*This post was originally written in 2011, so it`s really time to snap a new photo of my stash. Although, it is almost exactly the same today except my drawstring bag finally got tossed and I have had to add several UltiMax pads to my stash. Seems the older I get, the heavier my flow has decided to get too! Back to the topic!

I’d like to share some of my thoughts, before I share pics.

I contemplated making this post password protected. It’s not that I’m embarrassed in any way to share pics of my pad stash! It’s simply because I’m not naive.

I run a reusable pad business, and, in the time I’ve run this business I’ve seen, and received, enough backlash about the whole reusable pad thing being ‘gross’ that I realize sharing a photo of my WELL-used pads may be pretty darn disgusting to some. I’ve had some of these pads for many years!

HOWEVER, after I put a password on this post while writing it, then thinking about it some more, and changing my mind to make it public, I’d like to tell you why.

Reusable pads are NOT gross. I can not stress this enough.
To ‘hide’ my pad stash because SOME people might think it is gross, well… what would I be saying then?!!

Just like breastfeeding in public should become the NORM, so it should be with pads, and menstruation.

Umm… in case anyone didn’t receive the memo, most women/girls menstruate. Menstruation is what gives us LIFE. Shouldn’t that be celebrated? Not shamed?

It’s not gross, it’s natural. Messy, yes, it can be, but many things in life are messy and messy does not make it gross. It just make it messy!

So there you have my thoughts this morning as I prepared to post my stash pics. I’m posting these because I’ve got great customers (I really do have the awesome privilege to know some very wonderful women through this business!!) who posted THEIR stash pics, and I want to show you all that yes, I too really do USE these pads I create. My use of these pads is what helps me put LOTS of thought into what I create! Every single month I’m trying to think of ways to make them even better then before! If I didn’t use them myself, I wouldn’t have come this far with their designs!

This is how I store my pads. Large pads in my simple draw string stash bag which I’ve been using for 8 years now, and it probably shows… and liners in a simple mesh wash bag. I keep these stored in the cabinet in my bathroom. Then I have a larger good.mama wetbag for my large soiled pads, and a smaller wetbag I won in a ‘lottery’ on hyenacart a couple of years ago (it has no tag so I don’t know who made it!) for my soiled liners. These also stay in my cabinet in the bathroom.

I simply wash these wetbags along with my pads! They’ve both held up great!

And here is my stash.

I believe I may still be missing a few from this photo because I know for sure that I have at LEAST 3 or 4 regular comfort contour pads, but they are a favorite of one daughters… so I have a feeling they ended up in her stash. I personally prefer the wrap wing pads, and that clearly shows.

I also have WAY too many liners. However, some of these ended up in my stash because I made them for Elsa, who has extreme sensory issues and decided she doesn’t like any with wrap wings, AT ALL. Others are in my stash because they were seconds, and who couldn’t use more liners when you need them daily right?

I also added my homemade undies stash in there. As you can see, it’s pretty basic. Seven pair for now, mostly high waist. I have 2 more pair in the works! I’d like to make myself more, but… as far as my own stash goes with pads, and undies, it’s customers first, me… not so much. ha!

And just for fun, because they were kicking around in my bathroom, I added some of my wash & facial cloths in the mix.

So there you have it! My stash. 

*Will you be brave and share a photo of your stash?
I see on facebook pages for cloth pad users, lots of people post what-I-wore-this-month photos! I LOVE that! I especially love seeing our pads in the mix!! It warms my heart!