baby" bag? It has a small organic velour animal rattle, natural rubber paci and a bottle starter set (which converts for use from newborn to toddler).
Want to bring something for the new momma?
New Momma Bottom Spray, Double Sided Nursing Pad Bag, Ruby's Red Wash and Postpartum Bath Herbs.
If you order ahead, you may be able to customize what goes in the bag; if you want a little lion instead of a ducky and we have it, we can swap it.
* We were mentioned in the May 31, 2012 Edition of The Hamburg Sun
*We were on Winging It! Buffalo Style! May 23, talking about staying safe and green in the summer.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Mounds of Laundry, Not.
(previous topics/entries can be found here)
"If you're using cloth diapers, you MUST have SO MUCH LAUNDRY to do!"
Insert image of person flailing their arms around, making grandiose gestures.
Is there extra laundry?
Sure.
Will you ever leave the basement/laundromat? There's already so much laundry to do as it is...
Yes. You will see sunlight and your family if you choose to cloth diaper.
Laundry frequency comes down to a couple things...
1) How many diapers do you have?
The more diapers, the less frequently you'll have to wash. THOUGH, you don't really want to wait any more than three days between washings, just to prevent any problems with lingering stink.
Figure that a newborn goes through 10-12 diapers a day... so, that's 30-36 diapers. Yes, it does seem like a lot. Sure, you can get 20-24... A lot of suppliers carry newborn sizes, so there's a choice in your style. Personally, we went with prefolds and covers until lil' was about 3 months old. Prefolds are the least expensive way to go, but we'll get into styles and costs soon enough.
2) What's on your diapers?If baby is going through a large number of diapers, say because they're sick, you'll want to wash a little more frequently... You don't HAVE to, but that's a lot of stinky drawers sitting around.
Toddler pee is infamous for stinking. Blame pH. You may want to wash more frequently just to cut down on ammonia smell.
Detergents...
Do you need to buy detergent specifically for your cloth?
No.
Do you need to read the detergent labels?
YES.
fresh & fluffy carries a number of brands of detergents (Rockin' Green, Ruby Moon, BabyGanics Loads of Love, Thirsties Pre-Wash and Super Wash) which are cloth diaper safe.
"Cloth Diaper Safe?"
Yes!
There are things, such as brighteners and enzymes, that you don't want to use on your diapers (more info is available in the link in the next sentence).
Here is a listing of detergents and how they rate for cloth diapers (may or may not be available in your area): Diaper Jungle's Cloth Diaper Detergent Chart.
Washing
Timing
You can start a load before dinner and throw it in the dryer before bed (MAKE SURE YOUR DUCTS ARE CLEAN regardless of what you dry and when). It's not like diapers are going to get wrinkly and will need to be ironed before baby wears them...
Technique
Most people chose to do a rinse/no-detergent-cycle (new research is showing you can do this on COLD or WARM). This, in theory, helps to loosen up residuals and allows the diapers to soak up water and not the forthcoming soap.
Hot wash/cold rinse/extra rinse.
The hot wash helps to kills nasty stuff on the diapers and the extra rinse makes sure there's not a lot of soap left.
I choose to do an extra spin too, just to have the machine get out more water.
Detergent, again
You only need to use a little detergent. Like way less than you think you need. Detergent build-up can cause a bevy of problems...
You can use OxyClean once in a while. Vinegar helps to disinfect; use sparingly. Bleach is NOT advised.
Water
You need enough water in the tub to have everything agitate freely... Set the washer for the largest load possible. (unless you're not doing a "regular" load of diapers, 'natch).
HE Tip
HE machines have a sensor in them that determines the weight of the load and adds the water accordingly.
Try soaking a bath towel with water and tossing in with your diapers. The weight of the towel should give you enough water.
Drying
When the weather is nice, hang those bad boys on the line!
(My stash... R to L: Thirsties Hemp/Cotton Inserts, Flip hemp/cotton prefolds, Osocozy Indian Prefolds, Osocozy AIO [blue], Grovia AIO [owls], ButterBears V2.0 [tie-dye], Some weird brand I got in a box of stuff from diaperswappers [orange], a bunch of Thirsties Covers, ButterBear Cover [blue], Flip cover [blue] and microfiber inserts)
Sunshine is awesome for stain removal and there are theories that it helps to disinfect too. (All I know is that I sun dryed my diapers 90% of last summer and couldn't see stains or smell stink)
If you opt for the dryer, be mindful of your PUL/TUL (that nifty plastic that keeps the wet in the diaper). You don't want that to melt. Most covers air dry pretty quick, though it's advisable to toss them in on low/medium every now and again... the heat from the dryer will help to re-seal any tiny tears.
We throw everything in on medium for a hour then pull out what's dry (microfiber, covers, pockets...) and start another cycle.
"So", you ask, "With all this washing and rinsing and drying and whatnot, how can this REALLY be better?"
It takes a cup of petroleum to manufacture ONE disposable diaper. Not even counting the transportation, the packaging, the machinery...(Cite: http://www.smallfootprintfamily.com/dangers-of-disposable-diapers)
Yes, cloth diapers do require water to wash and energy to dry, but the chances are that the water you used is going to be treated and reused and the energy it takes to dry them is less than it takes to make disposables, the garbage bag they go in, the gas the garbage truck uses to pick them up and haul them away...
"If you're using cloth diapers, you MUST have SO MUCH LAUNDRY to do!"
Insert image of person flailing their arms around, making grandiose gestures.
Is there extra laundry?
Sure.
Will you ever leave the basement/laundromat? There's already so much laundry to do as it is...
Yes. You will see sunlight and your family if you choose to cloth diaper.
Laundry frequency comes down to a couple things...
1) How many diapers do you have?
The more diapers, the less frequently you'll have to wash. THOUGH, you don't really want to wait any more than three days between washings, just to prevent any problems with lingering stink.
Figure that a newborn goes through 10-12 diapers a day... so, that's 30-36 diapers. Yes, it does seem like a lot. Sure, you can get 20-24... A lot of suppliers carry newborn sizes, so there's a choice in your style. Personally, we went with prefolds and covers until lil' was about 3 months old. Prefolds are the least expensive way to go, but we'll get into styles and costs soon enough.
2) What's on your diapers?If baby is going through a large number of diapers, say because they're sick, you'll want to wash a little more frequently... You don't HAVE to, but that's a lot of stinky drawers sitting around.
Toddler pee is infamous for stinking. Blame pH. You may want to wash more frequently just to cut down on ammonia smell.
Detergents...
Do you need to buy detergent specifically for your cloth?
No.
Do you need to read the detergent labels?
YES.
fresh & fluffy carries a number of brands of detergents (Rockin' Green, Ruby Moon, BabyGanics Loads of Love, Thirsties Pre-Wash and Super Wash) which are cloth diaper safe.
"Cloth Diaper Safe?"
Yes!
There are things, such as brighteners and enzymes, that you don't want to use on your diapers (more info is available in the link in the next sentence).
Here is a listing of detergents and how they rate for cloth diapers (may or may not be available in your area): Diaper Jungle's Cloth Diaper Detergent Chart.
Washing
Timing
You can start a load before dinner and throw it in the dryer before bed (MAKE SURE YOUR DUCTS ARE CLEAN regardless of what you dry and when). It's not like diapers are going to get wrinkly and will need to be ironed before baby wears them...
Technique
Most people chose to do a rinse/no-detergent-cycle (new research is showing you can do this on COLD or WARM). This, in theory, helps to loosen up residuals and allows the diapers to soak up water and not the forthcoming soap.
Hot wash/cold rinse/extra rinse.
The hot wash helps to kills nasty stuff on the diapers and the extra rinse makes sure there's not a lot of soap left.
I choose to do an extra spin too, just to have the machine get out more water.
Detergent, again
You only need to use a little detergent. Like way less than you think you need. Detergent build-up can cause a bevy of problems...
You can use OxyClean once in a while. Vinegar helps to disinfect; use sparingly. Bleach is NOT advised.
Water
You need enough water in the tub to have everything agitate freely... Set the washer for the largest load possible. (unless you're not doing a "regular" load of diapers, 'natch).
HE Tip
HE machines have a sensor in them that determines the weight of the load and adds the water accordingly.
Try soaking a bath towel with water and tossing in with your diapers. The weight of the towel should give you enough water.
Drying
When the weather is nice, hang those bad boys on the line!
Sunshine is awesome for stain removal and there are theories that it helps to disinfect too. (All I know is that I sun dryed my diapers 90% of last summer and couldn't see stains or smell stink)
If you opt for the dryer, be mindful of your PUL/TUL (that nifty plastic that keeps the wet in the diaper). You don't want that to melt. Most covers air dry pretty quick, though it's advisable to toss them in on low/medium every now and again... the heat from the dryer will help to re-seal any tiny tears.
We throw everything in on medium for a hour then pull out what's dry (microfiber, covers, pockets...) and start another cycle.
"So", you ask, "With all this washing and rinsing and drying and whatnot, how can this REALLY be better?"
It takes a cup of petroleum to manufacture ONE disposable diaper. Not even counting the transportation, the packaging, the machinery...(Cite: http://www.smallfootprintfamily.com/dangers-of-disposable-diapers)
Yes, cloth diapers do require water to wash and energy to dry, but the chances are that the water you used is going to be treated and reused and the energy it takes to dry them is less than it takes to make disposables, the garbage bag they go in, the gas the garbage truck uses to pick them up and haul them away...
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Cloth Diapering Argument #1: "But What About The Poop?!"
There are three main arguments I hear when people say they don't want to cloth diaper.
Besides thinking that there are copious amounts of laundry and money involved, parents are afraid of poop.
The fact is, you're going to end up with poop on you, on your baby and in your washer whether you use cloth or disposables.
Baby poop is unreliable.
Granted, there is a big difference between a little poo on an outfit and a load [no pun intended] of poo diapers.
A lot of people ask just WHAT are you supposed to do with the solid waste when you use cloth...
A little known (or paid-attention-to) fact is that even with disposables, solid waste should be removed. Yup, it's right there on the box. Here's a link to Wegman's site where you can see that the second to last sentence says to "shake diaper contents into toilet before discarding". It's not just these diapers either, this instruction is on all boxes.
I digress.
If you're exclusively breast feeding (being that baby isn't taking any formula), you don't even have to worry about poop until solids are introduced. EBF poop is water soluble. Of course, you can remove the solid waste if you want to...
When baby starts (or continues) solids, then you have some options:
* Dunk'n'Swirl: Take the non-soiled ends of the diaper, dunk into the toilet and swirl/flush until most of the solids are off. Remove excess water. Ta-da!
* Diaper Sprayer: This gadget attaches to the water line on your toilet (kind of like the sprayer at your kitchen sink) and you use the water pressure to rinse the solids away. Ta-da.
* The Ol' Spatula/Spoon: Some parents prefer to scrape the solids off the diaper and into the toilet. Ta-da.
* Toilet Paper.
* Flushable Liners: These sheets go between baby's bottom and the diaper itself. Ideally, the solid waste is contained to the liner, which is then removed and flushed away, along with most of the solid waste. Ta-da.
* Liners: Reusable liners, so instead of having to dunk/swish/spray/scrape solids, the liner should have a majority of the waste and that part gets dunked/swished/sprayed/scraped. Ta-da.
After the solids are removed, the diaper goes into the pail. You don't have to have buckets of water sitting around anymore! In fact, some of the pail liners and wet bags are pretty darn cute...
Today's washers can handle diapers. If you're concerned about waste getting transferred to your other clothes, you can run a load of whites after your launder your cloth.
Next up, we'll tackle that blown-out-of-proportion molehill of diaper laundry.
Besides thinking that there are copious amounts of laundry and money involved, parents are afraid of poop.
The fact is, you're going to end up with poop on you, on your baby and in your washer whether you use cloth or disposables.
Baby poop is unreliable.
Granted, there is a big difference between a little poo on an outfit and a load [no pun intended] of poo diapers.
A lot of people ask just WHAT are you supposed to do with the solid waste when you use cloth...
A little known (or paid-attention-to) fact is that even with disposables, solid waste should be removed. Yup, it's right there on the box. Here's a link to Wegman's site where you can see that the second to last sentence says to "shake diaper contents into toilet before discarding". It's not just these diapers either, this instruction is on all boxes.
I digress.
If you're exclusively breast feeding (being that baby isn't taking any formula), you don't even have to worry about poop until solids are introduced. EBF poop is water soluble. Of course, you can remove the solid waste if you want to...
When baby starts (or continues) solids, then you have some options:
* Dunk'n'Swirl: Take the non-soiled ends of the diaper, dunk into the toilet and swirl/flush until most of the solids are off. Remove excess water. Ta-da!
* Diaper Sprayer: This gadget attaches to the water line on your toilet (kind of like the sprayer at your kitchen sink) and you use the water pressure to rinse the solids away. Ta-da.
* The Ol' Spatula/Spoon: Some parents prefer to scrape the solids off the diaper and into the toilet. Ta-da.
* Toilet Paper.
* Flushable Liners: These sheets go between baby's bottom and the diaper itself. Ideally, the solid waste is contained to the liner, which is then removed and flushed away, along with most of the solid waste. Ta-da.
* Liners: Reusable liners, so instead of having to dunk/swish/spray/scrape solids, the liner should have a majority of the waste and that part gets dunked/swished/sprayed/scraped. Ta-da.
After the solids are removed, the diaper goes into the pail. You don't have to have buckets of water sitting around anymore! In fact, some of the pail liners and wet bags are pretty darn cute...
Today's washers can handle diapers. If you're concerned about waste getting transferred to your other clothes, you can run a load of whites after your launder your cloth.
Next up, we'll tackle that blown-out-of-proportion molehill of diaper laundry.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Hours
Did you see us on "Winging it! Buffalo Style!"?fresh & fluffy on CW23
Monday 5/21: 11am-6pm
Wednesday 5/23: 10am-415pm
Friday 5/25: noon-7pm
Saturday 5/26: 10am-2pm
Wednesday 5/30: 9am-415pm
We will be closed 5/27, (available if you need me 5/29) and re-opening at 9am on 5/30.
As always, please feel free to call 716-649-5720 if you need help outside of the posted hours.
Wednesday 5/23: 10am-415pm
Friday 5/25: noon-7pm
Saturday 5/26: 10am-2pm
Wednesday 5/30: 9am-415pm
We will be closed 5/27, (available if you need me 5/29) and re-opening at 9am on 5/30.
As always, please feel free to call 716-649-5720 if you need help outside of the posted hours.
fresh and fluffy is located at 164 Buffalo Street, Hamburg NY 14075.
If you're exiting on to Buffalo Street from the Rite Aid/Hamburg Village Square Plaza, you're looking right at the shop!
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