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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>I Need A Bigger House!
cillybean83 08:30 AM 02-08-2011
So my playroom/daycare room is pretty much catered to toddlers, there isn't room to have an infant area sectioned off.
The bedroom that my boys share has a full size bed for my 8 year old, my 13 month olds crib, my son's school desk and school supplies (he's homeschooled), a tv stand for my sons tv and xbox, a gaming chair, and a playpen that gets broken down every night and put under the crib...it's only set up for naps.
My living room has a pack n play with the bassinet attachment for the new baby that starts monday, a swing, another pack n play, and an exercauser PLUS my living room furniture.
My kitchen/dining room has a china hutch that is dedicated to games and crafts, the high chair, and almost everything is done at the table (crafts, games, eating, school work, etc) which is why I don't want to invest in a nice new dining room set.
I know there has to be a better way to set things up, organize, etc...I just don't know how to go about it!
Any tips? You can see a lot of pics of my house at
diapers2diplomasdaycare.weebly.com
Please help me have a livable home lol
The bedroom that my boys share has a full size bed for my 8 year old, my 13 month olds crib, my son's school desk and school supplies (he's homeschooled), a tv stand for my sons tv and xbox, a gaming chair, and a playpen that gets broken down every night and put under the crib...it's only set up for naps.
My living room has a pack n play with the bassinet attachment for the new baby that starts monday, a swing, another pack n play, and an exercauser PLUS my living room furniture.
My kitchen/dining room has a china hutch that is dedicated to games and crafts, the high chair, and almost everything is done at the table (crafts, games, eating, school work, etc) which is why I don't want to invest in a nice new dining room set.
I know there has to be a better way to set things up, organize, etc...I just don't know how to go about it!
Any tips? You can see a lot of pics of my house at
diapers2diplomasdaycare.weebly.com
Please help me have a livable home lol
dEHmom 08:41 AM 02-08-2011
We have a tiny house, and so bookshelves have become our saviors, along with rubbermaid (or like) bins. Stacking bins in closets helps ALOT. Book shelves are not just for books. I've loaded mine with bins, and all the little houses/castles/barnyards, etc. I would suggest some large bookshelves, and adjust the heights of the shelves so the push toys for the LO's can fit underneath. I see a batman house/cave or something in front of the desk, that would fit underneath as well.
Than, you'll find much of the lined up stuff along the wall will have a home, and it'll be more confined in one general spot, as opposed to lined up all around the room. Make sense?
Then the playpen you might find could stay open in a room, maybe even 2 playpens in one room or something.
I struggle with the organization and tidiness of my house often, and found the the bookshelves help me out ALOT. And storing the other stuff in the closets.
Edit: Added pictures now. I know my entertainment unit looks crowded right now, shhhh....but I love that it has storage on the side, behind all the bins on the bottom there are movies stacked in there, then the bins go in front. The side cupboard on the ent. unit filled with movies. We look for as much hidden storage as possible and that helps create a much larger feel.
Than, you'll find much of the lined up stuff along the wall will have a home, and it'll be more confined in one general spot, as opposed to lined up all around the room. Make sense?
Then the playpen you might find could stay open in a room, maybe even 2 playpens in one room or something.
I struggle with the organization and tidiness of my house often, and found the the bookshelves help me out ALOT. And storing the other stuff in the closets.
Edit: Added pictures now. I know my entertainment unit looks crowded right now, shhhh....but I love that it has storage on the side, behind all the bins on the bottom there are movies stacked in there, then the bins go in front. The side cupboard on the ent. unit filled with movies. We look for as much hidden storage as possible and that helps create a much larger feel.
Little People 09:00 AM 02-08-2011
Originally Posted by cillybean83:
So my playroom/daycare room is pretty much catered to toddlers, there isn't room to have an infant area sectioned off.
The bedroom that my boys share has a full size bed for my 8 year old, my 13 month olds crib, my son's school desk and school supplies (he's homeschooled), a tv stand for my sons tv and xbox, a gaming chair, and a playpen that gets broken down every night and put under the crib...it's only set up for naps.
My living room has a pack n play with the bassinet attachment for the new baby that starts monday, a swing, another pack n play, and an exercauser PLUS my living room furniture.
My kitchen/dining room has a china hutch that is dedicated to games and crafts, the high chair, and almost everything is done at the table (crafts, games, eating, school work, etc) which is why I don't want to invest in a nice new dining room set.
I know there has to be a better way to set things up, organize, etc...I just don't know how to go about it!
Any tips? You can see a lot of pics of my house at
diapers2diplomasdaycare.weebly.com
Please help me have a livable home lol
Your livingroom looks to be kinda shaped like mine. Your sectional couch is taking up a lot of room. What would happen if you pushed the couch to the corner of the fireplace (where the playpen is now) could this give you more room? And what is the white thing in your kitchen, to me it looks like a deep freezer?So my playroom/daycare room is pretty much catered to toddlers, there isn't room to have an infant area sectioned off.
The bedroom that my boys share has a full size bed for my 8 year old, my 13 month olds crib, my son's school desk and school supplies (he's homeschooled), a tv stand for my sons tv and xbox, a gaming chair, and a playpen that gets broken down every night and put under the crib...it's only set up for naps.
My living room has a pack n play with the bassinet attachment for the new baby that starts monday, a swing, another pack n play, and an exercauser PLUS my living room furniture.
My kitchen/dining room has a china hutch that is dedicated to games and crafts, the high chair, and almost everything is done at the table (crafts, games, eating, school work, etc) which is why I don't want to invest in a nice new dining room set.
I know there has to be a better way to set things up, organize, etc...I just don't know how to go about it!
Any tips? You can see a lot of pics of my house at
diapers2diplomasdaycare.weebly.com
Please help me have a livable home lol
cillybean83 09:07 AM 02-08-2011
yeah, it's a massive deep freezer, 20 cubic feet i think...we're REALLY downsizing it to a 5 cubic feet when we get our tax refund, we just dont' need all that room, it stays about 1/4 full or less all the time. My aunt gave it to me when we moved so it was great to get a free freezer, but now we're going to craigslist it when we get a much smaller one, so that will free up a bit of space where I plan to put my exercauser that is currently in the living room, that way I can have toddler #1 in the highchair, while toddler #2 waits patiently in the "jump jump" (as we call it) and I can be at the table helping DS with his papers.
My couch is too big, like WAYYYYY too big, it was deceiving because it didn't look THAT big in the HUGE showroom, but it's way too big for this house, when we enclose the carport and make a man cave for my hubby, he's getting this couch and I'm getting just a regular 3 seat couch and 1 recliner, that will free up a TON of space in the living room, but that's like 3 years down the road
I'm going to be cleaning out 3 closets today, I already did my huge walk in closet that is attached to the playroom and I packed up a ton of toys and we'll be rotating them out instead of keep them all in the playroom to clutter it up, but that doesn't really help with my space issue in the main part of the house
My couch is too big, like WAYYYYY too big, it was deceiving because it didn't look THAT big in the HUGE showroom, but it's way too big for this house, when we enclose the carport and make a man cave for my hubby, he's getting this couch and I'm getting just a regular 3 seat couch and 1 recliner, that will free up a TON of space in the living room, but that's like 3 years down the road
I'm going to be cleaning out 3 closets today, I already did my huge walk in closet that is attached to the playroom and I packed up a ton of toys and we'll be rotating them out instead of keep them all in the playroom to clutter it up, but that doesn't really help with my space issue in the main part of the house
Little People 09:12 AM 02-08-2011
Originally Posted by cillybean83:
yeah, it's a massive deep freezer, 20 cubic feet i think...we're REALLY downsizing it to a 5 cubic feet when we get our tax refund, we just dont' need all that room, it stays about 1/4 full or less all the time. My aunt gave it to me when we moved so it was great to get a free freezer, but now we're going to craigslist it when we get a much smaller one, so that will free up a bit of space where I plan to put my exercauser that is currently in the living room, that way I can have toddler #1 in the highchair, while toddler #2 waits patiently in the "jump jump" (as we call it) and I can be at the table helping DS with his papers.
My couch is too big, like WAYYYYY too big, it was deceiving because it didn't look THAT big in the HUGE showroom, but it's way too big for this house, when we enclose the carport and make a man cave for my hubby, he's getting this couch and I'm getting just a regular 3 seat couch and 1 recliner, that will free up a TON of space in the living room, but that's like 3 years down the road
I'm going to be cleaning out 3 closets today, I already did my huge walk in closet that is attached to the playroom and I packed up a ton of toys and we'll be rotating them out instead of keep them all in the playroom to clutter it up, but that doesn't really help with my space issue in the main part of the house
Do you have a garage?yeah, it's a massive deep freezer, 20 cubic feet i think...we're REALLY downsizing it to a 5 cubic feet when we get our tax refund, we just dont' need all that room, it stays about 1/4 full or less all the time. My aunt gave it to me when we moved so it was great to get a free freezer, but now we're going to craigslist it when we get a much smaller one, so that will free up a bit of space where I plan to put my exercauser that is currently in the living room, that way I can have toddler #1 in the highchair, while toddler #2 waits patiently in the "jump jump" (as we call it) and I can be at the table helping DS with his papers.
My couch is too big, like WAYYYYY too big, it was deceiving because it didn't look THAT big in the HUGE showroom, but it's way too big for this house, when we enclose the carport and make a man cave for my hubby, he's getting this couch and I'm getting just a regular 3 seat couch and 1 recliner, that will free up a TON of space in the living room, but that's like 3 years down the road
I'm going to be cleaning out 3 closets today, I already did my huge walk in closet that is attached to the playroom and I packed up a ton of toys and we'll be rotating them out instead of keep them all in the playroom to clutter it up, but that doesn't really help with my space issue in the main part of the house
dEHmom 09:15 AM 02-08-2011
I added the pictures to my post above.
cillybean83 09:17 AM 02-08-2011
i love your bookcase!
No, we just have a carport
No, we just have a carport
dEHmom 09:20 AM 02-08-2011
We used to have the fish tank there, and the bookcase where the fish tank was (that's actually a kitchen craft shelf ridiculous what it would have cost for a kitchen! but we got another great deal 
) I switched them out. The bookcase used to house all the vhs disney movies, and books and picture frames. I finally just moved everything around, it makes it much brighter in here now too.
Next to go is my computer desk, Gonna chuck it (even though it's a corner stand) it's always so messy and I hate cleaning it for interviews and such. I'm gonna chuck the desk, the pc, and everything else, and just buy a laptop. No where else to keep the pc.
) I switched them out. The bookcase used to house all the vhs disney movies, and books and picture frames. I finally just moved everything around, it makes it much brighter in here now too. Next to go is my computer desk, Gonna chuck it (even though it's a corner stand) it's always so messy and I hate cleaning it for interviews and such. I'm gonna chuck the desk, the pc, and everything else, and just buy a laptop. No where else to keep the pc.
Little People 09:22 AM 02-08-2011
Originally Posted by cillybean83:
i love your bookcase!
No, we just have a carport
OK, I was going to suggest moving the deep freeze to the garage. i love your bookcase!
No, we just have a carport
Second suggestion, when buying new furniture, don't buy a 3 seater couch. Mine is a two seater with both reclining
They are a little smaller and you and hubby can still sit together and recline. But there is room to seat a 3rd person. Our Sphynix has taken over between us
She gets upset if I take her blankets away. haha
Little People 09:22 AM 02-08-2011
Originally Posted by dEHmom:
We used to have the fish tank there, and the bookcase where the fish tank was (that's actually a kitchen craft shelf ridiculous what it would have cost for a kitchen! but we got another great deal ) I switched them out. The bookcase used to house all the vhs disney movies, and books and picture frames. I finally just moved everything around, it makes it much brighter in here now too.
Next to go is my computer desk, Gonna chuck it (even though it's a corner stand) it's always so messy and I hate cleaning it for interviews and such. I'm gonna chuck the desk, the pc, and everything else, and just buy a laptop. No where else to keep the pc.
I love your TV bookshelf!!We used to have the fish tank there, and the bookcase where the fish tank was (that's actually a kitchen craft shelf ridiculous what it would have cost for a kitchen! but we got another great deal
) I switched them out. The bookcase used to house all the vhs disney movies, and books and picture frames. I finally just moved everything around, it makes it much brighter in here now too. Next to go is my computer desk, Gonna chuck it (even though it's a corner stand) it's always so messy and I hate cleaning it for interviews and such. I'm gonna chuck the desk, the pc, and everything else, and just buy a laptop. No where else to keep the pc.
dEHmom 09:51 AM 02-08-2011
thanks! Almost all my furniture is free or next to it
we paid 1000 for our couch/sectional, and I hate it! So no more of that for me haha.
I really loved the ent, unit, even though I hate the color, because of the extra storage. The bins looks stupid in the picture, but when you are in my living room you really do not notice so much. I think the pictures just show everything worse than they truly are.
But I just find, instead of having a movie tower or something, it saves a lot of room by having all that storage inside.
we paid 1000 for our couch/sectional, and I hate it! So no more of that for me haha.
I really loved the ent, unit, even though I hate the color, because of the extra storage. The bins looks stupid in the picture, but when you are in my living room you really do not notice so much. I think the pictures just show everything worse than they truly are.
But I just find, instead of having a movie tower or something, it saves a lot of room by having all that storage inside.
Little People 09:53 AM 02-08-2011
Originally Posted by cillybean83:
yeah, it's a massive deep freezer, 20 cubic feet i think...we're REALLY downsizing it to a 5 cubic feet when we get our tax refund, we just dont' need all that room, it stays about 1/4 full or less all the time. My aunt gave it to me when we moved so it was great to get a free freezer, but now we're going to craigslist it when we get a much smaller one, so that will free up a bit of space where I plan to put my exercauser that is currently in the living room, that way I can have toddler #1 in the highchair, while toddler #2 waits patiently in the "jump jump" (as we call it) and I can be at the table helping DS with his papers.
My couch is too big, like WAYYYYY too big, it was deceiving because it didn't look THAT big in the HUGE showroom, but it's way too big for this house, when we enclose the carport and make a man cave for my hubby, he's getting this couch and I'm getting just a regular 3 seat couch and 1 recliner, that will free up a TON of space in the living room, but that's like 3 years down the road
I'm going to be cleaning out 3 closets today, I already did my huge walk in closet that is attached to the playroom and I packed up a ton of toys and we'll be rotating them out instead of keep them all in the playroom to clutter it up, but that doesn't really help with my space issue in the main part of the house
Ok, last resort...get chain saw...start it up....make a new couchyeah, it's a massive deep freezer, 20 cubic feet i think...we're REALLY downsizing it to a 5 cubic feet when we get our tax refund, we just dont' need all that room, it stays about 1/4 full or less all the time. My aunt gave it to me when we moved so it was great to get a free freezer, but now we're going to craigslist it when we get a much smaller one, so that will free up a bit of space where I plan to put my exercauser that is currently in the living room, that way I can have toddler #1 in the highchair, while toddler #2 waits patiently in the "jump jump" (as we call it) and I can be at the table helping DS with his papers.
My couch is too big, like WAYYYYY too big, it was deceiving because it didn't look THAT big in the HUGE showroom, but it's way too big for this house, when we enclose the carport and make a man cave for my hubby, he's getting this couch and I'm getting just a regular 3 seat couch and 1 recliner, that will free up a TON of space in the living room, but that's like 3 years down the road
I'm going to be cleaning out 3 closets today, I already did my huge walk in closet that is attached to the playroom and I packed up a ton of toys and we'll be rotating them out instead of keep them all in the playroom to clutter it up, but that doesn't really help with my space issue in the main part of the house
dEHmom 09:55 AM 02-08-2011
What about separating the sectional? I know lots of people who do this, and we did it with our old rounded sectional too. It looked good. Just have to stick something like a plant or table in between.
cillybean83 09:58 AM 02-08-2011
my sectional is angled and the 2 pieces share a cushion. I HATE MY SECTIONAL!
Little People 09:59 AM 02-08-2011
Originally Posted by cillybean83:
my sectional is angled and the 2 pieces share a cushion. I HATE MY SECTIONAL!
Again a chain saw would work great!!my sectional is angled and the 2 pieces share a cushion. I HATE MY SECTIONAL!
DCMom 10:04 AM 02-08-2011
When I still did daycare in main living area of our house, I reconfigured our sectional (I think I took out a couple of sections) to fit better. The never look as big in the showroom, do they?? 
In my playroom, adjustable shelves on the wall, stackable drawers and bookcases are my best friends! You can use them to divide up the room, store toys you aren't using and they are easily movable. I rearrange things all the time
In my playroom, adjustable shelves on the wall, stackable drawers and bookcases are my best friends! You can use them to divide up the room, store toys you aren't using and they are easily movable. I rearrange things all the time
jojosmommy 10:06 AM 02-08-2011
Someone already mentioned it but I use tall bookshelves as toy storage. I took pics of each toy and printed them and then used contact paper to "tape" them to the bookshelf in the appropriate place. Now all the kids know where to put each toy away.
I also use laundry baskets for things like baby toys/toddler toys becuase you are washing and changing them out so much its easier to have something you can put away. Ours go in the storage closet under our steps when not it use. Also all of our closets have organizers in them (shelves, hooks, tension rods etc) to make the most of that space. I did that for both daycare stuff and personal stuff like our iron- which rarely gets used and is now appropriatly 7 feet up in the closet in an organizer. Walmart has a lot of that stuff for pretty resonable.
I also stopped using and sold our jumperoo and traded it for the one that hangs in the doorway that way its only out when it is being used.
I also use laundry baskets for things like baby toys/toddler toys becuase you are washing and changing them out so much its easier to have something you can put away. Ours go in the storage closet under our steps when not it use. Also all of our closets have organizers in them (shelves, hooks, tension rods etc) to make the most of that space. I did that for both daycare stuff and personal stuff like our iron- which rarely gets used and is now appropriatly 7 feet up in the closet in an organizer. Walmart has a lot of that stuff for pretty resonable.
I also stopped using and sold our jumperoo and traded it for the one that hangs in the doorway that way its only out when it is being used.
Little People 10:09 AM 02-08-2011
Originally Posted by DCMom:
When I still did daycare in main living area of our house, I reconfigured our sectional (I think I took out a couple of sections) to fit better. The never look as big in the showroom, do they??
In my playroom, adjustable shelves on the wall, stackable drawers and bookcases are my best friends! You can use them to divide up the room, store toys you aren't using and they are easily movable. I rearrange things all the time
I want some of those white shelves in my daycare rooms. i have them in my garage and in all my closets. i just need to go to Home depot and get them and put them up. This will be my next projectWhen I still did daycare in main living area of our house, I reconfigured our sectional (I think I took out a couple of sections) to fit better. The never look as big in the showroom, do they??
In my playroom, adjustable shelves on the wall, stackable drawers and bookcases are my best friends! You can use them to divide up the room, store toys you aren't using and they are easily movable. I rearrange things all the time
dEHmom 10:13 AM 02-08-2011
Originally Posted by jojosmommy:
Someone already mentioned it but I use tall bookshelves as toy storage. I took pics of each toy and printed them and then used contact paper to "tape" them to the bookshelf in the appropriate place. Now all the kids know where to put each toy away.
I also use laundry baskets for things like baby toys/toddler toys becuase you are washing and changing them out so much its easier to have something you can put away. Ours go in the storage closet under our steps when not it use. Also all of our closets have organizers in them (shelves, hooks, tension rods etc) to make the most of that space. I did that for both daycare stuff and personal stuff like our iron- which rarely gets used and is now appropriatly 7 feet up in the closet in an organizer. Walmart has a lot of that stuff for pretty resonable.
I also stopped using and sold our jumperoo and traded it for the one that hangs in the doorway that way its only out when it is being used.
I just ran to our dollarama yesterday, and wow they have so much new stuff since xmas time.Someone already mentioned it but I use tall bookshelves as toy storage. I took pics of each toy and printed them and then used contact paper to "tape" them to the bookshelf in the appropriate place. Now all the kids know where to put each toy away.
I also use laundry baskets for things like baby toys/toddler toys becuase you are washing and changing them out so much its easier to have something you can put away. Ours go in the storage closet under our steps when not it use. Also all of our closets have organizers in them (shelves, hooks, tension rods etc) to make the most of that space. I did that for both daycare stuff and personal stuff like our iron- which rarely gets used and is now appropriatly 7 feet up in the closet in an organizer. Walmart has a lot of that stuff for pretty resonable.
I also stopped using and sold our jumperoo and traded it for the one that hangs in the doorway that way its only out when it is being used.
I love that store so much. They sell a lot of the EXACT same stuff as walmart does, but a lot cheaper. I mean EXACT same stuff. $1.25 vs $3.85 I'll take the 1.25 and buy 2 or more of the same thing thank you. LOL.
I bought some under the bed storage things there yesterday, I'm planning to take all my kids comforters/blankets and store them under the bed now. Except my daughter who doesn't have anywhere to do that (she has the top bunk with no bottom bunk cause her room is soooo tiny. I put her dresser under her bed!
I found a great site with lots of neat tips. My hubby and I are keeping our eyes open for some old dressers. This is really neat this idea!
http://www.homemadesimple.com/en-ca/...wer-ideas.aspx
Lots and lots of great ideas on there.
I took my old ice cube trays and used them to put paperclips, etc etc in in my junk drawer. It's never looked so good in there! And i can actually open my drawer up now!