My House Actually Feels Like A Home Again

[Soccermom]

Been closed for the Holidays since the 23rd. I am so dreading having all those kids back in my house next Monday.

Everything finally feels clean, cozy and cottage like just like I had planned when we built our home 5 years ago.

I had put a lot of the daycare kids stuff and toys into the storage room for the Holidays and I am going to have to start pulling it all back out tomorrow. ***...

I used to be so into home décor and felt proud of the little home we had created for ourselves but lately I just don't have the time or energy to even dream about decorating. Plus the house always feels so gross and disastrous now that I don't even want to make it look nice anymore.

I used to clean it thoroughly every Friday morning before I got groceries and now if I can bring myself to clean the toilet and floors on the weekends I am satisfied.

I think it is almost better for me to not take time off since it only serves to remind me of how lovely life is without an in home daycare.

Back to the messy, sticky, icky, cluttered, chaotic house again.


**sigh***

[Heidi]

I know how you feel. Not bragging, but we have a cute house, too.

Every Friday afternoon, I put ALL the daycare stuff away while the kids nap. I wash the floors, vacuum, clean the bathroom, and put a cloth tablecloth on the table. I close the door to the playroom, and pretend it doesn't exist for two days.


It does help that my own youngest child is 13. It's not like he needs any of the baby stuff out.

[Luna]

I know how you feel. Not bragging, but we have a cute house, too.

Every Friday afternoon, I put ALL the daycare stuff away while the kids nap. I wash the floors, vacuum, clean the bathroom, and put a cloth tablecloth on the table. I close the door to the playroom, and pretend it doesn't exist for two days.


It does help that my own youngest child is 13. It's not like he needs any of the baby stuff out.

I like your Friday afternoon idea. I am definitely going to try to implement that. I really enjoyed not looking at toys over the holidays.

[melilley]

I have a one year old ds so it's impossible for me to put anything away.

But I do have a little table for the kids to eat at, that I store under my tall pub style kitchen table and every Friday I remove it from the kitchen and put it in the playroom. Just doing that makes it feel cleaner and I don't have to fight with a table under my table when I want to sit there...

[DaisyMamma]

I recently reclaimed some of my daycare space. My own kids are 7 and 4 but rarely play with any of it. I turned it into a second living room...
Got rid of the cubbies and bought a wardrobe, got rid of the open toy shelf and bought a big wooden cabinet, put all the rest into a nice wooden toybox bench. Then I added a big tv on the wall and got a nice loveseat and recliner.

I'm finding that even when dcks are here it is much more organized.
I just haven't figured out what to do with the table/chairs.... I saw a nice coffee table set that comes with 4 ottomans that fit underneath it, all have storage and you can sit on them, so that might be my solution.

[Rachel]

I also have a toddler this year, so I keep the daycare stuff in the LR during the weekend. Last year when he was an infant I put the stuff away in a side room. No door, but not a room we use (kind of alcove off the LR), and it was so nice. Looking forward to being able to that again!

[Unregistered]

I know how you feel. Not bragging, but we have a cute house, too.

Every Friday afternoon, I put ALL the daycare stuff away while the kids nap. I wash the floors, vacuum, clean the bathroom, and put a cloth tablecloth on the table. I close the door to the playroom, and pretend it doesn't exist for two days.


It does help that my own youngest child is 13. It's not like he needs any of the baby stuff out.

I NEED TO DO THIS!!! I'll count it as my exercise
(MY DD IS 14)

[Heidi]

I just saw this thread thinking it was new. One more important thing I do on Fridays...

CLEAN THE FINGERPRINTS OFF THE WINDOWS....eww...

[originalkat]

Oh my, I am sure all of us have felt these same feelings many times before. And really, in order to save our homes and sanity, I think we each have to figure a plan that works for our own individual home, family, and business.

I have gone through feelings of hate and love with my home daycare. But I now have peace in knowing that the daycare is a blessing and I would not want any other life. But I have found ways over the years to contain, blend, and put away daycare stuff in order to keep my home and family a priority.

For me, my entire home looks like my cozy home without kid germs except for a small room off the kitchen that has my kid table and shelves. This is where all the foot traffic happens and where the parents come and go. But even in that space I have tried to make it look natural and blend into the rest of my decor. I have made a point to get rid of clutter, primary colors, and unnecessary items. I think you can make this work in any home if you are creative. My home is only 1400 square feet so you can make this work even in smaller homes.

Maybe we can share more ideas or pictures on how we can blend our home with daycare in creative and innovative ways. I know I could always use fresh ideas.

[mim]

Oh my, I am sure all of us have felt these same feelings many times before. And really, in order to save our homes and sanity, I think we each have to figure a plan that works for our own individual home, family, and business.

I have gone through feelings of hate and love with my home daycare. But I now have peace in knowing that the daycare is a blessing and I would not want any other life. But I have found ways over the years to contain, blend, and put away daycare stuff in order to keep my home and family a priority.

For me, my entire home looks like my cozy home without kid germs except for a small room off the kitchen that has my kid table and shelves. This is where all the foot traffic happens and where the parents come and go. But even in that space I have tried to make it look natural and blend into the rest of my decor. I have made a point to get rid of clutter, primary colors, and unnecessary items. I think you can make this work in any home if you are creative. My home is only 1400 square feet so you can make this work even in smaller homes.

Maybe we can share more ideas or pictures on how we can blend our home with daycare in creative and innovative ways. I know I could always use fresh ideas.

This. . I would to see and hear your ideas and how you do it. When I first started it was more of a home based area. But now that I'm licensed and have more kids as well as my kids are a bit older 8 & 10 I find it's more of a daycare with my home mixed into the clutter. Help please.