Twin Nursery Ideas and Preparation

One of the joys of preparing for your twins’ arrival is making sure their nursery is ready. Preparing a twin nursery can be as overwhelming as you want it to be.

As a father, your concerns are most likely along the lines of “what are the essentials that I need for my babies?”

I know I had a very utilitarian view of the nursery.

My wife on the other hand, had great visions of decorating the room.

You’ll likely see some struggle with your spouse over what is necessary vs. what is nice to have in the twin nursery.

My advice is to cover the basics first and then move on to the extras. Let’s cover what you absolutely need in your twins’ nursery:

Cribs

While twins can share a crib when you bring them home from the hospital, it is safest for them to each have their own crib. You’ll need two cribs eventually so you might as well get each of these setup and positioned where you want them.

We liked to have our cribs close enough to each other that one parent could stand between them and still reach in and soothe two crying babies in two different cribs.

Plan where your cribs will go first then the rest of the room will go around that.

Keep in mind that as your twins get older, you’ll likely want to move their cribs to opposite ends of the room so they don’t distract each other as easily.

Changing Table

You can get down on the floor and change every diaper your kids fill. I know we changed our fair share of diapers on the floor.

However, if you want to save your back and have an easy, central location to change diapers, get a diaper changing table.

We had our main changing table and diapering station in our girls’ room.

Storage

Your twins need a place to store all their clothes, diapers, and related baby supplies.

As infants, their clothes are small and you’ll be sharing a single dresser.

Your changing table might also double as a storage shelf for diapers and supplies.

Seating

Depending on the size of your twin nursery, you might be running out of room after you add the cribs, a changing table, and dresser.

If you’ve still got space, consider adding a rocking chair. This will make soothing babies easier in the middle of the night.

However, if you’ve got a spouse or someone else helping with the babies, you’ll find yourself walking out to the living area of the home to soothe the babies.

With our girls, when one twin was sleeping and the other was inconsolable, we’d walk her out of the room so she wouldn’t wake up her sister. If you think you might spend more time with your twins in the main living area, consider putting your rocking chair there instead of the twin nursery.

Safety

As you furnish and decorate your twin nursery, always remember to keep an eye open for potential safety issues. Click here for a comprehensive list of things to check from a certified professional child proofer.

While they are infants, the primary safety focus is on where they sleep. Keep their cribs clear of blankets, stuffed animals, toys, etc. that could lead to entanglement or suffocation issues.

Be mindful that as your twins grow, they will be able to reach out of their cribs to things that you thought were at a safe distance.

Decorations and Themes

I include decorations and nursery themes at the end of your preparations as they are not absolutely necessary. All of the above items can be matched to your chosen theme that will make the twin nursery super cute and your wife happy.

Below are some sample twin nursery ideas from my twin nursery ideas Pinterest board:

Follow Dad’s Guide to Twins’s board Twin Nursery Ideas on Pinterest.

Yes, these pictures look amazing. Will they look like that once you bring the twins home? Absolutely not. Enjoy the pristine condition while you can.

Remember that you’ll need function over form (or beauty/cuteness) once the twins are born. Balance decoration and theme choices with the logistical needs of caring for two infants.

What do I do first?

Feeling overwhelmed with where to start in your twin nursery? Start with the cribs. That way if you are stuck and can’t make any other decisions (or the twins come early), you’ll have a place for them to sleep.

Make your list and tackle each item one by one. Plan for time to assemble cribs and other furniture as that always takes five times as long as you think it will.

Best of luck with your twin nursery!

Pictures by bhenak, Uri Baruchin and Mark Bologna