Using cloth napkins: my itty-bitty part to save the earth

There is a lot of talk about being "green". One small change people are encouraged to try is to use cloth napkins. I tried it for a while, but with 5 at our table(three of them being children)it was a big hassle. I already had a ton of laundry. Why would I want to add to THAT? Being one to not give up easily, I came up with a solution that eased the burden of extra laundry. Here are two different ways to extend the use cloth napkins.



The first idea is to use different napkin holders. Every person has their own. Here is a cute little hen that holds my napkin.




Another idea is to use a different colored or patterned napkin for each person.




I've used different colored napkins, but the napkin holders are all the same.



I always thought you had to wash your napkins after each use, but if you think about it, they really don't get that dirty. I don't think my kids EVER used them, but I insisted they ACT like they had manners.

I've gotten most of my cloth napkins in the clearance section of T.J. Maxx. I've even made a few. Here is an idea of how to make your own out of old shirts! I think I'll give it a try.