Help me switch from paper to cloth napkins

[MBC]

I would really like to make the switch as I hate spending the $$$ on paper and hate seeing the waste. If you did switch where did you buy your napkins and how many do you have? TIA

[edandsuz]

Well, we were blessed in that my aunt made them - she has a serger and cut out squares of cute fabrics (some one-sided and some with different fabrics on each side) and serged the edges. You could hem the edges if you didn't have a serger.

What we do is have a different (pattern, color) napkin for each person, including guests who are staying for a couple of days. (When we have guests just for one meal, we usually do matching napkins for all.) After the meal, we usually lay the napkin over the top of the chair where there is a "post" that keeps it from sliding off - that's just how our chairs are built. Sometimes we just lay the napkins on the table by our places. When it's time for the next meal, we each then have our napkin handy, and can fold it nicely if we are being a bit more formal. Obviously, when the napkins are getting gross they go in the wash and we get replacements.

We have way more napkins than we need, but I think I'd want about 15 so that we'd have plenty for a nice group for dinner, as well as extras when others are in the wash.

Hope that helps!

[velouria]

We have 6, a matching set, that we received as a wedding gift. It's all we really need because we almost always eat out.

If I cooked every night, I would probably want 21: 1 for each of us every day of the week.

You can buy them in stores like Crate & Barrel, Pier 1 Imports, Cost Plus, Williams-Sonoma, Macy's, Mervyn's, Bed Bath and Beyond, etc. In other words, just about anywhere where they sell kitchen appliances, china, or housewares. Our set came from Pier 1 Imports.

[kimmyjling]

Oh, this is one of my favorite frugal finds! From a King-sized Duvet Cover found at Goodwill for $2.49, I cut it into 12" X 12" squares. Without getting fancy-just to make it work, I sewed a zigzag stitch all the way around the edges to minimize fraying. (a serger would come in great use here!) I got 32 napkins out of this one $2.49 Duvet. Thats less than 8 cents per napkin-and I never have to spend that again! Use as you would a regular paper napkin, wash, and reuse!! I have had them for a year now, and they are a little dingy because I haven't been sunning them lately, but perfectly functional!

[kimmyjling]

Forgot to add, keep your eye out for clearance sales after the holidays. I also got a nice ivory set from Walmart, 2/$1 after last years holidays. Those come out on special nights! :)

[MatildasMum]

Target, Dollar Store, Ross, Marshalls, etc. Anywhere they are inexpensive!

We use the same napkin for a few days. If that's gross, so be it. It works for us :D

[DianaInNH]

I went to Marshalls and bought several packs of washclothes that they had, all differnt colors. I thought for sure i woul dhave a hard time making the switch especially because DH likes to use napkins!

It has actually been GREAT. We use them all the time at home, for us, to wipe DDs face, and I use them now in place of kitchen towels. I always hated using kitchen towels becuase they are huge and aren't very absorbant, now I love using the washcloths! And we have saved a ton by not using the paper napkins and paper towels! DH even likes htem because they hold up so much better when wiping his dirty hands, like buffalo wing sauce!

[angelnavywife]

I have a drawer full of kitchen towels, and we just use those to wipe hands and faces. I think if I paid money for pretty napkins I'd be afraid to let the kids use them!

[lulusmom]

We have two sets from BB&B that we use at home, and I have a few that I pack in my purse for when we go out. We use them a few times before washing, since they aren't really dirty unless we're really sopping up some sauce, like for BBQ or something. I also got in the habit of using handkerchiefs too, and have a couple of those in the purse at all times.

[whalvo]

I think we got our first ones from World Market, but we also accumulated a bunch from various stores like Tuesday Morning, TJ MAxx, and Target (anytime I saw simple ones on sale). We probably have about 20 everyday use ones and then about 10 CHristmas ones that my MIL gave us. I can't imagine using paper anymore. My MIL still gives us paper cocktail napkins for Christmas... we just sold about 10 packs at our garage sale.

[Kris5135]

I use white washcloths for my son, so I can see when they are dirty. I bought some at Target in 12 packs pretty cheap. I never liked the way cloth napkins didn't seem to absorb much, so that was a good solution for us. I think i'll do the same for us in a different color.

[nickelmom]

We switched from paper to cloth last year and it is great! Having cloth napkins around are great for everything. I use them to wipe counters, wipe the kids faces, use them for place mats so my ds can't get the table dirty. I bought mine from target after xmas sale. They were 75% off. My kitchen is yellow and green so I bought basic green ones. I have about a dozen and need more but they take a beating! My MIL is the one who got me into cloth napkins since she dislikes paper napkins. My goal is too see if she will give me some older prints of hers for backup so I don't have to buy new ones. I would rather have used ones that are in good shape.

[meadowsong]

I bought mine after thanksgiving last year, they are a velour like fabric and super nice to wipe w/ lol! We have about 5 or 6 of those, then 2 that we got as a gift. We do the same as someone else mentioned, hang them over our chair until the next meal if they aren't really dirty. We don't always have enough, so we tend to use just kitchen towels if they are in the wash lol

[stacim]

Don't forget garage sales and thrift stores! I've found some for super cheap there (esp. garage sales). :thumbsup:

I also got some on clearance at Target after Christmas. Very nice!

[marieliza]

I've been wanting to make this switch as well. I was thinking about buying some handkerchiefs from hobby lobby to use. They are cheap and have tons of patterns. Do any of you find a difference in what type of fabric they are made of?

[jennyb]

we have 6 sets of 4 matching napkins, so that's 24 total. they are all beautiful and the best thing is WE DIDN'T PAY A PENNY FOR THEM!!!

We actually received all of those beautiful cloth napkins as bridal shower & wedding gifts :goodvibes: i have 2 sets (8 total) that i keep back for when we have people over for dinner; the rest we use daily, and many of our "daily" ones have been stained from spaghetti sauce :( - oh well!

we only use our once and then i toss them in with the towels & other kitchen cloth. for the past year, i've been keeping t-shirts that get ripped or stained & plan on cutting 12x12 squares from them to sew more cloth napkins...but i just haven't gotten around to it yet.

if you don't care about having matching napkins, you can always pick up super cheap napkins at thrift stores and after holiday sales at any house/home store - usually 75% off fall/autumn after Thanksgiving; Christmas/gingerbread men after Christmas, etc.

[journey]

This is one boat I need to board! I've been wanting to switch for a while. :thumbsup:

[sjscnjs]

i LOVE my cloth napkins, and they are SO easy. I jsut toss them into my laundry room and throw them into whatever load of laundry

I purchased mine over at Dillards on the clearance rack. I got them each for btween 50cents and $1. they do not match, which i like. i roll them up and put them into a basket on my table. they look really cute sticking out. kindof like an old quilt. everyone gets to pick their own napkin. the kids like deciding which color to pick

[BeckyP]

I have a drawer full of kitchen towels, and we just use those to wipe hands and faces. I think if I paid money for pretty napkins I'd be afraid to let the kids use them!

Same here. We got our's from Sams club many years ago. I'm sure they still have them. Just regular kitchen towels.

[redsonja]

I bought mine at Ross. I got them for like 50 cents each. We have 21 napkins, enough for each person to have one at dinnertime, but I'm noticing I need more because we eat at home for breakfast and lunch on the weekends, so we will probably get some more when they go on Christmas clearance. I also have dish towels (the washcloth size) for cleaning aroundthe kitchen, I bought a pack of them for $2.99 at Target and they are plenty. We use them for cleaning the sinks, mirrors, toilets, windows, and dusting. Then we have dish towels (hand towel size) for drying hands after washing.

One thing to keep in mind for everyone who uses cloth napkins/towels/rags.....they should be washed in bleach. The bacteria from food stuffs and bathroom germs can just grow and grow in those towels if you don't bleach them. I wash all my napkins, towels, and rags together on laundry day with no other items in hot water with bleach to make sure they get clean and all bacteria are killed.

[HappyEarthCreations]

We have some we bought from Linens & Things and other stores, but now I make my own out of flannel. They're just like flannel baby wipes, but bigger (and less cutesy). They work so much better than our store-bought ones! Plus I got to pick out the exact fabrics I wanted. Even my dh likes them now.

[fkonkal]

I made mine from old Laura Ashley curtains and vintage linen tablecloths with holes in them. I just cut around the holes and hemmed them. I keep mine in a small low basket on the table. It is easy for the kids to see and get at them, so they are more inclined to use them.

[thestafs]

How do you bleach them if they are colored. I just last week bought my first set of cloth napkins but wash them with other towels. The napkis are a deep red color (hide the stains) so how can I do that?

[slingmama4]

I didn't read all the replys, but we only use cloth napkins ( My mother hates when she visits, but hey it just gives her one more thing to complain about!:giggle: ). I bought ALL of mine from the SA, goodwill, or Re-store. Some are pretty, some are funky 70's, but all were cheap, yet very functional! I love not buying paper products! :lostit:

[elspethshimon]

I am obsessed with cloth napkins.

We have some from our wedding registry (Crate and Barrel), some from a cute shop on our honeymoon, some from Pottery Barn (we used a wedding gift card), some from a friend's thrift store/rummage sale find, and some that I've picked up at Target or our big Kroger store. The Kroger has them for super cheap.

I wash mine in a colour safe oxygen type bleach.

[MBC]

We did it! I just bought of bunch of "bar towels" that are like wash cloths at Bed Bath and Beyond.

Now when we have company my 4 year old DS says we don't use paper towels anymore. I am so proud:thumbsup: