Parenting 101 – How to Baby Proof a House and Keep the Toddler Safe

How to Baby Proof House? Baby Proofing Essentials that Will Help You Keep Your Toddler Away from Troubles

Once your curious toddler starts crawling around the home, it is the right time to start a baby-proof house that suddenly starts to reveal an endless number of things that your child can get into. Believe it or not, toddlers can be very determined, active, and strong, so you should really take care of every single detail to keep them protected. Here are some childproofing tips on essentials you’ll need to have in every room in order to protect your toddler from any possible harm.

When to Baby Proof Your Home?

Some toddlers are ready to start crawling after six months, so you should definitely start working on your residence protection in advance. If you are moving from apartment to house because your family grows, which is one of the most common reasons to move, the best moment to undertake those protective actions is when you’re in the process of cleaning before moving in. This is the only situation when the whole household will be empty, and you’ll be able to see all the potential dangers much easier.

One of the best house hunting tips we could share with young parents is, when they choose your new residential place, to think about how space will affect the baby’s safety. Although most important of all, this is at the same time the most common thing you forget to do when you move, which is completely understandable since you’re under the pressure of upcoming change and moving stress.

Stairs, for example, might look appealing. However, it is not the best option because your toddler will crawl around them and be at risk of potential injury. Choosing a one-story residence, in this case, is the best option for you.

How Long Do You Need to Baby Proof For?

Childproofing is usually done throughout stages. The protective actions differ depending on the age, and until your child is ready to understand all the threats, you should keep them far away from any possible dangerous situation. Children start to understand the connection between the action and the consequence at the age of 3-5. However, by that time, their motor skills are developed enough to start to investigate some other potentially dangerous items like microwaves, lighters, or locks, which could be a source of trouble for the whole household. So when they are at this age, you should definitely pay attention and explain to them how these items can endanger your residence.

How Do I Baby Proof My House Checklist?

Although every area in your residence needs to be differently prepared for your children’s stay, many everyday things will help you keep it perfectly protected. Installing cabinet locks, hiding electrical cords, covering electrical outlets, and covering all sharp furniture edges is something that you should apply to every room. And if you want to find out other parents’ advice on how do you childproof your home, take a look at the video below and find first-hand experiences.

Baby Proofing Your Home Should Start From the Baby’s Room

Although all baby rooms are specially designed to meet the needs of both young parents and kids, don’t forget to make those spaces safe enough, too. Baby’s rooms should serve both as a playing and sleeping area, so remember to put a comfortable crib, a lot of soft rugs, and closets that are not easy to open. Even though this place should be exclusively used by your child, don’t forget to create a corner for yourself, so put some comfortable armchairs, or even a bed, to be close to your little one in situations when this is needed. The thing you should be careful of is that it’s not necessary to put too many pillows or blankets in your toddler’s crib since this is not as secure as the majority of people think.

Living Room Is a Whole New World For Your Curious Little Ones, so Make Sure to Child Proof It Properly

The living room is the heart of every home. When furnishing it, we all try to create a magazine-like look, which turns out to be a mistake once your children come. Modern interiors designs are based on clean lines and transparent furniture pieces that are usually made of glass. The last thing you want in your kid’s vicinity is breakable things that can cause severe injury. So, if you have any pieces like glass coffee tables or mirrors, consider donating furniture to some charity organizations or sell it and fill up your budget. Whatever you do, just make sure the breakables will be far away from your little ones.

Another thing to take care of is all heavy items easy to move. Your toddler can easily come to an idea to shake the bookshelves that are not attached to the walls, and books can start falling down right on your kid’s head. So, the first thing to do after moving to your new place is making sure that all pieces of furniture are attached to walls and all sharp edges are covered. Don’t forget to put this duty on the moving to-do list that will be your best guide to an efficient move. Also, remember to consider all potential safety issues in your future residence and adjust your new apartment checklist accordingly, adding all protective elements that will keep your toddler safe.

Kitchen Is the Most Critical Point of Every House

Since it is most likely you will spend most of your time in the kitchen preparing healthy meals for your family and cleaning all the dishes, your toddler will just want to be around you and start exploring the place. Kitchen cabinets, bins, and everything that can be opened will be in your kid’s focus, so make sure to move all breakable things from easily accessible places. If you don’t have enough storage space in the kitchen, pack fragile items into boxes and store them until your kids are grown enough to know the threats of broken things. This is especially desirable to do with ceramic pieces that are not in use every day, like tea service or champagne glasses you use on some special events. You can get free moving boxes and wrap fragile items in packing paper to ensure they are completely protected.

Also, don’t forget to put all electrical appliances such as toasters, microwaves, blenders, and even coffee makers high on the shelf, so your kids won’t be able to reach them. And, of course, make sure that all cords are hidden and not approachable to your toddlers.

Don’t Forget to Protect Your Bathroom Too – Toilet Can Be Really Fun Place to Play In

Although it might seem awful to imagine your little toddler enjoys playing in the toilet and splashing the water all around your bathroom, this is something that could be really fun to them. Not only will they be fond of lifting up the toilet seat, but they will try to get into the toilet bowl and wash their hands there. This is a true nightmare for all parents since this is against all hygiene standards and a direct path to thousands of viruses and bacteria that can harm your little one. The solution for ending this problem is finding toilet locks that will keep toddlers away from the possibility of opening the toilet bowl and finding all the bacteria around.

Also, putting locks on the bathroom cabinets and preventing your little ones from accessing the chemicals is something you should make sure to do and attain children’s safety before your child finds this source of fun.

Other Items and Tactics that Can Help You With the Issue on How to Baby Proof Your House

Keeping your toddler away from all threats within a home can be very challenging. Still, it is possible to attain this aim by creating playing areas within the rooms that will keep the toddler’s attention and prevent it from getting into trouble. Other items that can be really helpful are:

• Children fences,
• Stair fences,
• Safety locks,
• Table protectors that work against sharp edges,
• Plug socket covers,
• Multi-purpose adjustable portable strap locks.

These are the best solutions to keep children away from the areas you consider dangerous and are definitely things you need for your apartment when you are relocating with a child.

How Much Does it Cost to Baby Proof a House?

The best thing about protecting your little ones is that all items used for their safety are very affordable and easy to find in all local stores, so even if you’re about to move to a small town, this won’t be a problem. Even better, those items won’t burden your moving expenses checklist since all of them in total don’t cost more than $200 unless you don’t buy some really exclusive ones.

Relocating With Toddler Doesn’t Have to Be a Nightmare if You Do it with Professional Long Distance Moving Company

Whether you’re moving to another state alone or you’re relocating with your partner and toddler, having professional assistance and using cross-country moving services will definitely help you attain stress-free moving. Not only that long-distance movers will relocate your whole household, but they will also provide you with more useful pieces of advice on how to child-proof your house and help you keep your moving budget within the previously set limits. Also, having professional cross-country movers that can provide you with all services you need, whether you want to use a storage place or book auto shipping services, is of tremendous help when trying to relocate fast and efficiently.