When I was pregnant with Marigold I was intent on spending as little money as possible on baby essentials.

Granted, I had a few tubs of hand-me-down clothes ready and waiting, our 10-year-old pram was still going strong and we came across a change table on the side of the road that was absolutely perfect.

I considered cloth nappies (for the fourth time) but because I’m human and not willing to take on even more arduous washing, I declined in order to maintain my sanity (apologies, Earth).

But then one evening, while perusing a budget-conscious facebook conversation, someone mentioned Cheeky Wipes. Basically, they’re washable nappy wipes that come with containers to store the mucky ones. And yes, they do require a wash every few days but it felt like an achievable step towards saving money and doing good for the environment.

Living mindfully and frugally – it’s all about the little steps.

Last week my Baby Wipes Kit arrived with simple instructions on how to set it up. I posted a little introduction on instagram stories and received some great feedback from those who already use them – just the encouragement I needed.

The kit includes two containers – one fresh, one mucky – and they’re strong and sturdy (the clips on the front are basically child-proof as they require a bit of strength to open them), a set of wipes (you choose the fabric), two bottles of essential oils and two waterproof travel bags to use when you’re out and about.

So how do they work?

• add water up to the line of the fresh container and a few drops of the lavender + chamomile oil
• press the wipes down into the water until they’re soaked through
• add water up to the line of the mucky container and add a few drops of the tea tree oil. Dip the mesh bag into the water and leave it in.
•  when it’s time to change a nappy, get one wipe from the fresh container and once bub is all clean, put the dirty wipe in the mucky container.

I wash the wipes every few days by simply carrying the mucky container to the laundry and lifting the mesh bag and wipes into the washing machine.

I admit that I haven’t used the travel bags yet, mostly because my outings of late revolve around school drop offs and pick ups and a quick trip to the cafe – no nappy changes necessary.

Frankly, I wish I had of discovered Cheeky Wipes four babies ago! I only need to use one wipe per nappy change (as opposed to 2-3 disposable wipes), they’re incredibly soft and they smell beautiful. As for the money I’m saving? It’s a significant amount, especially considering how long Marigold will be wearing nappies for.

There were a few people on instagram who suggested I could have just bought my own face washers + plastic containers and created my own nappy wipe system, which is true. But, I know that this is something I would never have found the time to do. And, one of the best parts of the Cheeky Wipes Kit is the sturdy, made-for-the-job plastic containers – you can literally tip them upside down and there’s absolutely no leaks.

So do I recommend them? Highly! Cheeky Wipes are kindly offering my readers a 10% discount with the code: SIMPLE10 (excludes sale items) – valid till Dec 31st.

Not sponsored, just sharing!