So, you are expecting not just one bundle of joy, but two…congratulations! It’s always an exciting time to be expecting a child, and now it’s double the excitement, right? And the anticipation is coupled with a little anxiety when it comes to preparing for two.

One of the most exciting things to prepare is the nursery. Coming up with the theme, colors, and buying all the furniture brought out a childlike excitement that was contagious when sharing it with my husband. And, that was just for one at the time. I can’t imagine two, except through the following quote I found by an anonymous source: “It’s double the giggles and double the grins, and double the trouble if you’re blessed with twins.”

But, back to the room. You want the room to be inviting, warm, and safe. That is no different than when planning for just one baby. However, I am going to share some things that you will need to consider for twins.

1. Timing is Everything

Normally  I would say take your time and don’t rush into doing the nursery, because you should take plenty of time to research things such as safety guidelines, styles, and cost. And, I’m not saying these things shouldn’t be researched just because you’re having twins. They absolutely should be.

However, maybe it should be done just a little faster. Multiple births are notorious for coming early, and you want to be prepared.

2. From Sharing the Womb to Sharing the Room

More often than not, twins share a room, especially in the first year. While they are infants, with night-time feedings and changings, it’s more than reasonable to have it all combined in one room for convenience. Having the diaper supplies, toys, clothes, and equipment all together makes sense when it comes to saving your sanity.

In addition, it’s a matter of space. Early on, you might not have the additional space to dedicate for two nurseries, especially if you have help from grandparents spending a week or two in the beginning to meet their grandbabies.

There is nothing wrong with sharing a room, as kids have done it for decades. Even if the gender is not the same, it can be done early on. Of course you might not want to decorate in all pink, with Disney princess wall decorations, if you have both a girl and boy, but you can split the design. One side of the room could be the princess theme, and Cars on the other side. But, I’ll get into that a little later though.

3. Two Be or Not Two Be

The first instinct is to buy two of everything. But, there is no need for that, when it comes to furniture at least. You probably won’t be changing more than one baby at a time, so there is no need for two changing tables. And trust me, there will be times you change on the floor, couch, backseat of the car, and more unusual places anyway.

Other items that you will NOT need to double up on:

• Monitor
• Diaper pail
• Rocking chair
• Play pen
• Hamper

Of course you will want to buy extra in certain things, such as clothing, and possibly a crib. Notice I said possibly…

4. Crib or Cribs

Many parents of twins allow them to sleep in the same crib for quite a while, even if they aren’t the same gender. There is plenty of time to worry about separating them later. However, if you want to save on money, as well as space, use a crib divider, which will allow them to sleep in the same crib easily.

If the nursery has enough room, you could have two cribs if you feel the need to separate them right away. But, then you would also need double the bedding, mattress, and mobile.

5. Double the Fun with Decorating

Decorating for twins can be just as fun, if not more, than decorating for one. There are twin themes such as Noah’s Ark, Thing 1 and Thing 2,   or stripes and polka dots.

Take for example Noah’s Ark. You could find bedding that fits that theme, or go with plain bedding and capture the Ark theme in accessories. Buying two of various stuffed animals is one way to do that, or framed photos of pairs of animals on the wall.

If it’s a boy and girl, and plan on having two cribs in the room, you can divide the theme. Have a princess and prince theme, with one side of the room pink with girly princess items, and the other blue with prince and boy items. Perhaps the divide seems a bit harsh, so there is nothing wrong with mixing it then. I watch of lot of design shows to get ideas for my own home and quite often they show walls in the room with more than one color.

Mickey and Minnie would also be a good option for twins of mixed gender. And, it allows you to tap into an entirely different color plan, if you want to stay away from the ‘predictable’ pink and blue.

A few ways to add to the décor, without taking up space, is to paint the furniture bright and various colors, wall decals, changing drawer knobs for artistic ones, and framed photos for the walls.

In Closing

Perhaps the main point to remember here is, you don’t need two of everything, just because they are twins. Just make it fun, comfortable, functional, and most importantly, safe.

About the Author

Kathy Barber is fortunate to turn her passion for writing into a full-time career as a freelance writer. She is currently working on a series about kids rooms, stemming from research of the fun Disney murals kids love. Kathy also likes to write on topics such as Internet businesses, medical, and travel. When she is not writing, Kathy loves spending time with her family.

Earnest Parenting: help for new parents about to decorate their nursery.

Image courtesy of tadt3 via Creative Commons license, some rights reserved.