Tips on Childproofing Your Home

Whether you have a bunch of little ones running around your home on a daily basis or you are a gracious grandparent, who loves to entertain your young grandchildren, it’s a good idea to keep your surrounding as safe as possible. 

Childproofing a home is not as tedious as it may seem.  All it takes is some common sense, planning, and the foresight to implement a few simple procedures.

Here are some helpful tips to get you started:

Doors.  Make sure all your doors shut tightly and that knobs and handles aren’t easily accessible to your toddler.  Move chairs and other climbable items away from door handles.  If you might also consider adding a simple hook-and-eye safety latch high up on the doorframe as another source of protection.

Electrical Outlets.  To prevent the danger of electrical shock install safety plugs that fit directly into the outlet.  Also, if you use extension cords, make sure the outlet isn’t easily accessible.

Stairways and Ledges.  Invest in baby gates and install one at the top of the stairs and one at the bottom to help prevent falling or sliding. 

Toilet.  Purchase latches that mount onto the basin and keep the toilet lid closed when it’s not in use.  This can help prevent a possible drowning accident.

Bathtub.  Prevent slips and falls by adding non-slip mats on the bottom of the tub and consider placing soft-foam spout covers over metal faucets to avoid cuts and bruises.

Shelves and TV Stands.  It’s a good idea to add brackets that attach a shelf or appliance to a wall (or other stable surface) to prevent objects from falling on a child.

Stove.  Install knob covers on a stove so little ones can’t turn on the appliance. Also, make sure your kitchen doesn’t have climbing aids for your child to gain access to countertops.

See Also:

Tips for Cleaning Out Your Medicine Cabinet
Tips for Getting Stress Under Control
Tips for Cleaning Out Your Refrigerator