Making a difference between home and business.

**StephFW** · 05-10-2013, 07:26 AM

hi everyone,

I am very new to all this so please bare with me.

I am currently starting the process of setting up my CM business and was just wanting to know how you wonderful lot make a difference between child minding and you own home? I don't have the joys of having a spare room to use so it will literally be my garden and the living room/diner we have.

Thank you and I look forward to reading your replies.

**Rick** · 05-10-2013, 07:30 AM

Hi Steph,

I have the same situation and I find the best way is to have enough storage that you can put away all the toys and resources at the end of the day. I have 2 Ikea storage units, with 16 boxes in total. Everything gets put away at the end of the day and the room looks almost 'normal'

Simona · 05-10-2013, 07:37 AM

What a very thought provoking question and one that invites lots of reflection!
I hope you get lots of replies to see how other colleagues overcome this step...thanks for posting it!

If it helps I have 2 home based businesses so will read the replies with interest.

**StephFW** · 05-10-2013, 07:52 AM

Thank you MTK007. I'm just struggling atm to figure out how I develop a successful business but not to let it over run my home where my children (daughter 3 & son 2) can call home and not mummy's job. I live in Germany and thought about have some IKEA boxes filled with the toys for setting and storing them down in the cellar we have and moving my children's boxes down there. Sounds like hard work but surely worth doing to make the difference. X

**StephFW** · 05-10-2013, 08:00 AM

Thanks ladies,

I thought about getting boxes and putting the setting toys in there and storing them in our cellar (we live in Germany hubby in the forces) my children (daughter 3 & son 2) have their own toy boxes and other toys ATM and thought about storing them downstairs when setting is open.
Kind of need a Matilda classroom setting don't we as CM's

Thank again x

**jadavi** · 05-10-2013, 08:12 AM

One way I get round it is to display my toys in an appealing way and use nice containers and wooden storage units. No plastic boxes in view.,its all wicker or baskets or wood. Easy on the eye and actually I love toys and don't find them offensive.

We have a room upstairs where i dump boxes of duplo, happyland sets etc but on display in my sitting room are current toys in nice containers. Ie brio in a wicker basket, wooden toys on the unit. Puppets displayed nicely, masks on the bookshelf, costume stuff hanging in a corner.

My own kids have grown up now so how they are left on a Friday is how they look all weekend. I make sure to vacuum the floor plump the cushions and make it as nice as possible for the family. None of us mind. I'm a big baby and get toys I loved as a kid and that my kids loved ie noddy and Andy and even golly (yes! But that is another thread!) that humpy dumpy toy.

I honestly think I will really miss the toys when I retire hehe

**mama2three** · 05-10-2013, 09:02 AM

When I started everything was put away each night , displays taken down , returned to 'home'.
Over the years 2 things have happened.
Ive scaled down the amount of posters / displays etc on the walls - the kids didn't actually benefir from the majority of them anyway. Now we have 1 main display area .
Ive also relaxed more on putting everything away each night - it was adding 2 hours onto my day ( 1 to set up , 1 to put away).
I do have a complete clear out on Friday nights - for the weekend its my lounge not a playroom.

**FussyElmo** · 05-10-2013, 09:15 AM

I have 2 rooms one is the play room and where I banish every one to play the computer this includes dh :-D

If you come into my house you would know I had young children but not that *****minded :-D

**TooEarlyForGin?** · 05-10-2013, 09:20 AM

We live in a small thatched cottage, so space is really an issue. I have my own shed outside, which I bought when my DH and me had a major fall out over my ever increasing ***p. He said (quite rightly) I had more stuff than when I had my own girls little. Now they are older, I don't need all the toys anymore, so all plastics, kitchen, happy land, farm, Lego.... Basically anything that can't get damp lives in there. I have a large shelving unit at the top of my stairs where all puzzles and games live, 2 ottomen for general bits to be thrown into, and am really good at hiding stuff. I only have schoolies on a Monday, so have time to set the room up. By 7pm on a Friday my home resembles my own again, which it feel is essential when we live and work in the same place. It's extra work, but worth it. It also means my toys are continually changed around each week.

**StephFW** · 05-10-2013, 09:54 PM

Thank you.

I'm not fussed on having toys in my house because as I said I have two children of two and three years so I have their art work everywhere and their toys sprawled about till they go to bed at which point they go in their boxes in the corner of our dining . Neat and tidy yet still there for the next day. I'm just trying to figure out how to make home and work different, as different as possible given that we work at home.

I can see there r many ways in which people make that difference. I guess I will probably find the perfect way for me but will definitely be using some of your tips. Thank you again.

**bunyip** · 06-10-2013, 10:16 AM

I've just learnt to love living in something akin to a mini-nursery.

Apart from anything else, rooms covered in an ever-changing panoply of paintings is a lot cheaper than new wallpaper.

**mrs robbie williams** · 06-10-2013, 12:38 PM

My dining room is now the playroom but at least we didn't really use it and I can shut the door, it is beginning to resemble a nursery lol , my friend gave me a little tykes play house for the garden today so even though my youngest is now 9 I feel like I've gone backwards lol instead if fewer toys I'm sure I have more now than I ever had when mine were growing up!

**sing-low** · 06-10-2013, 01:52 PM

For me, it's not about the toys being out or the highchair in the kitchen or the travel cot upstairs. I have to change my state of mind. I wear different clothes for working and 'being at home'. I always wear my hair tied up if I'm working. If I'm 'off duty' then I'll wear it down. It's also a change in attitude. I try and be relaxed as a parent and avoid the helicopter/paranoid parenting syndrome. But I don't have that option as a cm. Also the house is a lot less tidy when I'm not working

! Tomorrow morning it will be spick and span but I don't have the energy at the weekend. Maybe one day this will change but I like not having to be so vigilant about everything when it's just me and my family here.

**The Juggler** · 06-10-2013, 02:05 PM

Originally Posted by bunyip

I've just learnt to love living in something akin to a mini-nursery.

Apart from anything else, rooms covered in an ever-changing panoply of paintings is a lot cheaper than new wallpaper.

that's what mine was like Bunny - I stil can't get used to the emptiness of my lounge now - it (and my garden) just look naked

**Bumble Beez** · 06-10-2013, 04:27 PM

I've been minding for 9 years now and I'm still trying to find the right balance for work and home...

Lots of pretty storage, and a close down hr on a Friday help lots tho.

The garden is another matter...my shed is full to bursting and I can't 'hide' the ride on toys and big things

Sarah x

**Bakez66** · 06-10-2013, 06:00 PM

I keep toys in my garage and I have 2 ikea units which holds 16 boxes each, I keep these in my children's bedrooms, they keep their toys in there too and I have a 4 box ikea oak unit in my lounge, I also have smaller plastic boxes stacked up in the cupboard under the stairs, 2 big cupboards full of games in my kitchen and my son has a fairly big built in wordrobe so lots of games in there too. I have 1 display board for children's work which can easily be put away and I get the children to help me put the toys away in the right boxes before they go home

**FloraDora** · 06-10-2013, 06:38 PM

I am in the pre reg stage so I know that my ideas may be pie in the sky .. But as this is my retirement project .. I have thought carefully about the house not being taken over with toys etc.. I also have gone for baskets and nice boxes that fit with decor and do not obviously look like they contain toddler toys. Although not trained my ethos is very Montessori based so that does mean that the shelves are a liitle minimal and the house isn't colourful plastic land.

Biggest change is I have converted the bottom of the bureau - that for many years has been our alcohol cupboard... Cocktail ingredients, hot toddy mix (!) christmas cake main ingredient that the Navy love so much..... After dinner digestives....you get the idea! They have been distributed around the house which means when we need some medicinal help we will have to go on a mystery tour!
I am just waiting for my DH to try to use the stacking cups and the discovery bottles when he fancies a late night tipple.

**hectors house** · 06-10-2013, 07:02 PM

Originally Posted by bunyip

I've just learnt to love living in something akin to a mini-nursery.

Apart from anything else, rooms covered in an ever-changing panoply of paintings is a lot cheaper than new wallpaper.

I used to put all toy boxes back in garage/toy store each night but now I just put toys in boxes and push to the side of the lounge - I don't think we even notice them now when we are relaxing and watching tv - on some occasions I notice there is a potty (emptied I hasten to add) in the middle of the room. I don't have posters displayed but do often have an A4 number line up to 20 bluetacked to the dado rail and sometimes I forget to take it down at weekends!

**Bakez66** · 06-10-2013, 07:16 PM

All of my boxes are black and I've just got pink ones in my daughters room, you can't see the toys. I'm sure you will find what works best for you once you start childminding :-), I've changed my storage a lot since I started childminding and I used to pack away every day but now the children just put them in the box and I move it to one side ready for the next day then tidy up properly on a Friday

**SammySplodger** · 06-10-2013, 11:05 PM

I am currently reorganising my home to have my work less obvious... Totally 'in your face' at present :-/

I have recently swapped highchairs for booster seats, which all go in a basket under the table at the end of the day.

My toys are stored in attractive baskets in the living room, in a unit with a cloth over it. But I'm not entirely happy with that. Looks a bit messy.

I have an issue with buggies, filing and notice boards still yet to be resolved. I'm saving up to have a carpenter build me a purpose-made huge cupboard with T&G doors which will fit everything: buggies, filing, noticeboards and other stuff one side and books and toys the other. The toy and book side will have the door open when I'm working and I'm going to put magnetic paint on it and nice stickers. But it won't be cheap to have it purpose made. Unfortunately my house is too old, quirky and awkward for flat packs. But you could do the same thing with Ikea Pax modular storage if you have more space / flat floors and ceilings.

HTH. x