New parents have a lot to think about– from feeding schedules to sleep training, there’s a lot to keep track of. While you’re focused on all of the big things, it’s easy to forget about the smaller details that can make a big difference in keeping your home safe for your little one.
This baby-proofing checklist will help make your house baby-proofed and prone to harm.
Living Room
- Look out for furniture with sharp edges and try to replace them with rounded or curved ones i.e. rounded coffee tables.
- If replacing is not possible, use stick-on corner cards to keep sharp edges safe. You can also use this in any sharp corners around the room.
- Secure furniture especially heavy furniture using furniture straps that attach them to walls.
- Check any electrical hazards and cover electrical outlets with childproof covering. Go for tight-fitting outlet covers that baby hands can’t pry.
- If you use window blinds, try using cordless window coverings instead, or keep the cords safe using cord holders.
- Keep fireplace tools out of sight and reach.
Kitchen
- Lock cabinet doors with childproof latches so kids will not be able to open them accidentally.
- Use stove-knob covers to discourage your baby from turning on store burners.
- Put lid locks on pantry items so they can’t be easily opened and spilled.
- Keep any dangerous items like knives safe in cabinets with magnetic locks.
- Make sure smoke alarms and smoke detectors are working properly.
Bathroom And Laundry Room
- As a safety precaution, set the water heater to less than 120 degrees to prevent accidental scalding.
- Lock bathrooms and toilet lids using toilet locks.
- Keep cleaning products hidden in locked cabinets that are out of reach. Your curious child could easily mistake them for toys and ingest them.
Nursery
- Don’t hang anything directly over the crib or changing table. They can cause strangulation issues when infants grab them.
- Beware of the appropriate crib height for your child and the right crib slat sizes.
- Don’t place anything in or near a crib or crib mattress. Even pillows and toys can be safety hazards.
- Use a small object tester like an old toilet paper tube to test what small objects are safe around your child. Keep toys with detachable parts (like doll eyes) away unlike they are older.
As kids develop rapidly, they would start moving around the house faster than you can watch them. Keep them safe by installing safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs, using childproof screens or window guards in windows, and keeping doors to unsafe rooms locked.
Try to avoid breakable decorations, fish tanks, and heavy equipment where kids can access and play with them.
Having a baby is an exciting time, but it also brings a lot of new challenges. Most accidents involving children are easily preventable with common sense and having a baby-safe home.
For more articles about keeping your home safe for your kids, check out the Be Safe blog.
Daisy is the engine behind Be-Safe.org — from content production to product reviews and more. What drives her is the passion to make home security information easily available.
