You guys. Can we talk about twins and their ‘stuff’? I mean, having kids inherently means having more stuff, but ever since I announced a twin pregnancy, I feel like I literally have double of everything I need. In the infant days, at one point we had two swings, two of those vibrating bouncer things, two pack n’ plays (well, 6 if you count grandma’s house, auntie’s house, my trunk, the babysitter’s, etc), two. of. everything. It stacks up. I don’t know about you, but I definitely don’t have the patience, nor do I have the time to manage mountains of crap.

I consider myself so lucky to have friends and family who have helped us out along the way, gifting us this or that. My twins would have nothing without the help of others! I think most parents would agree – getting baby gifts rule. I loved every second of it.

However, it’s virtually impossible for everyone to know when you already have something or when you might not be in dire need of an item. Disclaimer: it is also super adorable when twins match, and buying two identical things at the store is fun, because, you know, identical twins. What no one tells you is this: you have to find somewhere to store it and not look like you belong on an episode of Hoarders.

Now that my twins are four, I look back at their first year, when I thought the large scale baby items that took up some space in our living room and garage were an issue. And I laugh. Silly me. With those items being long donated away to friends with new babies, I stare at the monster pile of ‘stuffys’ and try to strategize how I can possibly manage them without getting rid of beloved Red Baby or Little Pink Bun Bun. How is it that when I attempt to donate ONE teeny, tiny stuffed animal, that one of the twins will know exactly which one is not present in the ever-growing pile? HOW?! Please tell me how four-year-olds become complete geniuses when it comes to this.

Clearly I am a failure at keeping our stuffy collection at bay; however, my husband and I have a system that kind of works. Our house isn’t giant and our storage is limited. We wouldn’t call ourselves minimalists by any means (my husband collects beer cozies for God’s sake!) BUT we have gotten “ok” at clearing house every so often. Here are some things that work for us:

  • Rotate toys: we keep some things hidden in the garage so that all toys in the house get used. For example, recently we moved the kitchen set into the garage for a bit, and then we set up the doll beds and stroller ‘center’ instead. If we have both out, the beds get tripped over and the strollers get pushed aside. In a couple weeks, we’ll switch back to the kitchen set.
  • Go through the closet when ALL the laundry is dirty: after a busy week, when most/all of the desirable underwear and socks are dirty, the only clothes left in the closet are the ones that no one wants to wear. Things are too small, too itchy, too whatever. DONATE DONATE DONATE. I figure, if I clear out the closet frequently, someone else will benefit, and I don’t have to feel bad when I go shopping and find something cute for the twins. It is so easy to let old clothes stack up, for kids and adults alike. I know I feel less guilty buying for myself if I adhere to the “one out, one in” rule, so the same goes for the kids’ clothes. .
  • Sidenote to the above: My sister-in-law once told me this, and I stand by it: Wear the nice clothes! I used to think that dresses and fancy clothes should be saved for special occasions but my SIL enlightened me that this is in fact not true. We have like two dress up occasions a year. Those nice dresses hanging all perfectly in the closet? Yea, they’ll be too small by time the next event rolls through. WEAR THE DRESSES. My twins are famous for wearing super formal dresses to do things like rake leaves and go to HEB. YOLO, amiright?
  • If it doesn’t fit in a bin or on a shelf, donate it. We have a strict bin/shelf system. It needs to fit somewhere or it goes. I find that if I am struggling to find a spot for something, it either goes or something else goes so it can stay. I’m telling you, “one out, one in” is a good rule of thumb for clothes and toys alike.

While I am no Marie Kondo (you should see my laundry pile mountain right now), I would like to think that my attempts at tidying up are in the direction of “life-changing.” Maybe not. But I try, as one must with twins. Four-year-olds are ridiculously good at sneaking in contraband. On a recent night when I went to check on the twins, I found 3 hair ties, a stuffed bunny that I thought had gone missing, a ribbon from Christmas, and a bathing suit in one of the twins’ beds. Like, how? She had a death grip on a scrap of paper with a week old grocery list. I told you, my methods are not perfect. I don’t even remember writing a grocery list!

Either way, I hope my tips can at least help you (and me!) stay on the right track. Please enlighten me with other clutter-reduction tips! Four-year-olds are hoarders.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here