Thoughts about Minimalism with Twins

I have been thinking a lot about how our life is going to change once these twins are born.  I have a feeling a lot of it is going to need an overhaul, and things are going to be quite different.  One of the things I am hopeful about, is that we will still be be able to maintain minimalism in our home.

Right now, minimalism is hard for me, because we are living on top of someone else's stuff (my in-laws furniture, appliances, books and regular household stuff), so I can't keep things quite as simple as I would like, but one area that I can completely control is the baby department in our home.

With Fox, we did some modifications to make our closet work for him, and tried to buy as little as possible up front.  This worked out really well, and I felt like we didn't end up with a bunch of baby stuff that only got used for a few months.

This time around, we will probably do the same.  If I get totally desperate for some baby item, I can always pick it up at the Target down the street or have it shipped via Amazon, so I like getting stuff once you need them, rather than trying to anticipate every need that we might have.

Copper Pearl Cross Crib Sheet// Copper Pearl Burp Cloths// Bum Genius Cloth Diapers// woodland jammies// hat and mittens (similar)

A few things I do need to buy/I have bought include:

- another car seat (or possibly two new ones, depending on how big our babies are when they are born).

- a full-sized crib (a nice neighbor actually gave us one that we will use for them both at first).

- several crib sheets (My friends from Texas own Copper Pearl, and generously sent me this one and this one, which look darling in the crib!).

- diapers.  Running out of these in snowy December doesn't sound like any fun, so I will probably buy 2 packs of newborn, and a few packs of size 1.

- a breast pump cord.  Our first day in France two years ago, I decided to pump, completely forgot that I needed a power adaptor, not just a plug adaptor, and frazzled the cord (thankfully the pump still works).  I borrowed one from a friend who wasn't pregnant last time, so I finally bought one, because I am going to try to breast feed for as long as makes sense.

A few things I want to buy:

- prints from WildShip.  I like having a cute space for my babies, and while I don't go all out, I am sorely tempted to get three of these prints to hang above their crib.

- a glider.  I kept wishing I had a glider after we had Fox, but they are typically expensive, and I don't think I can fit me and two babies in one, so I might hold off on this one.

- a full bath set from Tubby Todd.  I am not a fan of bubble bath, but I am dying to try their lotion, shampoo and other baby bath products.  I have some of their all-over ointment, and it is working miracles right now with Fox's dry skin, so I am almost ready to take the plunge and order some more.

Things I am waiting on:

- A swing or bouncers.  I hate the idea of how much space they take up (although we currently have room for them), and they are typically kind of expensive.  So for now, we are going to wait.  We didn't use them for Fox, but he didn't have a 2 1/2 year old older brother that will potentially love on him excessively, and need to be off the floor.

- More clothes.  I actually have a lot of newborn clothes.  I think these are people's favorites to buy, because they are so tiny, so I have quite a collection, but we will see how far they will actually go once they are clothing two babies.  Also, I might end up needing some preemie stuff, if they are really little.  Again, time will tell.  I really wish I could spend lots of our money on darling matching baby pajamas and stuff, but my frugality just won't let me.  Thankfully, we should be just fine without my spending urges.

Any suggestions for a minimalist parent of twins?  Things I should consider getting, or things that I can do without?

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The all-purpose wrapping paper

A few months ago, I used up the last of my fancy wrapping paper, and a few days ago, I was looking for something to wrap a baby gift in, and realized that my roll of brown paper was all I had for wrapping.  THEN, I realized how perfect it was for wrapping gifts.  For every. single. occasion. ever. But really.

Here are a few reasons why I am planning on keeping mine around for the long haul (whether it is trendy or not):

1. It's Recyclable - If you have read any green living post on this blog, you know I am all about reducing waste.
2. It's good for every holiday known to man - Super convenient, right?
3. It is extremely versatile - Seriously, you can put almost any type of ribbon or bow on it, and it will match (yep, even the ugly Minnie Mouse ribbon).
4. You can give it personal touches - Let your kids color on it, give it a cute pattern with a stamp, or draw stripes on it.
5.  It can double as packing paper for a move (that is most likely what will happen to the rest of my current roll).
6.  Mine was $1 at the dollar store, and had way more than the 2 feet of wrapping paper that most rolls hold (does anyone else hate how little most wrapping paper rolls have on them? $7 for a roll, and it is gone in 3 gifts. Bleh)
7.  Your gifts will all match each other under the Christmas tree or on the birthday pile (this is a big deal to me)!

Have you ever used brown paper to wrap stuff?  Or are you all about the fancy patterned paper?

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Sailing into Summer + A Video

Some of our best friends here in Texas bought a sail boat last summer while we were in Utah.  I remember being surprised, because even though the husband of this couple loves sailing, it seemed like a big purchase for a hobby.

Then they invited us out on it.  And I totally changed my tune.  It was seriously amazing.  First off, I think being around water is super relaxing (well, unless you have a toddler... it is slightly less relaxing then), but the waves lapping against the boat, and going wherever the wind wants to take you is kind of a magical idea.

Also, few people get great service out on the water, so having your phone out all the time, isn't really an option (especially if you are like me and are paranoid of dropping it into the water).  Which makes for real quality time with family and friends on the boat.  It was great to actually be able to talk without everyone pulling out their phone (except to take photos), every three minutes.

I also love the idea of being able to teach your kids valuable skills about how to problem solve, take a sail up and down, be responsible with an expensive piece of property, and how to not fall off the boat.

It is also a great way to just be together.  Our friend's boat is 30 feet long, which is a big sailboat, but small enough that you really are forced to spend time together, which is really great.

I like speedboats, but there is a totally different feeling when you are on a sailboat.  It doesn't go fast, you can't do water sports (except tubing), off the back, and it just feels very relaxed.  Totally my kind of water outing.  I am pretty terrible at water sports, so sitting on the deck, and occasionally steering is just my idea of a perfect day out on the water.

I did a little video about it below.

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The Green Life Edit: Reusable Cloths

Three or four years ago, I stumbled onto a book called "Zero Home Waste."  I have mentioned it in the past here, so you may have heard of it, but it was my first introduction into a seriously hardcore approach to green living.  Basically a woman and her family of four produce a quart size jug of trash every year.  Seriously.  They recycle, do without, or reuse everything.  And she lives in a gorgeous house, her kids eat cookies every day, and she seems somewhat normal for being that hippie.

Anyway, I have thought lots about this book over the past few years, and have often been inspired to make changes in my life, based on some of her suggestions.

One habit that I had a really hard time changing was using paper towels.  I knew they were super wasteful, because even though the biodegrade, they aren't recyclable, and you only use them once.

I didn't buy them very often before (once every few months, because my grocery budget has always been really small), but there are somethings that I always wanted to use a paper towel for. But in September, when we moved back to Austin, I decided that I would pull all my napkins and cloths out of storage, and use them for sinks, counters, dishes, sticky baby fingers, and everything else.  We haven't bought paper towels since.

The photo above is shows about 1/3 of what I actually have.  I have to do an additional load of laundry every week, just to make sure I have enough to get us through, because we use them so much, but they have been amazing.

The blue cloths on top are a set that I made out of an old pair of Adam's PJ pants.  I love these!  They are flannel, and the fabric is thin, but absorbent, and because they are a dark blue, they don't stain easily.  I just serged around the edges for a finish, and they make a great cleaning cloth. I often wish I had more than four.  They are great for cleaning the sink, counters, and floor.  I don't ever use these to wipe the toddler, because they go in too many other gross places.

The red and white napkins are Christmas napkins, but we use them year round, primarily for wiping hands and faces (occasionally the table, too).  The color is actually pretty helpful, because we often eat beet and tomato soup, so I don't worry about getting the napkins stained.

The blue and white cloths on the bottom are for hand drying and drying dishes.  I try not to use these for the toddler either, because they stain easily.

I have been amazed at how much I don't miss paper towels, now that I have enough cloths to really run the kitchen.  We go through 3 or 4 a day sometimes, but I know that I am doing the eco-friendly thing, so I feel really good about it.

How about you?  Have you ever thought about switching up your routine to include more eco-friendly practices?

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Garage Sale-ing for Dummies

Before I had Fox, I decided that the best way to get some great toys and baby stuff would be buy them second hand.  We have been living on a student budget for the past 5 1/2 years, so buying all new things was out of the question.

We had generous friends and a work baby shower that gave us a lot of the essentials for Fox, but I still thought it would be great to find a few toys for when he got a little older (and I was just excited to get some baby stuff).

I found out that a friend from church was a big garage sale-er and the next time she went, I tagged along.  She is really amazing.  She goes garage sale-ing in October, and gets all her Christmas gifts for her kids (she has 5), and is a super savvy buyer.

Here are a few things I learned from her and a few subsequent garage sales:

1.  Don't be afraid to walk away without buying anything (even if you are friends with the person selling).

2.  If you think the price is to high, ask for a lower price.  The worst thing they can say is no, and if you don't think it is worth it, walk away.

3.  Go with a specific list in mind, but be open to other items that might be useful.

4. Be prepared to drive around a lot, and get out a lot (I would recommend that you don't take little kids on this outing).

5.  Look for items you might need in the future (baby items, Christmas gifts, etc).

6. With the previous point in mind, don't just buy stuff because it is cheap!  Get things that will actually benefit your life.

7. Start early.  The best stuff goes to those who get there first.  If you can go at 7AM, you get first pickings.

I love garage sales because not only do you get some great stuff on the cheap, but it is also a great way to get to know people in your community better.  It is a wonderful way to buy second hand, and do a good thing for the environment.

Do you have an pearls of garage sale wisdom to share?  Let me know in the comments!

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