Shortly after the initial celebratory days of finding out that my husband and I were having twins, the reality of planning to bring home two babies quickly set in. Planning is a part of my nature, as is being well-organized.

The news that we were having twins, while so exciting and literally the best news of my life, was also a bit of a wrench in our plan to start a family.

We did not expect two babies. This was most apparent where our living quarters were concerned.

My husband, Andy, and I had lived happily in our beloved first home together—a narrow, three-story, 1,200-square-foot townhouse. We knew we could make it work for one baby no problem. But two? Our tiny second and third bedrooms on the third floor literally were not large enough to hold two cribs and a changing table.

Unsure how all four of us were going to fit in our townhouse and looking at the worst real estate market in 50 or so years, we decided to think outside the box. The result? We decided the twins would take the master bedroom—the largest room in the house—and we would move up to the third floor, creating a bedroom and sitting area/study on that level.

The twins’ nursery ended up becoming not only our favorite room in the house but also a highly efficient place to raise two small babies.

Take a look:

If you are living in a small space and trying to figure out how to raise two babies inside it, here are a few helpful tips for small spaces:

• Remember, you don’t need two of everything.
• Discover ways to use the space you have differently (i.e., rearrange closets or create a feeding pantry).
• Prior to the twins’ arrival, get your house in order. Store or donate items that you do not use. (Rule of thumb: If you have not touched something in over a year, you probably do not need it.) This is also a great time to organize photos and special mementos that you will want to show your twins one day.
• Purchase cribs that convert into toddler beds. The toddler beds will allow the twins to continue to sleep in a crib-sized space for a few additional years.

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