Just in Case: Best Places to Stash Diapers and Wipes

By Charlene O'Hanlon

It seems to be a fact of parenthood: At some point when you need to change your baby, you will find yourself without a diaper. You could be at home, looking frantically for that pack of diapers you swore you just bought (how could he have gone through all of them so quickly?) or out and about with a diaper bag devoid of diapers (I can't believe I forgot to refill the diaper bag!). Either way, when you're out of diapers, you're out of luck.

It took a few months before I came up with a plan that included strategic "diaper stashes" for emergencies. I came to think of these stashes as "diaper insurance," covering me (and my baby) when my regular supply ran out. Each stash contained two to three diapers and included a pack of wipes - when the wipes are gone, there are few things that make a decent substitute.

The great thing about a diaper stash is it can facilitate on-the-spot diaper changes, if necessary (If your baby has ever blown out a diaper, then you'll know what I mean). But for the most part, my diaper stashes were used for emergency only.

Here are my top six locations for diaper stashes:

Glove compartment of my car: Great for times when you're "just running to the store ... I won't need the diaper bag," and then Murphy's Law proves you wrong.
Glove compartment of my husband's car: Most of our family outings are taken in my husband's car, and the glove compartment stash has proven useful on more than one occasion of my forgetting to restock the diaper bag.
The linen closet: Halfway between the living room and the baby's room, the linen closet is a strategic location to access from the two places where the baby is most often.
My dresser drawer: For those times when the baby is in my room and needs a change, but I'm too lazy (or not dressed yet) to take him into his room.
The older kids' room: Occasionally we congregate in my older son's room to play a computer game or so I can "help" him clean up, and during those times it's easier to stay in the room to change the baby. Admittedly, this stash gets the least amount of use, but it's important, nonetheless.
The back patio: For this stash I also have a changing pad, so when we're outside and the Little Man needs a change, we're all set to go.

But while diaper stashes can be a true godsend in times of emergency, they are useful only if they are well-stocked. So make sure to replenish your supply whenever you "take from the kitty."

And make sure to completely restock your diaper stashes every few months to make sure you've got the right size put away - a newborn diaper is not going to work on a baby that wears a size 3, no matter how much you want it to.