Alongside the pressure of everything else it takes to prepare for your little one, baby proofing might feel impossible.Take a sweeping look at your living spaces and you'll likely see coins, batteries, untethered windows, and loose televisions. Don’t worry, this baby proofing house checklist will give you the confidence you need to make baby proofing your house a breeze. 

7 Tips for Baby Proofing the House

When to Baby Proof: The Right Time to Start Safeguarding Your Home

The time to start baby proofing your house is… now! Or as soon as possible. A positive pregnancy test marks the beginning of baby proofing your house, especially if you’re doing any renovations. New paint or wallpaper should be completed eight weeks before the baby arrives to ensure that the fumes have completely dispersed.

Renovating early also gives you time to install new items that are necessary in keeping your little one safe. Baby proofing often involves mounting televisions, putting up baby gates, and adding latches to doors. You don’t want to be finishing these up when you're nine months along – or when you’re focusing all your attention on a new baby! Babies mobilize between four to six months which requires a second, more thorough baby proofing.  That’s when all batteries, coins, and remotes need to be safely stowed away. 

1. Secure Furniture and Heavy Items

According to the CPSC, over 70 percent of tip-over accidents involve a television. Luckily, it’s easy to avoid joining that statistic. There are many kinds of wall mounts for TV’s, which will keep the television against the wall, far away from your little one's reach. If hanging your TV isn’t possible, use strap anchors to adhere it to a table or stand. Then, secure that piece of furniture to the wall. 

Televisions aren’t the only pieces of furniture that pose a looming threat to your child, but all heavy ones. Toddlers are stronger than you think, and anything they can’t pull, they will try to climb. The force of their little bodies monkeying up drawers can send even the sturdiest dresser tumbling. 

Tip: Anchor furniture to walls

 Anchoring your furniture to your walls is good practice in ensuring the security of your little one. Crawl on hands and knees around your house, pushing at your furniture. Anything that wiggles needs to be secured. You can use L-brackets that are drilled into the flat top of a piece of furniture, and also into a stud in the wall. Purchasing a stud finder is vital if you’re using any hardware mounted baby proofing tools. They’re cheap, and the ease of mind they will give you is priceless. 

Anchors that attach from behind the furniture to the wall are a better-looking method that’s more geared towards tip-over protection. Many are adhesive, as well, which means no hardware! The adhesive options aren’t always tested towards a specific weight limit, though, so always check the specifications of a particular product before you buy. 

How do I baby proof furniture?

1. Always mount heavy furniture to walls. 
2. When possible, buy new, especially for nursery furniture. This ensures that the object is up to modern-day safety standards. 
3. Put corner protectors on any sharp edges. 

2. Cover Electrical Outlets

2,400 children year visit the emergency room due to an injury caused by an electrical outlet in the United States. Your little one is curious, and wants to poke and prod anything they don’t understand. Electrical outlets are irresistible, especially because they’ll observe you plugging things in and wish to copy the behavior. You want your kiddo to learn, but electrical outlets should be off limits until they're older. Though this may have you wanting to go off-the-grid, there’s an easy solution. 

Tip: Use outlet covers or plates

For outlets that aren’t used often, a simple plastic cover will be enough. These can be challenging to pull on and off (the harder it is for you, the harder it is for a toddler), so they aren’t practical for outlets that you use frequently. Sliding plate covers are an excellent option for high-use outlets. The cover slides to the side unless there is an object plugged holding it in place. They cover the outlet plug but don't need to be removed to use.   
Cover boxes are also a great option. They completely cover the outlets, with just enough space for cords to exit out the bottom. Not only will they stop your baby’s fingers from going into the outlet, but also will prevent your toddler from unplugging your devices. 

How do I baby proof electrical outlets?

1. Use plastic covers for outlets that aren’t frequently used. 
2. Try sliding plate covers or cover boxes for the ones you need open. 
3. Make sure nursery furniture is far away from outlets (even covered ones).
4. Always unplug and put away hot tools in the bathroom.

3. Install Baby Gates

Baby gates are one of the most common and effective forms of baby proofing. Not only can they keep your little one contained to whatever square footage you desire, they can also keep pets out of the baby's nursery. Because they’re so common, though, there’s quite a few options.
 For areas of elevation change, you  must get a hardware mounted gate to ensure the safety of your child. For other areas, such as between rooms, a pressure mounted gate is fine. Gates with swing doors are recommended for high pass-through areas, whereas step-over gates work well as temporary obstacles. Put up gates before the baby arrives, in order to get a feel for opening, closing, and stepping over them.

Tip: Use gates at the top and bottom of the stairs

Stairs offer endless entertainment to your little one. Though climbing up and down is a fun activity when with a parent, you don’t want your kiddo attempting anything while you’re not there. Even confident walkers can slip and fall down stairs. You absolutely must use a hardware mounted gate at the top of the stairs. The convenience of a pressure mounted gate is not worth the risk. 

What are the best places to install baby gates?

1. Anywhere with an elevation change – especially stairwells. 
2. Around hearths, even if the fireplace isn’t used. 
3. Between the kitchen and the rest of the house.
4. Any areas where there is animal food or waste 

4. Lock Cabinets and Drawers

Underneath the kitchen sank is no longer the place to keep cleaning supplies. The bright colors and good smell promise to your little one a sweet snack, and promise you a potential hospital visit. Be sure to move them to a higher shelf, along with any sharp tools, razors, and medications. 
After reorganizing, lock up your cabinets. Babies are continuously learning and love to copy their parents. They’ll want to go through your drawers just like you, spilling flour and breaking jars as they go along. Child proof locks are a great way to prevent both dangerous and messy accidents. 

Tip: Use child-proof locks

There are a few different types of childproof locks. The most popular are magnet locks that are adhered to the inside of a cabinet and are unlocked with a magnetic “key.” These are invisible and are renter friendly. A similar lock are spring-latches, which require hardware install, but are hidden and easy to use. Because spring-latches and magnet locks need to be perfectly aligned, installation can be frustrating 

If you’re okay sacrificing aesthetics for a simpler installation, there are adhesive strap latches and also sliding cabinet locks. The adhesive latches can also be used to keep appliance doors shut. Sliding cabinet locks are the easiest to use, and pose no threat to cabinetry. They keep the cabinet doors shut by tying two handles together, which only works for side-by-side doors. 

How do I baby proof cabinets and drawers?

1. Move cleaning supplies to higher shelves. 
2. Use child proof locks on cabinet and appliance doors (including the toilet seat).
3. Consider moving decorative displays off of shelving.

5. Keep Small Objects and Choking Hazards Out of Reach

When babies are curious about an object, they will stick it in their mouth. Unfortunately this stage in their development coincides with when their tracheas are underdeveloped, meaning that they have trouble swallowing and, when they choke, they can not cough up the object as easily as you. And, depending on the object, swallowing could be almost as dangerous as choking. You’ll be shocked at what your little one will find on the floor and stick in their mouth once they start rolling around.

Tip: Remove small objects from accessible areas

Keys, batteries, remotes, things with small plastic parts, coins, marbles, and anything else small enough for your baby to grab in their chubby fists needs to be put away in a junk drawer. 

What small objects should I keep away from my baby?

1. Anything small enough to fit in their mouth 
2. Anything that’s at the risk of breaking into smaller parts 
3. Your phone – it's much too dirty to be a chew toy, and dangerous for a baby's developing brain 

6. Soften Sharp Corners and Edges

In the first few years, your little one’s head will be about 25% of their body length, and 90% of its adult size. An underdeveloped spine leads that giant head to being prone to a lot of bumps. Chairs, couches, and tables also happen to be around your growing child’s head height. One bad trip into the sharp corner of a table could lead to permanent damage. Replacing all your furniture, though, isn’t possible. 

Tip: Use corner guards and edge bumpers

Corner guards and edge bumpers are easy to apply. Simply take off the paper backs and stick it on. Foam guards, though aesthetically extreme, not only prevent cuts, but also cushion falls. Though your little one might still cry after a bump, you can rest assured that it’s because they’re scared, not injured. There are clear plastic guards that are minimal in appearance, but they don’t provide the same amount of cushion to your little one’s head. 

How do I baby proof sharp corners and edges?

1. Use adhesive guards and edges, preferably foam 
2. Use soft furniture covers on wooden chairs 
3. If buying new furniture, look for soft, sanded edges 

7. Secure Doors and Windows

The American Academy of Pediatrics published a study showing that over 5,000 children a year visit the emergency room due to an injury that occurred after a child fell out of a window. Window and door screens are only meant to stop bugs and cannot be relied on to keep your little one safe. Currently, there is no type of window that is 100% child-safe. 

Tip: Install door knob covers and window locks

First, if your window has hardware locks, check to make sure they're in good condition, and replace ones that aren’t. Use adhesive window stoppers to prevent windows from opening all the way. If it’s summertime and you’d like to open your windows, window guards are an excellent option. For casement windows, a chain lock that prevents the window from swinging open fully is your best bet.
Door knob covers prevent small hands from wrapping around the door handle and opening it. They prevent your kiddo from escaping their room or getting into places they shouldn’t be playing (like the bathroom). There are also unreachable door locks that can be placed at the top of a door. These prevent doors from shutting fully, which keeps little fingers from getting jammed. 

How do I baby proof doors and windows?

1.  Check hardware to make sure doors and windows stay locked.
2. If paint is peeling, strip and repaint frames to prevent your baby from ingesting paint chips. 
3. Install durable, childproof locks on all doors and windows.

Conclusion

Remember that babyproofing is supposed to make your life easier, not harder. Though it may feel difficult now, the ease of mind it provides later on will make your work worthwhile. Babyproofing will help alleviate the anxiety that comes with child rearing. As much as we hate to admit it, we can’t give 100% of our focus 100% of the time. A baby proofed house will give that 100%, even when you can't. 

FAQ

When should I start baby proofing the house?

The sooner the better. Ideally, baby proofing will be started during pregnancy. Once a baby starts rolling around on their own, the house should be completely baby proofed. 

What are the most important areas to babyproof? 

The most important areas to babyproof are the nursery, kitchen, bathroom, and stairways.