Generally speaking, we take most memes and cobbled together graphics we see on social media with a grain of salt, but recently one internet “fact” had our home office buzzing.
The claim is a Russian woman, over the course of 40 years, gave birth to 69 children. The total included 16 pairs of twins, 7 sets of triplets and 4 sets of quadruplets.
Too Good to Be True?
Now this seemed too crazy to be true, but research shows this may have actually happened. One Mrs. Vassilyev, wife of Feodor Vassilyev, is said to have given birth to 69 babies between the years 1725 and 1765. Record keeping from that time period can be kind of sketchy, for instance we don’t know Mrs. Vassilyev’s dates of birth and death or even her first name, but we’re going to show some faith and give Mrs. Vassilyev her due credit for both her prolificacy in bringing children into the world and talent for raising them. Records indicate of her 69 children, 67 survived infancy, which is staggering when you consider the infant mortality rate in Europe in during the 18th Century was close to 50%.
Having that many kids today is beyond comprehension, but growing families of any size can feel kinship with the Vassilyev’s when it comes to at least one thing. As families grow, they need more space. They need space to live and they need space for their stuff. This is where self storage can help ease the growing pains.
Hand-Me-Downs are a staple of any growing family. The oldest kid grows out of clothes the younger sibling eventually grows into. Baby items like cribs, strollers and beds are tucked away when there’s an expectation a new little one might be coming along at some point.
Don’t Throw Things Away: Put it in Storage
Don’t let all that stuff clutter up a home that already feels smaller as your children grow up. Put hand-me-downs into storage and you can take advantage of the convenience and affordability of reusing clothes and equipment which are in perfectly fine condition without using up valuable space in your home.
You can also use your storage unit to keep up with the myriad of activities you children participate in, and which seem to consume the majority of your time. Sports equipment, camping gear, books, musical instruments and anything else your kids are using can be kept out of the way during the offseason or when your kids’ interests shift. You can always sell things your kids will never use again, but self storage will help keep you from making that move before you’re sure it’s the right way to go.
Self storage doesn’t just help families grow; it can help your home grow too. There’s the sense you’ll feel of living in a larger home when you use your storage unit to help get clutter out of the way, but storage is also the perfect way to help facilitate a remodel of, or addition to, your home. Whether it’s protecting furnishings during the construction process or safeguarding your valuable tools and materials, self storage is perfect option for making home improvement easier.
You don’t need dozens of kids for your home to start feeling a bit cramped. Find out how self storage can leave room for everyone to grow.