10 Ways to Childproof Your Home

1. Easy Fixes Below are some of the most common childproofing items. We could have easily given you these and been over halfway to our 10 reasons. But no click bait here. All of the below items should come in a childproofing starter kit. You certainly need them, so don’t overlook any of these. Cabinet safety latches – Put on all cabinets and drawers. Outlet protectors – Don’t forget the ones hidden behind furniture. Safety gates – You can never seem to have enough. Doorknob covers – EVERY door gets one. Corner and edge bumpers – Don’t forget, your child will grow. Toilet seat latch – This will also end the “seat down” argument.

2. Power Strips/Surge Protectors You took a few hours and put outlet protectors on all of your electrical outlets. We recommend something that covers the entire plastic plate, or at least one that will close automatically once the plug is removed. Beyond walls, chances are your entertainment center or computer desk has a surge protector that all the devices are plugged in. Have you protected your surge protectors? These are easy to unplug cords from and also “plug” in items that could cause a shock. Don’t forget these.

3. Phone Chargers While we are talking electricity and cords, does this look familiar? In my house, we have phone chargers on each side of the couch. There is also a laptop cord plugged in an outlet. Ignoring the inherent electrical risk, don’t forget that these can just as easily be accidentally wrapped around a small neck or tripped over. Keep your chargers out of reach at all times.

4. Cordless Window Blinds Speaking of dangerous cords, blinds are another hidden danger than many people do not think of. Besides being genius because those ridiculous strings are enough to drive even the most patient person insane, cordless blinds are also much safer than their corded counterparts.

5. Hand and Finger Door Guards You put the doorknob covers on to limit access to rooms where you want to keep your little one(s) out of, but what about those doors you don’t want them to close? Install door guards to keep doors secure from fully opening or closing. It will save those little hands from door slams and keep them out of dangerous rooms.

6. Purses and Other Bags Admittedly, this image is not the best one for safety, but it gets the point across. Find a way to hang up your purse, handbag, laptop bag, or backpacks so that little hands can’t get in them and find all the dangers lurking within. Just don’t use a coat tree. That one is certain to be pulled over. And the bench just makes it easy for climbers to get to the bags. Be smart about it. What are the dangers inside some of these bags? Keys Loose cords Makeup Perfume Mace/Taser/Gun Medication Coins Gum Cigarettes/Lighter Sensitive electronics

7. Door Stoppers One of the big mysteries in life is why these things are so much fun. Puppies love them. Cats play with them. Don’t lie, you probably giggled at some point as an adult when you hit one on accident and heard that fun noise. Little boys and girls love them too. Normally they are harmless enough, but those pesky plastic ends tend to come off after a while. Nothing a little super glue can’t fix though.

How many dangerous things can you find below? 8. Decorations So much to talk about here. We can’t live in a bubble all the time, but if we did, I would steer you clear of having thumb tacks in your bubble. The same thing applies to your home decorations. Take a close look at your décor and make sure you don’t have anything too dangerous. Here are just a few things to look for. How many dangerous things can you find below? Anything small enough to fit in a mouth: Potpourri Stones or glass beads Fake fruit (grapes especially) Dirt or other plant medium Plants that could be poisonous Pencils, pens, markers, etc.

9. Furniture Everyone knows kids love to climb. In addition to climbing, the tiniest versions like to use things to hold on to as they are learning to stand and walk. Make sure you secure all of your pieces of furniture to the walls. Don’t place furniture in front of windows when you can avoid it. Don’t place items up high that would encourage climbing to get to. Remember we see the world differently than kids do. You see a bookcase, and Junior sees El Capitan. Don’t forget about securing any dangerous items on your furniture. Think of that 60” tv as a start.

10. Batteries I fidget. I can’t help it. One of my favorite things to fidget with is the battery compartment to my television remote. These things are so easy to pop on and off, and as an added bonus, they make a nice clicking sound to annoy everyone around you. Unfortunately, easy for me is also easy for children. Once they get the door off, they expose the batteries, and I should not have to tell you how dangerous this is. Make sure to keep the remotes out of reach when you are not watching television. Or get a new one if yours looks like this.