5 Tips for Baby Proofing Your Home

When you have a baby at home, your top priority is keeping them safe. Even before they are able to walk, babies become very mobile and will be able to find potentially hazardous items or fixtures in your home. To keep your baby safe, there are a number of things you’ll want to do to start baby proofing.

The best time to start baby proofing is before your baby is mobile. That way, you can be confident that your baby is safe and protected like the rest of your family. If your baby is already mobile, it is important to start baby proofing your home as soon as possible.

Install Baby Gates

Baby gates are a great tool to prevent your little one from accessing areas of the house that may be unsafe for them. If you have stairs in your home, you will want to be sure to put gates at both the top and the bottom of the staircase to prevent a fall. If you have a room with exercise equipment, lots of electronics, or other items that you want to keep your baby away from, putting up a gate at the room’s entrance will keep your child safe.

Protect Your Furniture from Spills

As your baby becomes more mobile, you will also want to protect your upholstered furniture, such as couches and chairs. Young children are prone to spilling drinks or having other accidents involving bodily fluids, and you will want to make sure that your furniture is protected. Consider repurposing your outdoor waterproof cushions to be used inside. Start using couch covers so you can make sure that your furniture stays clean. Taking these steps before a spill or accident occurs can save a lot of time and money that will go into cleaning or replacing your furniture pieces.

Secure the Outlets in Your Home

Electrical outlets are right at the eye-level of young children and can look very appealing to them. You will want to prevent your baby from being electrocuted by making sure the outlet is secure. This may mean purchasing outlet covers to prevent your baby from being able to stick something into the openings. You can also look into installing tamper resistant outlets that are designed to prevent anything other than a plug from being inserted into the openings.

Purchase Locks for Cabinets Doors

You likely have heavy, sharp, or breakable items in your kitchen cabinets. Protect your baby from a potential injury by making sure that your cabinets can’t be opened by your child. There are many different options you can look into that will prevent your baby from being able to open the cabinets. Some options install inside the cabinet and need to be pushed down from the inside, and other options work by locking two cabinets together from the outside. Whichever option you choose, be sure not to let your baby or toddler see how you open it, so they don’t learn how to open the locks on their own.

Cover Sharp Edges on Furniture

As your baby is learning to crawl and walk, they will not be very stable. This will lead to frequent slips and falls. You will want to make sure that any sharp edges on tables or other pieces of furniture are covered. This will help prevent a serious injury if your child was to fall on that item.

Baby proofing is no small job, but it is definitely an important one that is worth your time and effort. Keeping your baby safe should be your number one priority. Once you make a plan to baby proof your home and purchase the materials, implementing the plan will be simple!