First Timer! Is This Possible?

[MissAnn]

I am in the process of planning my home daycare. I have a small house so my daycare has to share family living space also. Is it possible to do this without your house completely looking like a daycare? I've seen pictures of people's home daycares and it looks like a real classroom in their basement which is very impressive but I'm trying to figure out a way that when my kids go home and my family come home that they don't feel like they are living inside a classroom. So basically I'm trying to think of creative ways that my supplies and equipment can be "portable" and put away when done. Am I just dreaming?

Some people have come to my house and did not believe I lived there.

[Evansmom]

We have converted our dining room into the "play room" but I have furniture in there now that doesn't exactly look like a daycare. I have these shelves from Target:

http://www.target.com/ClosetMaid-Cubeicals-Cube-Organizer-Espresso/dp/B001UU0NJW/ref=sc_pd_gwvub_2_title

and in the pics on that page you can see that there is the option of sliding little boxes into the shelves. That's what we do and each box is organized with a certain toy like blocks, bristle blocks, thomas tracks, Fisher price little people, etc. Keeps everything organized AND doesn't look like daycare storage.

We use the kitchen table for eating and crafts. I keep a plastic drawer organizer for art supplies and that can be in the kitchen or rolled into the garage at the end of the day. The rest of our toys are kept in the guest bedroom closet and I change out every other week so that we don't get bored. We have A LOT of toys and so there is a way to store it all so that you can feel like you are away from work.

For me it's really important not to feel like I live in a daycare. I give my all during the week but during the evenings and weekends I need that break, physical and mental!