ty you everyone for your replies!!! i still have no children! but i did come to a revelation on xmas day..my basement needs renovating! my basement is finished except for the middle furnace room where the kids walk through to get the main playroom. i realized this was a major eye sore and looked unsafe from a parent's prospective. so my husband & i have started renovations..we are totally finishing the area..putting up a wall so the furnace/water heater are in a another room alltogether. so now the play area is much bigger and it's going to look great!!! here's hoping i get some calls/emails soon!!!!