I have had it with diaper pails. Every 3 months I have to go buy another cheap trash can from Walmart because the spring or clasp breaks on the lid.
I was determined the other day to find a solution that would work for me forever! I know many moms use a hanging wet bag, but I needed something with a lid.
Now this is nothing revolutionary. I did not find the next greatest invention in dirty cloth diaper storage.
However, it was cheap. I picked up a trash can from Walmart that has a simple circular lid that can be locked down on the sides. Depending on the curiousity of your children locking it may not be necessary. I don’t have to lock it at this time.
I love that there are no hinges, springs, or buttons that can break. I also have now set up the diaper area in the guest room/extra play room (because don’t you know that any room somehow becomes an extra play room) so keeping odor to a minimum is required.
For pail powder I recommend a highly raved about mama (on diaperswappers) that I have recently found out lives very near to me! The store is called Little Outlaws and she carries pail powder available in 59 different scents!
I love that other mama’s who use Pail Pardner have reported great success using it as a carpet freshner, in the bathroom trash cans and on dog/cat bed areas. With 2 dogs sleeping in our room I am most definitely interested in this use!
With one less thing to worry about and all the newborn cloth diapers cleaned I am definitely ready to meet my new bundle of preciousness! Send labor vibes my way!!
Autumn is a wife, mother, homeschool teacher, friend and most important a follower of Christ.
Mary says
That is exactly why I started making my own wet bags. Dogs kept messing with the bucket and it was a pain to clean. Love just dumping and tossing it in the washer. Etsy.com/shop/mandj34. MandJ34.com
Anastasia says
Back when I used to use an actual pail I just used yee old rubber maid containers from walmart. (I found them easier to lift then anything “pail shaped” I had to start using hanging wet bags once we ended up with a front loader because….. um yeah ya’ll can figure that out. So anyways on the occasion that I DO need to use a “pail” I find almost anything works but yes simple is always best! And pail powders can be AWESOME! and work for litter boxes too, tee hee!
Jocelyn Groff says
Hey Autumn,
I will be a first time mom when my little girl Zoey comes at the end of March. We are doing cloth diapers so I’ve been browsing your site like crazy (I found the Ultimate Guide very helpful!) I have looked online at Walmart, Target, and Ikea (where people have said they’ve found this or a similar trash can) and cannot find a trash can like this! Could you post the link (or anyone else who reads this who mentioned they use a pail like this one)? Thanks! :)
Autumn Beck says
Any can will work. Currently I have a step-on can that I can easily put a liner in and it works great. Hands off is nice.
Beth says
Even better, find a friend who has cats and buys litter in the plastic pails. Use one until it starts to smell and get a new one. They're not the prettiest, but very functional, hold about 2-3 days diapers, and FREE!!!!
Judith Martinez says
We use a laundry detergent bucket, same idea!
evelyn's mom says
have used the samr Target brand metal kitchen trash can for 2 yrs! i wash every 2 to 3 days. i put everything in except the poo! GREAT SEAL! the only time i get the stinks is when i forget to close all the waybecause a diaper is hanging out. it has a foot petal and goes great with any decor.
evelyn's mom says
have used the samr Target brand metal kitchen trash can for 2 yrs! i wash every 2 to 3 days. i put everything in except the poo! GREAT SEAL! the only time i get the stinks is when i forget to close all the waybecause a diaper is hanging out. it has a foot petal and goes great with any decor.
Heather says
Autumn,
I bought some Pail Pardner powder after reading your post, and I love the way it smells. The problem I have found, though, is that it clumps in my shaker and I can’t sprinkle it like I was hoping. How do you use it? What is the easiest way to shake it in the pail….do I need a shaker with bigger holes or is there another trick I don’t know about? Thanks!!!
Autumn Beck says
I shake it really hard so maybe that helps. I use one of those mini-mason jar salt shakers for mine.
Lisa Matthews says
Just thought that you guys might like to know that Autumn was referring to Little Outlaws brand “Pail Partner” in her post. It’s also available at:
http://liloutlaws.net/
Dae says
Looks good, except I never have enough free hands to unlock and open a lid and then close and re-lock!
When I was pregnant I registered for the Diaper Dekor diaper pail. Going on 5 months of use now and we love it! The only time I had a problem with smell was when I accidently put it right on top of the heat vent in our bed. Roasted pee-pee diapers…yummm! LOL! Anyway, I bought a reusable plastic-type drawstring bag from the dollar store (for just a dollar, wouldn’t you know?!) and I just slip it in and then when it’s time to do laundry I jut open the bottom and take the bag out and down to the laundry room…very simple!
It opens with a foot pedal (or the option of lifting it with your hand if you prefer) and then there’s a little spring-trap door that your push the diaper through. This keeps the odor from getting out (unless you like to keep your diaper pail on top of the heat vent!). Also, you can lock the spring-trap door so little ones can’t get into it.
Anyway, just thought I’d throw that out there for people who want something they don’t have to take the lid off of! : )
Starting to feel like a watched pot yet? ; )
Trish says
Autumn, I love my GoodMama hanging wet bag. Every other night I just pick it up, dump the diapers into the washer, then throw the wet bag in, too. I rinse off poopy diapers before putting them in the bag, but that’s all the “extra” work I have to do. I don’t need to use any pail powders or cakes. We’ve used the same bag for almost 9 months now and have had absolutely no problems or issues with it.:)
Blessings,
Trish
Sara says
Labor Vibes:
Visualize baby dropping head down into position. Contraction….breathe. Repeat.
Think of progressive steady dilating.
I’ll visualize seeing pics of your new one by March 3rd. Happy Birthing to you & yours!!!
(Yes, I’m a nurse & strongly believe in visualization for pain control & many other medical needs :)
~Sara
Krysta says
That is the exact pail that I have used for nearly two years. I have two because one gets rinsed and dries while the other starts filling again. They are the perfect size and if the little latches come off, they just click back on…..love them!
Jessica says
I’ve been using the same can for almost 2 years, except that mine is clear with a blue lid. It holds exactly 1 load. I don’t use a liner in it since it’s small enough to clean out with little effort. After all this time i am only just now contemplating buying a “real” diaper pail that can double for other uses when i no longer have diapers. But you may have swayed me to stay with the one i have.
Stacey says
I love my hanging wetbag. It zips shut, which to me is better than a lid. My pail was such a pain. I hated having to wash it out. The wetbag just gets thrown in the washer with the diapers.
Natalie says
That trash can is a good idea! I use one of those large tubs that cat litter comes in. I’ve been cd’ing for almost a year and it works so great for us!! The only problem is older kids who come over are more curious over that than they would be a regular trash can!!
WOW! only 8 more days until your due date?! How’d it go by so fast!!!!
Kelly says
I know of a lot of mamas who use that exact pail. I, on the other hand, wanted something with just button to make a spring loaded top open so I could open the pail with literally one finger. My daughter is only 11 months old, so as of yet, I don’t have to worry about her getting into it, but I do see the error of my ways, because it can’t lock and she will probably be into it sooner rather than later. And I frequently come into her room to discover the lid has popped open on its own. So I keep a box of disposable wipes (upopened) that I happened to have lying around and put it on top to keep the lid down. So it is no longer a one finger activity. I should just bite the bullet and buy that very pail. The only good thing about my pail is it is rather large so it holds a decent amount of diapers. My friend has the same one you just bought and says she has to do laundry once the pail is full, regardless of how many are left in her stash. I know that I can do laundry every three (sometimes four) days and they will all fit in the pail I have now.
Here is sending you good labor vibes. Hopefully your next post will be a happy birth story (you will share, right?!)
Barbara says
Ikea also sell a similar looking metal trash can that works great.
Kari says
I have been using the same pail that you just purchase for months now and I like it. The only problem is that it does not breathe, so you will definitely get stinks. Good Luck.