Once your little child starts running around the house for the first time, you need to make sure that your home is safe. You may not realize it yet, but kids have a way of getting around and getting themselves into trouble if you don’t take precautions. Below is a list of simple things you can do, but they will make a big difference towards keeping your child safe within your home.
- Examine Your Furniture – First and foremost, examine the furniture you have around your home. One thing to look for is floor pieces, that have sharp edges, like coffee tables and such. Anything that your child could accidentally run into or bump themselves on needs to be taken care of. Passed that, if there is furniture your child can climb onto, be sure that they either can’t get up, or won’t hurt themselves if they fall off.
- Gates – One way to make sure your baby stays out of dangerous areas is to gate them off. By putting some gates up you can either keep your child stuck in one area, or close off some areas that you don’t want them to get into. Gates are great for keeping your child in the living room, or for blocking off that hallway towards the bathroom and your bedroom. Another great place for gates is at the top of stairs so that your child can not go down them.
- Outlets – A standard for any baby-proofing job is outlet covers. You don’t want your child sticking anything inside the outlet, and little plastic covers are enough to do the job. Put them into every outlet that you are not currently using, and if you unplug anything, replace it with a cover. You can never have too many of these things, so stock up.
- Use Heights To Your Advantage – Your child may be able to get around, but they are still fairly short. Use this to your advantage by moving things up higher. If there is anything you don’t want your child to be able to get to, (maybe the things under the sink?) install some shelves and move them up higher. There they will be safely away from your child, but still in an easy place for you to reach them.
- Locks – For anything you can’t move away from your baby, try and put a lock on it. Some quick locks on cabinets and doors will keep your child away from any dangerous areas. There are locks you can buy that are baby-proof, which means they are easy for you to open, but not your child. You won’t be able to keep an eye on your kid every second, but you’ll rest easier knowing anything dangerous is safely out of their reach.
- Get The Right Stuff – Lastly, remember that not all baby products are made equal. Before you purchase anything, do your research into it and make sure it is a safe product. You don’t want to put your trust into something unless you are sure that it is dependable.
Don’t wait for an accident to happen before you baby-proof your home. Your child will be up and wandering around before you know it, so it is best to take care of baby-proofing as soon as you can. With the right tools and a little bit of time and creativity, you can easily make your home safe for any child.
