You might think that your home is extremely safe. But the moment your baby starts to crawl, you suddenly become aware of just how many potential hazards there are in your home. If you have a new baby, keep reading to learn some simple baby-proofing tips to make your home a little safer.
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Start Early
First and foremost, start baby-proofing early on. Don’t wait until your baby finds a hazard before you lock it up! Start baby-proofing your home before your baby can even crawl so that you have time to address all potential issues in each room of your house. Take the time to go through each room and write down anything that could potentially injure your child. Look out especially for potential choking hazards within easy reach.
Consider Rearranging
You might think that putting a lock on a drawer with breakable items is a sufficient way to protect your child. And, in some cases, it might be. But what happens if you forget to re-latch that cabinet lock? Whenever possible, it is always better to move hazards somewhere that they’re not accessible. Put knives in a knife block or on a magnetic knife rack above the counter instead of in a drawer. Put board games with small pieces in a closet on a high shelf instead of in an open-fronted bookshelf in the living room. If you can move it, do so.
Attach Furniture to Walls
You might not know it yet, but your baby will learn to climb on things not long after they learn to crawl. They’ll try to climb on shelves, entertainment centers, dressers, and pretty much anything else they can reach. This is dangerous enough on its own—but it’s a lot more dangerous if they can tip that furniture over on top of themselves. Look for wall mounts for all your furniture and secure the back of all furniture so that it won’t tip over. And if you have any TVs that aren’t wall-mounted, either mount them or secure them like your furniture.
Cover All Outlets
Look around for all outlets within a baby’s reach. Simple and inexpensive outlet covers are a good way to protect your baby from accidental electric shocks. These are very difficult for babies to remove, but keep your outlets functional for your use when you need them. If there are visible outlets that you don’t use, consider installing blank wall outlet covers that completely cover up the hazard. This eliminates any risk of your child removing the plastic plugs.
