I've had 3 sets of twins in 5 years. I do 4 loads of laundry a day and have our robot vacuum going all night.

• Kathleen Marie gave birth to twins in 2015, 2018, and 2021.
• She's not a natural planner but knows that she needs to stay organized in the chaos.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kathleen Marie. It has been edited for length and clarity.

Having one set of twins is a lot, so imagine what life is like with three sets of them. With six children 7 years old and under, the summer holidays certainly keep me on my toes. It's a shock to the system having them all at home for 10 weeks, but once I adjust, I love it.

For me, staying organized is crucial. We love going on days out, but they take a lot of prep. For a family of our size, getting out and about takes a huge amount of time and effort. We use a four-seater wagon for local trips and an eight-seater minivan with sliding doors for longer ones. Eating out is too chaotic and expensive, so we tend to take picnics.

We go out a lot

Last week we went to the beach. My husband Adam and I put 12 sandwiches, a pack of salami, two packs of cheese, a bag of carrots, a family-sized box of crackers, and a bag of dried cranberries into the minivan, along with diapers, milk, a tent, double stroller, and toys. I helped my three sets of twins — James and Julia, who are 7; Mikey and Marie, who are 5; and Leo and Luke, who are 2 — get in their seats. Before we'd even set off, I felt exhausted.

We go on lots of day trips — to the farm, the park, to indoor and outdoor playgrounds. But downtime is really important too. I've learned not to try to pack too much into each day. I plan days out and home days. Each day out is followed by at least one day at home, where we play in the yard or read books.

Organization is key

Being organized is essential in our home — especially during the summer break — but I'm not a natural planner. Before having all my children, I was winging it. But since having all of our kids, everything has changed.

Trying to keep on top of housework with all the kids at home all day is a nightmare. I use a robotic vacuum, and I leave it on when we go to bed so it vacuums while we sleep. Some days I do three or four loads of laundry. I try to make sure our hampers with clean clothes are always stocked.

I order frozen food in bulk and have it delivered since going to the store with all the children can feel impossible. Each week we get through at least four gallons of milk, six loaves of bread, a few blocks of cheese, 20 bags of crackers, and 40 personal-size yogurts.

I always wanted a big family

Having three sets of twins is not for the faint of heart. Even having one set is a shock to your world.

When I found out I was pregnant with Julia and James, it was a huge surprise. I had no idea there was a family history of twins. But from the moment they were born, I realized it's a huge privilege and blessing to be raising twins and watching the magical bond between them. I couldn't believe it when I fell pregnant with a second set of twins, Mikey and Marie. And not in a million years did it occur to me that it was possible to fall pregnant with twins for a third time.

The odds of having three consecutive sets of twins were at least one in 200,000. I had more chances of winning the lottery.

Although we didn't plan for one set of twins — let alone three — I love how things have turned out. I always wanted a big family. All the children are close and play nicely together.

With three sets of twins, it's triple the mess and chaos but also three times the cuddles, the laughter, and the fun. I feel lucky to have them all.

Kathleen Marie is a mom of three sets of twins. You can follow her and her family on @halfadozentwins as well as on their family website: halfadozentwins.com.