Beginners Guide To Childproofing Your Home

When you finally welcome your bundle of joy into your life, it changes everything in so many different ways. The way you function, the way you think and the way you perceive the world around you. And as they grow and begin to learn how to lift their head, and eventually how to walk, you’re going to want to start considering how you can childproof your home so that you can make sure every single inch of your household is safe for your little ones to explore. 

Here are some ways to childproof your home:

ALWAYS KEEP THE HOUSE CLEAN

The first thing you want to do once your baby becomes mobile is to ensure that your house is spotless at all times so that you don’t run the risk of them getting sick from bacteria or eating something off the floor. It’s never a bad idea to consider hiring professional home cleaners to help you get the job done. They will be able to clean efficiently and in a way that ensures that every single spot in your home is spotless. 

TOILET SEAT LOCK

You always want to be around when your baby starts to learn to walk or crawl, especially if they somehow manage to venture towards the bathroom. Make sure that you have a toilet seat guard or lock in place because this is something that is within reach for them and they will definitely try to open it and have a look inside. 

OUTLET COVERS

One of the most common mishaps that occur in children and babies is getting electrocuted because they stick their fingers into outlets. You need to make sure that every single outlet in your home is covered with an outlet cover, and one that holds well so that they’re unable to remove it.

CORNER BUMPERS

Look around your house and search for sharp corners, such as on tables or even chairs and counters, and make sure that you cover them with corner bumpers so that you can avoid any severe accidents when your little one stands up all of a sudden under one of these items.

WINDOW GUARDS

If you have windows that open easily, then this is one of the most dangerous situations that can arise if your baby or toddler is moving around, exploring the house and playing with different things. All it takes is a split second and, God forbid, something terrible can happen. This is why it’s so important that you get proper window guards installed to make sure that they have no way of opening the windows without your help.

SECURING DOORS

Especially when toddlers are in the house, you need to be extremely careful with securing the doorknobs so that they are not able to enter any room freely without supervision. Door knob covers are great because you can place them on all kinds of doors to ensure that your children are unable to walk into any room without your permission and supervision.

STOVE GUARD

Whether you have your babysitting by you on the counter as you cook, or your toddler helping out in the kitchen, you don’t want to run the risk of them hurting or burning themselves on the stove. There are guards for the knobs on the stove so the kids are unable to play with them or turn them on, and there is a guard that can be placed across the length of the stove so that they are unable to touch the burners as you cook.

STAIR GATES

If you live in a house that has stairs in it, then this is extremely important when your child begins to walk or even crawl. You need to have stair gates installed at both the top and bottom of your staircase to ensure that they are in no danger of falling down the stairs. 

DRAWER LOCKS

You have drawers all over the house. In the kitchen, the bathroom, the bedroom, sometimes even in the dining room for your china and cutlery. You have to ensure that you get proper locks and guards for all of these drawers because children have an attraction for opening things that they see you opening, and you don’t want to risk your child getting their hands on knives or even closing the drawer on their hands by accident. 

KEEP THE FURNITURE AWAY FROM POTENTIAL DANGER

Even if you have the window locks installed, be aware of how you place your furniture around the home, because you may have to move it around. Chairs, couches and tables all look like staircases to kids, and they see them as opportunities to get to higher ground. So keep your furniture away from the windows or anything that may prove to be dangerous to the kids- anything can climb on to basically. 

DRAWER LOCKS

Take a look around your home and see what could possibly pose as a tipping over risk. Things such as bookcases and shelves need to be secured in place so that if your child grabs a hold of them they don’t tip over and hurt them. You can either drill them into place or use brackets or anchors. Another good tip is to always store the heavier items at the bottom to lessen the risk of tipping over easily.

 

When you have a baby, there are so many things that need to be thought of and observed in a different way altogether. The real challenges arise when they begin to crawl and walk, because you’ll begin to realize how many dangerous things that you have around your home. This is one instance in life where you have the green light to be a bit overbearing and paranoid, because only then will you notice the things that need to be childproofed! The good news is, there are solutions to childproof every single item in your household because mothers have been thinking about these problems for generations and the market has been coming up with solutions to make the experience less stressful for you and more freeing for the baby. After baby proofing the home, you can get to work on whatever you need, keep an eye on your little one, and not have to worry about any kinds of accidents taking place.