You're expecting twins! Congratulations! Hopefully, it was a good surprise, but it was nonetheless a surprise to find that you were having not one but two babies. Now, you're hunting for the perfect nursery design, buying two of everything for twice the cost...The good news is, there are ways to make a creative nursery by doing more than just buying two of everything, and you can even save money while you're at it with these Twin Nursery Ideas!
1) DIY Bed For All Ages
While you'd ideally like to save money now, the reality is that you're going to have to support these twins for many years yet. Look for ways to save money in the long run, like a be for all ages. Get these woodworking plans from ptreeusa.com to build your own crib, saving money on labor initially and saving more money later. The crib can later be turned into a bed, so when your babies get older, you won't have to spend twice the money a second time to buy them beds.
2) Animals
Animals are always fun to have in a nursery since most children and babies love them. Instead of just buying random animals, though, pick an animal for each baby. Then, you can buy clothes and blankets with that animal on them to give each child a sense of individuality. This can be a big problem for twins since they're already sharing a nursery, and twins often have to share many things as they get older, including a birthday. Get something like this elephant bedding set for one twin and a similar set with a different animal for the other.
3) DIY Letters
Twins need to have ways of expressing their individuality from a young age, and while they might not notice yet, you need to practice treating them as individuals. One great way to give each of them something unique is to spell their names over their cribs with letters. Use this video tutorial by Crafts Cuts to make polka dot letters for them. The great thing about these is that you can find a lot of the materials from the dollar store if you wait until they're available at your local store.
4) Twin Nursery Center
While there are some things your babies can share, such as toys, it can be nice to have doubles of some things. Instead of buying two of everything, consider getting something like this twin nursery center. The center is designed for two babies, so you don't have to spend twice as much to buy two of the same thing. Try getting joint things like this for some of your larger furniture pieces, like cribs and organizers.
5) Twin Crib
Many parents with twins have considered getting a twin crib. This way, you don't have to buy two cribs, and you can give your babies a sense of closeness by having them share a crib...but is it a good idea? Read this article by Marygrace Taylor from whattoexpect.com to learn what sleeping situation is safe and unsafe for your twins. Even if you decide it's too dangerous for them to sleep together, you can get a divider for a single crib so that they can sleep near each other safely.
6) Blue and Pink
What genders are your babies? If you have one boy and one girl, think about ways to use that to make each of their spaces feel unique. One common way to show that you've got a baby girl or boy is to use the colors blue and pink, so why not use those in your twins' nursery? For things that are shared, get something like this that has both blue and pink, and then get blue stuff for the boy and pink stuff for the girl.
7) Blue and Green
If you have twin boys and need duplicates of everything, think about getting different colors for each baby so that you can tell each of their things apart. Do this for clothes, blankets, furniture, and more. You can add a coat of paint to give a little sense of individualism to them as they grow into toddlers. A straightforward way to prepare this is to use blue and green, since both are common boy's colors, and it'll be easy to find baby furniture in these colors. Try purple and pink if you have two girls.
8) See Through Crib Divider
Your twins are going to be closer than most siblings since they were born at the same time, will be the same age their whole lives, and are probably going to keep sharing a room as they get older. You want them to feel close to each other and draw comfort from each other as babies, so place their cribs near each other. If you don't want them in the same crib, but want them close by, think about getting a see-through crib divider like this so that they can still see each other and be close.
9) Unique Cribs
Cribs are one of the few pieces of furniture that you'll need to get for each baby. They generally can't or shouldn't share a crib, so these are a great opportunity to make each baby something unique. When you buy a crib, you probably pick the best one available for your budget, so there's no reason not to buy two of them. Instead of buying different cribs, buy two of the same ones, and paint them using this tutorial or customize them in other ways.
10) DIY Canopy
Canopies are lovely things to have on a crib. They look nice and help block light and noise when you're trying to tend to one baby, and the other is sleeping. You can use this video by Fixin To to learn how you can make a canopy yourself. This saves money and makes it so that you can customize each baby's canopy. You can even add to the canopies as they get older and begin to have favorite colors as toddlers.
11) Closet Dividers
Babies grow fast, and you'll want to keep clothes on hand for when they rapidly grow out of their old clothes. Since you have two sets of babies, it's even more important to keep track of their clothing and make sure you have a larger size ready. Get closet organizers like these to separate clothes easily by size. You can even get two sets of organizers so that each baby will have their own set of clothes, and people can tell them apart more easily.
12) Mint and Gold
Baby blue and green are typical colors for boys, but if you have two boys, you might not want both of them to be wearing the same colors and using the same color blankets. Find unique color combinations that look nice in the nursery and that you can find in stores. Mint and gold is a beautiful and coordinated choice, and you can find mint baby clothes and blankets in stores. Use tutorials like this to customize and paint mint and gold furniture, too.
13) Furniture Placement
You probably have your two babies in the same nursery because it's easy to tend to both babies at once. When they get older, you could give them separate rooms if you have enough space, but for now, a single nursery is much easier and less expensive than two. Try placing furniture in such a way that it's convenient for tending both babies. For example, you can put a table in between the two cribs so that you can easily access anything you need no matter which baby you're tending.
14) DIY Growth Chart
As your babies get older, you'll probably find yourself remembering something funny they did or something they loved, but realize that you can't remember which twin did it. While you can't always remember things perfectly, one thing you can make sure you have accurate memories of is your babies' growth. Make two growth charts like these to record your babies' growth so that you'll know how big each child was as they got older. This way, you can look back accurately and tell your kids who grew faster and how tall they were at a given time.
15) Canopy and Nook Castle
Canopies are an excellent way to give your babies privacy while they sleep. They reduce distractions and noise, particularly if there's another baby only a few feet away. Get a canopy like this for each of your infants' cribs, though you may want to find two different colors or designs. These are great because you can also use them as a little nook castle for your kids as they get older. Once they outgrow their cribs, hang the canopies in different corners of the room so that they can each have privacy to read or play.
16) Larger Chair or Loveseat
Most nurseries have a place in them where the parents can sit and read to the baby, nurse, or otherwise spend time by their baby's crib. Instead of getting a typical rocking chair, get a big loveseat or chair like the one in this picture. This way, you can hold both babies more comfortably if you want to, and you and your partner can sit together with the two little ones if you want to. Think about how you're likely to use the seat when you decide what type you need to get.
17) Doubles
Having twins doesn't need to be complicated; it really can be as easy as getting two of everything. After all, you chose a specific crib and changing table because they were the best you could get for your money, so why would you get an inferior one just to make it look different? Get doubles and embrace the joy of having not one but two little bundles of joy. If you have identical twins, you can even dress them similarly and decorate their cribs similarly as the designer did in this video by GlamorouslyLiving.
18) Twin Doll Sets
Your babies will always share the unique bond of being twins, and they'll always be in the unique situation of having a twin, so when you buy toys for the babies' room, think about ways to celebrate their uniqueness. For example, many children like to have baby dolls that look like them, so consider getting a twin doll set like this one from Amazon. You can get two dolls that look like your babies, and they can play together on this playset.
19) DIY Fabric Letters
Writing your child's name on the wall of their room is a great way to make them feel like it belongs to them as they grow up. Their names should be the first thing they learn to spell, and they should have the feeling that that little space is theirs. It's also great to have a label telling family friends and new babysitters which crib to put each baby down for a nap in. Use these instructions to make fabric letters that are soft and patterned, and use a different pattern for each name.
20) DIY String Art Names
Labeling a baby or child's space is a great way to make a space feel customized and show that it's their space. With twins, it's a nice way to separate their spaces, particularly if there are two of them in the same room and you can't put up a sign outside the door that says "Jo's Room." Use this video to learn how to make string art names for your babies, and give them a keepsake they can hold onto well past infancy.
21) Bedside Sleeper
Some parents prefer to sleep in the same room as their babies, and there's no reason you can't do so just because you've got twins. If you like the idea of cosleeping but aren't sure how to do it with twins, think about getting a bedside sleeper like this one from Amazon that's designed for two babies. This way, you can make your room their nursery and keep them close by in case something happens during the night.
Did any of these ideas appeal to you? Every family is different, and yours is no exception. Tell us about your twin nursery in the comments below.