Daycare Room Questions

[countrymom]

do you have alot of books and how do you store them. I can't rotate them because I have no room. I don't want to get rid of them because I have children who come to me who have never seen so many books, and that they can acually sit and look at them (sad I know, but its starting to become a trend)

art closets/cabinets. Doesnt anyone have one. Every picture I look at, I never see art closets. Where do you store all your paints, and dodads (the stuff the kids can't use) I have a 6 foot cabinet and its filled. I need to organize it but don't know how.

I have never attatched anything up high, like a shelving unit in my room. For those who do, are you worried that its going to come crashing down.

entry ways, I need ideas. Where do you keep their coats. If you look at my pictures, I want to make that into my entrance way. Its becoming to hard for my kids to leave for school and have dcp's stand in the hallway blocking them. Dh can build anything. Do you think those ikea storage units will work. It looks like a step and has 6 large bins that you can use. I'll find a picture.

[Truly Scrumptious]

Not sure what your entry way looks like, but if you don't have room for cubbies, I know some providers who have hooks on the wall or a coat rack and the kids keep their things, including their coat in a backpack. Each child has their own with their name and/or their picture on it. One provider made tags to hang from the backpacks and laminated them. Some providers want the backpacks to go back and forth to day care because it's in their home and they don't want to look at day care clutter after hours. Other providers just leave them there all the time.

[countrymom]

Not sure what your entry way looks like, but if you don't have room for cubbies, I know some providers who have hooks on the wall or a coat rack and the kids keep their things, including their coat in a backpack. Each child has their own with their name and/or their picture on it. One provider made tags to hang from the backpacks and laminated them. Some providers want the backpacks to go back and forth to day care because it's in their home and they don't want to look at day care clutter after hours. Other providers just leave them there all the time.

thats a good idea.

[Heidi]

If you've got room UP, I suggest a wire closet shelving system around the perimeter of the entire room. Then, you can put toys in clear bins (or large pieces individually) for "overstock". If you have more clear bins in reach, the kids can "trade" you something. That way things don't get out of control.

I'm not saying let them only have 1 toy at a time or 1 bin at a time. It's approprate to have a nice selection out at all times, but you can have MORE stuff up high, and if they want to play with the dinosaurs, lets say, they could trade you something else.

You can make one side of the sytem for art supplies, like a bin for painting supplies, one for stickers and such, one for collage materials, and so on.

I have a space issue, too. I ended up putting an old dresser in the playroom (smaller bedroom) closet without the drawers in it. Each child has a space underneath for diapers and extra clothes. I use the top for a changing table, the closet shelf for my chemicals and plastic bags, and a coat hanger on the rack to put a plastic bag on to put used diapers and such right in. Then, after the change, the whole bag gets tied up and goes in the kitchen garbage, which goes out every day. Particularly stinky stuff goes out to the garage right away, though.

For my entryway, I do have cubbies. I have no wall space for enough hooks. Since I have an open floor plan, I am not fond the cubbies, but they work.

Is there another room that you can put a tall shelf in for overstock of books? Then have a basket or small book rack in the playroom for this week's selection? I wouldn't mind having books in my livingroom, for example, because they are not ugly day-care-y stuff.

Years ago, I had a lot of space for my dc. I wish I still did!

[nothingwithoutjoy]

do you have alot of books and how do you store them. I can't rotate them because I have no room. I don't want to get rid of them because I have children who come to me who have never seen so many books, and that they can acually sit and look at them (sad I know, but its starting to become a trend)

I have (literally) thousands of children's books. They're stored in a wall-to-wall bookshelf in my bedroom, on a bookshelf in a hallway, in heaps and piles (yes, we're book-a-holics). I rotate out ones for the kids. They go into a very wide low basket on the floor, where I can put two rows of books for flipping through (maybe 40 are in there?), and sometimes another themed basket (summer books, beach books, whatever the kids are currently into). There are board books on a shelf (they were in floor baskets when I had more littles), and easy readers on a shelf, too. I love those wall shelves that hold picture books face forward (I "pinned" some here), and plan to build one some day.

art closets/cabinets. Doesnt anyone have one. Every picture I look at, I never see art closets. Where do you store all your paints, and dodads (the stuff the kids can't use) I have a 6 foot cabinet and its filled. I need to organize it but don't know how.

I don't have a playroom. Instead, I have an art studio. One wall is wall-to-wall built-in shelves, with art supplies. I'm having camera problems at the moment, but will post some pictures when I can.

I have never attatched anything up high, like a shelving unit in my room. For those who do, are you worried that its going to come crashing down.

Just be sure to get into the studs. I have a friend who circled the top foot of all her rooms with simple board-and-bracket shelves, where she stores lots and lots of books. Might be a good solution for your extras.

entry ways, I need ideas. Where do you keep their coats. If you look at my pictures, I want to make that into my entrance way. Its becoming to hard for my kids to leave for school and have dcp's stand in the hallway blocking them. Dh can build anything. Do you think those ikea storage units will work. It looks like a step and has 6 large bins that you can use. I'll find a picture.

I have hooks hanging on the wall by my door (they're very low, because there's a window there, but it works ok for kids' stuff.) I only have room for 6 hooks, so we end up piling stuff on, but it works. I also have a 10-cubby bookshelf from IKEA behind my couch, which you face when you come in the door, so it creates a sort of an entryway (the door comes right into our family room). Each cubby has a basket; each child has one for their stuff. I don't allow backpacks or diaper bags; they clutter up my small house too much.

[Meeko]

We have a coat closet in the entryway. I took out the rod and filled it with clear plastic drawers from Walmart. Each child has a draw for extra clothing, coat etc.

We put a long, low shelf to the left as a barrier to the main room (discourages parents from walking in as they would have to push past me and walk around it) and a place to put shoes. It also serves as a place for sign in/out sheets etc.

Hard to explain...I will get some photos up as we have changed it around.

[countrymom]

I have (literally) thousands of children's books. They're stored in a wall-to-wall bookshelf in my bedroom, on a bookshelf in a hallway, in heaps and piles (yes, we're book-a-holics). I rotate out ones for the kids. They go into a very wide low basket on the floor, where I can put two rows of books for flipping through (maybe 40 are in there?), and sometimes another themed basket (summer books, beach books, whatever the kids are currently into). There are board books on a shelf (they were in floor baskets when I had more littles), and easy readers on a shelf, too. I love those wall shelves that hold picture books face forward (I "pinned" some here), and plan to build one some day.


I don't have a playroom. Instead, I have an art studio. One wall is wall-to-wall built-in shelves, with art supplies. I'm having camera problems at the moment, but will post some pictures when I can.


Just be sure to get into the studs. I have a friend who circled the top foot of all her rooms with simple board-and-bracket shelves, where she stores lots and lots of books. Might be a good solution for your extras.


I have hooks hanging on the wall by my door (they're very low, because there's a window there, but it works ok for kids' stuff.) I only have room for 6 hooks, so we end up piling stuff on, but it works. I also have a 10-cubby bookshelf from IKEA behind my couch, which you face when you come in the door, so it creates a sort of an entryway (the door comes right into our family room). Each cubby has a basket; each child has one for their stuff. I don't allow backpacks or diaper bags; they clutter up my small house too much.

I like the book shelf idea (and I'm following you know) but I can see the kids ripping the books out. I need to take a picture of my books and that doesn't include what my kids have in their rooms. We read books alot (thank you thrift stores) I even buy books for christmas and give them to my littles.

[My3cents]

You Gals need to post pictures and the books sound just like me. I have one,two, three, shelves and wall face out and a basket full of books. My kiddo's love love love books. I rotate them around but some have to go on one shelf because of the size. I am always picking up books. If I paid full price for all the books that I have, goodness I think I would have a ton of money I also do a book club.

I wish I had a knack for organization, some people just seem to be so good at it. I am not one of those peeps, it doesn't come easy to me at all. Please post pictures if possible. Many Thanks- Thanks for putting this out their OP

[My3cents]

Not sure what your entry way looks like, but if you don't have room for cubbies, I know some providers who have hooks on the wall or a coat rack and the kids keep their things, including their coat in a backpack. Each child has their own with their name and/or their picture on it. One provider made tags to hang from the backpacks and laminated them. Some providers want the backpacks to go back and forth to day care because it's in their home and they don't want to look at day care clutter after hours. Other providers just leave them there all the time.

I like cubbies in the entry- they make a nice barricade for parents- I have my cubbies set up cute too. A little clear box with childs name on it for belongings to stay here. Parents put diapers in the bottom part. Love the idea of closet with the plastic drawers for each child. I don't have the closet. My daycare set up is very open. I like things staying here, so a backpack wouldn't work for me. Neat idea if it works for you.

Anywhooooo

[countrymom]

I'm posting pics in the picture forum part. I don't want other people to know who I am and I'm from a small town so people will know who I am. Let me look for my camera and I'll take some shots of what I need done.

[Truly Scrumptious]

There are so many different ways to organize....just depends on your space. We have a room in our basement I use for child care and there's a door that leads out to the 2 car garage. In the seven years we've been here, I've slowly pushed my husband out of the garage. Now he has one, little bitty corner in the back on the far left side. All the rest is day care. It's very organized, but it is a lot! Some of the items are things I pick up or save for providers that I may mentor to help them out. The rest is all mine.::

I have used those big plastic totes all labeled with each of the months. But, I got tired of trying to pull out, and pick up and put back those heavy things. So then I bought lots of those giant zip lock bags. That worked for a while. Finally I took some cheap interior doors and hinged them together to create a fake wall unit to cut the garage in half. One half has some of those large white closet units side by side all around the wall with labels so I know what's inside. The other half (behind the "wall") has everything else that won't fit in a cabinet. It's as organized as it can be....kind of junky, but I've got walkways to be able to get to everything. Since it's hidden, it doesn't bother me.

[moshimoshi]

I have a book rack to display books and rotate them out. The other books are stored in plastic totes in my too-crowded office. I like the idea of the wire shelving though.

[countrymom]

I think we need a thread just on "book shelves" this is what my biggest problem is.

[Crazy8]

I have a 4 row canvas book sling type book shelf (from one step ahead) and its all board books. Paper books are kept put away and I take out about 10 a week that I will read. But my kiddo's are all very young (3 and under mostly).

I have one tall cabinet/shelf unit in my playroom mostly for craft supplies, its bolted to a stud in the wall so not worried about it falling. The bottom is a locked cabinet with paints, etc. in it. I have another BIG craft cabinet in the basement, I just bring up what we need from there every few days.

aside from my playroom I don't want my home to scream "daycare" when you walk in the door so coats are just put in my hall closet - its a big 6 ft. closet and double hung on one side so no issue with space in there. There is a "real" furniture piece by the front door that holds the sign in log, etc. and a shelf under that holds their lunchboxes/backpacks during the day. That's all I have for my entry. During non-daycare hours it doesn't look very daycare-ish. I'm thinking of hanging a dry erase board or something up there but again, I don't want it to scream daycare.

[countrymom]

hopefully this will work, but look at what I'm dealing with.

https://www.daycare.com/forum/album.php?albumid=53&pictureid=434