Please Tell Me...

[small_steps]

I have been looking through old threads and checking out some of you guys' set up. I love seeing other providers space trying to get new ideas. I'm so jealous. I opened my home daycare about a year and a half ago. Please tell me that those of you who have these extremely nice things did not start out that way. I have several nice pieces of furniture but nothing like what some of you guys have. Did it take you a few years to accumulate things or did you just have the resources to buy all that before you opened?
I buy new things every few months or so but it seems to take forever before I will get to where I want to be.

[Zoe]

I have awesome furniture, but that's because my father owns a furniture store and I get it all for cost! And I'm great at finding things on craigslist. Hang in there. It gets accumulated and eventually it will all come together.

Think of it this way, would you rather have so-so things bought and paid for, or really nice stuff and a mountain of debt?

[small_steps]

I have awesome furniture, but that's because my father owns a furniture store and I get it all for cost! And I'm great at finding things on craigslist. Hang in there. It gets accumulated and eventually it will all come together.

Think of it this way, would you rather have so-so things bought and paid for, or really nice stuff and a mountain of debt?

Good Point. I definately don't want any debt but can't help but feel anxious to have everything the way I want it. I look on craigslist a lot too but rarely find anything in our area. I need a carpenter in my family .

[snbauser]

I have been lucky to get several grants over the last 8 years. That is how I have been able to accumulate the nicer quality furnishings.

[daycare]

i made a floorplan of what I wanted my DCR to look like. What kind of furniture I would need and shelves.

After I did this, I was on a mission looking on craigs list, going to yard sales and shopping the goodwill. I eventually found everything I needed after about 3-4months.

The only thing I bought new were chairs and tables

[rbmom]

It does take some time. Don't get discouraged just hang on. You'll get there! I have some great daycare ladies in this area that Are wonderful to alert me of deals they find or we pass on our stuff to one another if we are not using or wanting it anymore!

[DaycareMama]

I also do very well on craigslist. You have to figure out how far your willing to travel for an item. How much the item costs new, what the price is on craigslist and gas money. If I am saving atleast half I will drive up to an hour.

[small_steps]

I have been lucky to get several grants over the last 8 years. That is how I have been able to accumulate the nicer quality furnishings.

I can't find any grants that are offered in Texas. I'm not sure if I'm not looking hard enough or there just aren't any? Last year I got a $2200 grant and that helped a lot. It's amazing how fast $2200 can go though. The year that I opened just a few months before I started accepting state pay, the state gave all of the providers a $4000 grant. If I'd have opened just abouta month earlier I would have gotten it. I didn't know. That money would have helped a lot in getting what was needed to start me out. Maybe next year they will give us another one.

[snbauser]

The grants I have gotten are usually through places like Smart Start.