Karen,

What sort of area is this? Purely decorative ( never planning on planting in it)? Bed prep for next year? Sloping area? Flat? What size? What type of mulch?

If you are preparing for planting for next year, I would lay cardboard and/or newspaper (lots of layers of newspaper, thoroughly soaked before putting down) and then kay the mulch. That will do much better for weed prevention than purely mulch.

In your area, you may be able to also get free stuff to put on your beds as folks are doing their yard cleanings, raking old leaves out of beds and doing that first mowing. Very "delicious" types of stuff on the curb when this activity starts. You can then cover this with a more decorative pine bark mulch (or other organic mulch) and all of it will help feed your soil.

If you are cleaning out an area and are just covering with mulch for a quick cover up, no intention of planting in it, the weed cloth might be appropriate for your situation. It just won't help the soil any.

An article in the current issue of Organic Gardening magazine reports that researchers at Texas A & M have found that the "weed blocker" fabrics will keep nutrients that are placed on them from getting into the soil.

Weed blockers are often discussed. People have different experiences with them, as I have. I used to use them around trees and close to areas I was cultivating. I would end up cutting the stuff up and it would deteriorate, and I would have to re-cover it, etc.

Now --- to you. Having said that, I do like it for walkway areas. I have put it down on slight slopes covered in wood chips and have not had a problem with rains washing it away (unless you have a really steep slope). If it's a slight slope, no problem with putting down chips and having them stay in place. You WILL eventually get some weeds --- weed blockers don't block all weeds --- but they help. If you're using for a walkway, then you don't care (as someone else mentioned) if nutrients get through or not.
The newspaper option is very good, and works. Part of what deteriorates weed blockers is UV. You cut a whole lot down on that by first putting down newspaper.