PROPERTY NEWS - Your home is your sanctuary. The safest place for your family. But if you're preparing your home for a baby, you'll get lots of advice about baby-proofing your house.
Once your little ones start exploring, crawling, grabbing and touching their immediate surrounds, it's important to keep those investigative fingers away from any danger.
Choking hazards, electrocution, burns and nasty falls lurk around every corner - especially in places you didn't think to look! In this case, it's always advisable to do the 'more is more' approach and cover as many areas as possible.
Remember, it's an ongoing process - the more active your child becomes, the more precautions you need to take. Not sure where to start? Here is a complete breakdown of baby-proofing ideas for every room in your house.
- Place child locks on all large appliances like fridge, oven and dishwasher
- Keep all plastic bags, sandwich bags and black bags out of reach
- Keep stools and chairs away from the kitchen counter to prevent toddlers from climbing up into a potential danger zone
- Switch off and unplug appliances after use and keep the cables tucked away
- Lock all accessible cupboards and drawers with child locks
- Store the rubbish bin away from prying hands
- Install stove and oven knob locks to prevent your child accidentally switching them on
- Keep pet food and water dishes out of your child's reach
- Lock away all medicines and bath products
- Install locks on cabinets and drawers
- Install a toilet seat lock to prevent your small child from opening it
- Place colourful stick-on decals on glass shower doors, at your little one's eye level
- Place non-slip mats in the shower and bath
- Keep non-fixed mirrors locked away
- Install tap locks in the basins, bath tub and shower
- Install window bars or barricades
- Install baby gates at the tops and bottoms of stairs
- Enclose the fireplace with a fireplace gate
- Keep all lamps, cords and breakables like frames and mirrors out of reach
- Cover all electrical outlets with safety covers
- Use straps to secure the TV and other movable furniture
- Place colourful stick-on decals on french windows at your little one's eye level
- Install childproof locks on all cabinets, closets and cupboards
- Tie up window blind cords out of reach
- Attach dressers to the wall with hooks to prevent them falling over
- Place child guard rails against the edges of beds
- Cover electrical outlets
- Take out and hide away electrical mosquito coils or devices when not in use
- Secure standing fans or lamps
Unfortunately, no matter how much we try to prevent it, accidents still happen. So keep a list of emergency numbers handy, and remember the most important thing - you're always doing your best!
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