The Ultimate Guide to Baby Proofing Your Home

It’s never too early to begin baby proofing your home. When our son took his first fall, that was an indicator it was time to prepare our home for a baby on the move. Before, we could sit him in one place and know that he would be there when we returned. But now, there’s no telling what kinds of trouble he could get into—in just moments.

The other day, I put him down for a nap in his Pack ’n Play and I went to take a shower. By the time I was finished, he was awake and giggling. So I took a peep at him and he had pulled himself up and was seconds away from tumbling right onto the floor! He scared me half to death! Thankfully, he hadn’t decided to escape. I immediately removed the elevated portion of the Pack ’n Play and now he sleeps in the bottom of the playpen. To avoid another scare, I decided that it was time to begin the process of baby proofing our home. Here, I’ve developed a guide that covers each room of the house.

Baby Proofing Your Home: The Ultimate Guide

Kitchen:

Install safety locks and latches on cabinets. Locking cabinets and drawers keeps the baby away from harmful items such as knives and cleaning supplies and also prevents drawers from easily opening and sliding out of place.
Add a cover to the drains and garbage disposal. It keeps tiny hands safe and unwanted objects out of the drain.
Install stove knob covers. Many stove knobs are sensitive. The slightest touch could ignite the gas or even a flame.

Living/Family Room:

Install corner and edge bumpers. Sharp coffee table corners could present a hazard for babies who are eager to pull up.
Make sure all cords are tucked out of sight. Hide them in the wall or inside entertainment stand cabinets to prevent the baby from chewing on them.

Dining Room:

Remove tablecloths. Unless your baby is a magician, a tug on a tablecloth could bring a table setting to the floor.

Bedrooms:

Anchor dressers to the wall. Securing a dresser to the wall prevents it from tipping over.

Stairs:

Install safety gates. A gate at the top of the stairs and at the bottom keeps your baby from climbing up and falling down.

Bathrooms:

Install safety locks and latches on cabinets. Just like in the kitchen, locking cabinets and drawers keeps the baby away from harmful items and keeps your favorite lipstick out of reach.

Laundry Room:

Keep detergents out of reach. They’re often colorful and smell nice. For example, you wouldn’t want the baby putting a laundry pod in his mouth.
Be sure all front load washer and dryer doors are closed tightly. Just in case your little one decides to play a dangerous game of hide-and-seek.

Throughout the House:

Shorten/cut window-blind cords. This reduces the chance of your child getting entangled.
Install safety guards on windows. Keeps your baby safely in the house and tiny fingers from getting pinched.
Consider redecorating. If you have many vases and trinkets that could potentially be hazardous if they tip over, you may want to consider a more baby-friendly décor for accessible areas.
Keep fragrance plugs out of sight. Or completely remove them and utilize air fresheners that aren’t within a baby’s reach.
Cover outlets. This keeps out tiny fingers and unwanted objects.
Use doorstops and door holders. This prevents tiny fingers from being pinched in doors and hinges.
Use cordless phones. While eliminating the chance that your baby can get tangled, you also have freedom to move around and keep an eye on your baby while you’re on the phone.
Check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Test out detectors to make sure they’re properly functioning.

While it may seem like baby proofing your home is a preparation for a baby-apocalypse, it’s better to be prepared instead of being caught off guard. Take action before you’re forced to make a reaction.

Click here to download a printable checklist.

Photo by Kara Michelle on Unsplash