Diapers and Jelly

Okay, strange subject? Not really. What do diapers and jelly have in common?

My youngest child is 35-years-old. You would think most of her baby things would be long gone. No, not really. Not only do I have bins of her clothing, I found four dozen diapers that I forgot were still here. Along with those, I found diapers belonging to my 40-year-old daughter and 42-year-old son.

Why do I have these items? Am I hoarding?

No, I saved the clothing for my children to have, and they do want their own clothing. Diapers were saved for dust rags and other uses.

Since I make jelly, there are times I need cheesecloth. I have never owned a piece of cheesecloth. Diapers perform the same duties. Besides, I have the diapers and would have to buy cheesecloth!

No amount of badgering intended to induce guilt about hoarding could ever induce me to toss, donate, or otherwise release my diapers. Yes, they do have sentimental value. No, the sentimental value does not override the useful aspect of the diapers. Diapers don't remain for the sentiment. They have a job to do. If you want one, I am willing to part with a diaper. Friends know I am generous with my stash of stuff.

All my diapers are the square birdseye cloth. I spent a fair amount of my young adult life folding these diapers. Someone gave me two dozen of the diapers that have the thick folded part in the middle. It seemed these took the same effort to fold and use. Those diapers were sold at a yard sale before the last child was toilet trained.

The long rectangular diapers were a pain at first. A few of the printed ones were saved for my daughter. They are gone. Only the really practical ones remain here--square birdseye.

Some of you may liken my diaper stash to a butter bowl stash. I don't see it that way. Let me explain. Butter bowls come into some homes regularly, even my home. So, two or three is all I really want in the cabinet on a regular basis because I know more will eventually make their way into my stash.

Diapers, on the other hand, will never come into my life again. The last time I brought a new diaper into my home was 1975.

Besides using diapers to strain jelly, I used one to make a sweatband for a friend who left his at home. He was doing yardwork on a steamy day. I folded the square diaper into a triangle and folded it until it was a narrowish band that he tied around his head. The diaper worked.

Diapers are great for dusting. They can be folded and refolded to get a new surface while dusting.

The downside of using a diaper to strain jelly is that the diaper will be horribly stained. Nevertheless, a stained, folded diaper resides in the drawer in the kitchen where all my dishtowels reside.

No shame. It is a stained diaper? Yes, but I know what made the stains. Besides, almost 40 years have passed since they saw any poop, so it's not gross at all to me.

Maybe you don't want to use your stash of diapers this way. Okay, but save a few so you won't have to buy cheesecloth.

Do you have a special use for diapers you no longer need? Or, do you cringe when you think about using diapers near food?