So it has been on the agenda for us to move our store from behind the black security gate of the office warehouse location.  We get ZERO walk past traffic there, because we are simply not visible from the road.  All of our business is from people seeking us out.  We have products that are hard to find elsewhere, and one of the biggest selections around the DFW area, so my business has survived purely on web searches and word of mouth.

My first foray into the world of commercial real estate ended in disappointment.  I did not get an agent, so I went into negotiating for a space on my own.  And the first look over of the space, started out with rent is x amount, and we will give you x amount for fixing up the space.  Then I put in an application, and the rent went up to Y amount, and 0 for fixing it up.  It became more than my little business could afford, so under the advice of my wonderful staff, we pulled out of that negotiation and decided to hold off the hunt until the end of first quarter 2012.

So much for that plan.  When I went to pay the rent for January, our current landlord told us that we had become too busy for our current location.  And the sound of children and babies was too much for some of the other tenants.  So it was time for us to look for another space.  I was a bit worried about not being able to do it on my time frame, but you have to roll with the punches.

So this time we decided to do it right.  Some google researches showed that an agent is paid for by the landlord, not the tenant!  So that was not going to be an extra cost.  So then came the question, who do I know that knows a commercial real estate agent.  It’s a whole different ball game from residential real estate.  Found a friend of a friend of a friend.  An agent who specialized in tenants, not landlords.  And this was the best move I had made so far.  Olin Jaye had been in the industry for years, and he knew his stuff.  He was patient with our ignorance, and was dedicated to finding the right space for us at a price we could afford.  I honestly thought I would be at least doubling my rent expense based on my previous experience.  So if any of my local small business friends are looking for a good agent, we have nothing but good to say about Olin Jaye.

So he took us around a bunch of places after he toured our existing space.  He wanted to get a feel for what we were looking for.  We saw some interesting spaces, including a former vet clinic that had some kind of broken pipe that had us running from the building holding our noses.  He negotiated with the landlords agents for us, asked all the tough questions for us.  Told us if it was going to be a good deal or not.  We saw one space that needed a ceiling put in and a floor laid, and he asked if they were willing to fix, no, he told us to walk away from that one.  He understood our limited budget and his goal was to get us into space that we could afford.

Then we came across a space that he could not get us to the inside of until the next day.  We peered through the windows and said well what we can see looks good, but we need to know if what is behind the wall in the middle it is big enough for the office and sewing.  If there is space for classes and so on.  He took us back the next day.

This was a space that had stood empty for a while.  And for many businesses it would not work because of the way it was divided up.  But my business is not typical.  We need a large office, we need retail, we need a classroom, we need a sewing room, we need a space for employees children.  Walking this space, it had it all.  And it didn’t really need a lot of modification to give us all that we needed.  A coat of paint, and a door knocked between 2 spaces.  It needed a sink for a break room, but the water connection was already there, so it would not be expensive to do.

Yes this was our space.  Could we afford it?  Well it is the cheapest of the spaces we were looking at.  Well nice!!  And that was before Olin negotiated a deal!  By the time he was done, we came out with not having to pay rent double to what we had before, but rent the same as before but 1000 more square feet than we had before, and more importantly a space that was easily found and not behind a security gate.

Then the nitty gritty of lease signing, getting an attorney to look over the lease.  And then on January 25th, I had the keys in my hand, and we were ready for getting utilities connected, city inspections and so forth …

And it is located on the South West Corner of Independence and Parker in Plano.  Behind Half Price books, next to Covinos.

So here are the before photos of the space …

This is the store front.  All the windows you see here are actually ALL of it.  So can you see mannequins with baby carriers in a window?  To the right is Covinos, a popular restaurant in Plano.  We negotiated into the lease, the right to reserve two of those parking spaces in front for pregnant and new mothers.  We will be getting a big lit sign saying Nappy Shoppe up on the facade.

This is the front room, the main retail space.  It has a cash wrap already in place that needs a little bit of paint and repair to make it work.  But it has power in it for our Point of Sale machine.  Space for us to store our reusable bags that everyone loves.  The floors are in good condition, so they need no work.  The walls will need painting and the red feature on the ceiling will get painted purple and some pendant lights put up.  On the right is where we will punch out a doorway to the space next to it.  The door leads to the bathrooms.  Out of view on the left is another door that leads to office/breakroom.

This will be the office and break room.  It has a tile floor, and there is water connections.  So we just have to put in a sink.  The door with the light leads to a storage room with the back door.

This room is a small storage room.  It will be wear we will store things like extra bags, extra product, all those things we don’t want in the way :)  It has two large double doors for any fabric roll deliveries etc.

Three bathrooms!  Mens, Ladies and Staff.  We will get rid of the red here, and get our signature purple going here.  And there is a nice long wall on the right to feature our wonderful photographers.  Can you see it? A wall of photos of babies in cloth :)  To the right of the bathroom door that is open, is a door that leads to a “staff only” area.

The bathrooms are actually nice!  Nice tile etc.  And I promise to keep the toilet roll holders full :)

This is the hall on the other side of the staff only door.  Down to the right near the window, will be where we will cut open the wall to the retail space, so that what is near the window will be retail too.  We will actually block off this hallway at the end, and it will be converted into the dressing room.  To the left near the camera is two doors.  One leads to sewing, one to the homeschooling room.

There was no power connected when I was taking these photos, so we had to do all this with the flashlight.  This large room will be our sewing room.  No more drafty warehouse for the girls!  A floor that will be easy to clean.

This room is right next to the sewing room.  It is for the children of employees.  Some of us homeschool, so it will have space for children to study.  It will have a TV and DVD player, and a couple of little comfy chairs.  And of course toys.  And that little room off to the left there, that will have a pack and play in it for naps.  And another desk for any child that needs a quieter space to work.

This room, we are super excited about.  To the left is that long hallway.  And the wall on the left will be where the cut out will be to join the retail spaces.  So the front part will be retail.  This room to the right will be our class room/community room.   It will start out with folding chairs, but as money allows we will get some comfy chairs in there.  If you ever need a space to come and breastfeed baby, this space will be available for that while empty.  And we will have another space in the main retail area for mums to sit and feed in.

So we are pretty excited about this space.  It fills all of our unique needs, from retail, to office, to sewing, to classes, to homeschooling.  And located pretty centrally in Plano as well :)

Stay tuned, we will be taking plenty of photos of the changes that we make :)

Better to Love than to Hate

We’ve all heard the typical arguments as to why we should cloth diaper. It’s better for your budget, better for the environment, and better for your baby (Not to mention they are stinkin’ adorable!). However, there is one benefit that I have found since I started cloth diapering that I think is greatest of them all.

I diapered my now 3 year old twins for a little over 2 ½ years in disposable diapers.  I changed a lot of diapers every day and I hated it. I hated the squishy feeling of a pee soaked disposable. I hated the nasty, up-the-back-and-down-the-leg, poop explosions.  I hated the stinky garbage can.  I hated the huge boxes taking up space in my house. I think you get the picture.  I hated diapering my twins.

Now that I cloth diaper my 9 month old baby girl, I love diapering. I love the adorable prints and matching her diapers with her outfits. I love looking at her fluffy bum crawling around the house. I love looking for amazing deals on all the cloth diaper websites and for sale or trade forums. I love choosing which diaper I’m in the mood to use. I love seeing all her colorful diapers hanging outside in the sun and admiring her changing table after it has been freshly stocked with clean diapers. I love the cloth diapering community and how I finally feel like I “belong” somewhere.

For me, this is the greatest benefit of cloth diapering. I have to diaper my baby; there is no way around it. So instead of loathing it, I have embraced it. I think finding joy in the mundane things in life is a serious challenge, and I have found joy in diapering through cloth.

The Knickernappies Cloth Diaper Scavenger Hunt has ended and the winner according to Random.org is Joyce Dorsey!  Joyce has won a Knickernappies Doorknob Pail from Nappy Shoppe!  Perfect for storing those dirty diapers until laundry day.  The Doorknob Pail saves space and can be hung on a doorknob, hook, changing table or closet.  Live in a small apartment or with family or perhaps you just don’t have a diaper pail?  The Doorknob Pail will work great!

Joyce will receive a Doorknob Pail in the color of her choice from available stock.  Joyce please contact us or look for an email from us so that you can claim your prize.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Diaper Hunt, we hope you enjoyed yourself!

Before I had kids I saw a couple of women wearing their babies in Moby Wraps at a baby expo. I seriously thought it was the neatest contraption I had ever seen. When I got pregnant I was excited to get myself a Moby. When I found out I was expecting twins I remembered that those moms I had seen at the baby expo told me you could even use the Moby with twins, so I went ahead and bought one to see if it really worked.

I remember practicing how to put it on and using stuffed animals as pretend babies. Once I felt confident enough I tried it out with my twins. I didn’t use it much with the twins, but I did use it a handful of times when they were really little and colicky. It tended to calm them right down and put them to sleep so I could get a few minutes of peace and quiet.

When one of my friends had a baby I let her borrow my Moby to see if she liked it. When the twins were 2 we found out we were expecting another baby, and I began worrying about how I
was ever going to do anything in public with 2 toddlers and a baby. I kept thinking I was going to need a triple stroller but those things are pricey and HUGE! Eventually it dawned on me that I needed to get my wrap back. I could use my Moby Wrap to carry the baby and put the twins in the double stroller.

I have been wearing my daughter whenever I go out and about since she was an infant. I used the Moby a lot when she was little. She has always been a big mommy’s girl so she loves being so close to me. It comforts her and usually puts her to sleep. I even experimented a little with nursing in the Moby. It is definitely doable but not super easy to get her into position. When she was about 6 months old I made a mei tai (The tutorial I used can be found over at Still Learning Life Blog.) and have been using that ever since.  It is a little bit easier to put on than the Moby and works well for us. I think the mei tai is easier to nurse in and the hood works well as a cover up. If I know I’m going to be wearing her for a long time though, like at the zoo, then I will still use the Moby because it is a little bit more comfortable. The Moby is really wide so it distributes the weight better across my shoulders and back.

I love wearing my baby (and clearly she loves it too) and always get comments on my carriers, especially the Moby Wrap. The most frequently asked questions are if it is easy to put on and if it is comfortable. My answer is yes to both. There is a learning curve with both the Moby Wrap and the mei tai but after a couple of times they are quick and easy to put on. Both carriers are also very comfortable and distribute the weight across your back, shoulders, and hips. Like I said earlier though, the Moby does tend to be a bit more comfortable, especially for longer outings.

I’m always wanting to try out new carriers and thanks to an awesome Black Friday sale, I will soon have my very own Beco Butterfly II. I’m anxious to see how it compares with a wrap style carrier and a mei tai.

What is your favorite carrier and why?

This is our holiday gift to you.  Each of the 12 days we will  heavily discount an item as a gift to you!  What the items will be, well only the Christmas elves know what they are.  (In other words we are still figuring out what items will go on sale each day).

So sign up for our newsletter to get the daily email of what is on sale so that you do not miss out!

Here is what has been the deals so far …

Day 1 : 50% off medium Nappy Shoppe Single Pocket Wet Bags.

Day 2: 50% off Snuggle Hug Prefolds

Day 3: …

Many cloth diapering families are minimalists. If you’re using cloth for environmental reasons, then you probably aren’t interested in buying any unnecessary gear. And if you’re using cloth to save money, then you’ll avoid buying any extra accessories. However, even the most minimalist cloth diapering families need at least a few accessories in addition to the  cloth diapers themselves. If you’re interested in using cloth but aren’t sure what you need to buy besides diapers, here are some of the most useful accessories that no cloth diapering family should be without.

1. Wet bags. Ideally, you’ll get at least four of these: two large bags for laundry, and two small ones for storing wet and dirty diapers when you’re out. It is possible to use plastic bags instead. But even if doubling as wet bags gives you a chance to reuse plastic grocery bags, it’s still better for the environment to use cloth bags. Plus they’re cute, they don’t leak, and they have zippers.

2. Good cloth diaper detergent. You don’t necessarily have to go out and buy expensive detergent for washing your cloth diapers; there are lots of everyday detergents that are perfectly fine for cloth diapers. And some diapers (like pockets) are more sensitive to buildup than others (like prefolds). However, a good detergent can make the difference between loving and hating your cloth diaper stash. The wrong detergent, especially for more sensitive diapers, will cause leaks, rashes, staining, and all sorts of cloth diaper misery. Just make sure that you’re using a detergent that works well for your diapers and your baby. And if you do have a problem with rashes or leaks, start your troubleshooting by stripping your diapers and switching detergents.

3. Cloth wipes. Of course you don’t need cloth wipes–you can make do with disposable wipes. You’re already doing your part to save the planet, so why would you want to bother with cloth wipes as well? Because they’re so much better than disposable wipes. They’re softer and gentler on your baby’s skin. You can mix your own wipes solution, so it smells how you want it to–none of the chemical smell that many disposable wipes have. And they take up so little room in the wash, you won’t even have to do extra laundry.

4. A diaper sprayer. Once you’re past the liquid-only-water-soluble-poop stage, you’ll need something to help you get sticky poop off your cloth diapers before you throw them in the wash. Many families swear by a diaper sprayer, which allows you to pre-wash your diapers while putting poop where it belongs, in the toilet. However, some families have trouble with the water spraying everywhere. If you’re worried you’ll make a bigger mess with a sprayer, you can try the old-fashioned solution–a poop-scraping spatula. Just don’t mix it up with the kitchen spatula by mistake.

5. Diaper rash cream that’s safe for cloth diapers. Many babies have fewer (or no) rashes with cloth diapers, so you may never need this. But if you do need to use rash cream, make sure you find one that won’t leave residue on your diapers. Rash creams that aren’t safe for cloth diapers can leave stains and cause repelling and leaks.

What accessories do you consider essential for your cloth diaper stash?

Guest Blogger:

Lisa C. Baker is a full-time mom and part-time writer in Atlanta, Georgia. She writes about green parenting topics at Organic Baby Atlanta andteaches workshops on cloth diapers and elimination communication. She’s been a mom since 2008 and has never bought a disposable diaper; she hopes she’ll never need to!

Have you heard about Knickernappies Cloth Diaper Hunt?  It’s an online Scavenger Hunt of EPIC proportions from December 1-31st!

Nearly 30 Knickernappies Retailers are participating, including Nappy Shoppe, and there are just as many awesome Knickernappies prizes to be won!

How does it work?
Each Knickernappies Retailer who is sponsoring can be found in an album on Knickernappies Facebook page.  Along with their URL, you’ll find a link to their Facebook page and the prize for their leg of the hunt.  Visit each site and look for the icon with clue #1, there you’ll start your hunt.

After solving the clues you’ll find a final icon linked to an entry form.  There you can enter to win that sponsor’s prize.  *It’s suggested that you then go back to the Knickernappies Sponsor Album and comment on the ones you’ve found so that you don’t lose track.

Each sponsor’s hunt that you solve will not only qualify you for an entry into their giveaway but it will also earn you an entry into the Grand Prize Giveaway!  The more you solve, the greater your chances are of  winning the Grand Prize, a 6 pack of Knickernappies Custom Fit Pocket Diapers with Micro Inserts in the color and size of your choice!

Entry into the Grand Prize Giveaway can be found on Knickernappies.com!

What if you need help? 
Can’t figure out a clue?  Need a hint or a little extra help?  Each sponsor is responsible for helping hunters with their leg of the hunt.  Please visit their Facebook Page and ask questions or contact them directly.

First thing you need to do is register to hunt!
Fill out the  Form HERE  with your name and email address and LIKE each sponsors page.

*You have from December 1st-31st to figure out each sponsors clues and claim your entries into their giveaway and the Grand Prize Giveaway.

Although registration is starting just a little early, you will not be able to start hunting for the clues and icons until the 1st of December.

Nappy Shoppe participating in the Toys for Tots program this year, in conjunction with our landlord, Advantage Storage.  Here is the low down on the program.

U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program

MISSION: The mission of the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.GOAL: The primary goal of Toys for Tots is to deliver, through a new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to less fortunate youngsters that will assist them in becoming responsible, productive, patriotic citizens.OBJECTIVES: The objectives of Toys for Tots are to help less fortunate children throughout the United States experience the joy of Christmas; to play an active role in the development of one of our nation’s most valuable resources – our children; to unite all members of local communities in a common cause for three months each year during the annual toy collection and distribution campaign; and to contribute to better communities in the future.ACTIVITIES: The principal Toys for Tots activity which takes place each year is the collection and distribution of toys in the communities in which a Marine Corps Reserve Unit is located.  In communities without a Reserve Unit, the campaign can be conducted by a Marine Corps League Detachment or group of men and women, generally veteran Marines, authorized by Marine Toys for Tots Foundation to conduct a local Toys for Tots campaign.  Local Toys for Tots Campaign Coordinators conduct an array of activities throughout the year, which include golf tournaments, foot races, bicycle races and other voluntary events designed to increase interest in Toys for Tots, and concurrently generate toys and monetary donations.”

If you would like to donate a toy into our box or the box at the front office of Advantage Storage, please feel free to come and drop it off. Also if you purchase the toy through Nappy Shoppe, we have the following offer. Any Melissa and Doug toy purchased through Nappy Shoppe and donated to the Toys for Tots program will be 30% off, and any Melissa and Doug toys that you purchase for yourself will also be 30% off.

Can you guess each of the diapers on the dolls? There is a $25 gift certificate up for grabs to the person who guesses the best. Post your guesses in comments.

Please note to prevent spammers we have to approve comments, so give us a chance to release them.