Childproofing is a necessary part of living with children; you want to keep your children as safe as possible after all. However, often the childproofing items and accessories that initially pop up on online searches are all extremely obvious and unsightly products. If you want to learn how to childproof your home without losing your home’s style, keep reading.
Set some rules, even if your child is very young.
If you’re babyproofing your home, it’s likely you’re setting about creating a safe environment for your crawler or toddler to explore. It’s safe to say that there will, of course, be areas that are off-limits. Maybe there’s an area that has valuables in it, or maybe there are dangers that you don’t want your child near, such as chemicals in the kitchen cupboards.
The first thing to do is set boundaries and ground rules with your child by gently implementing the household rules early on. Every time your baby crawls into the kitchen, for example, consider moving her back and gently telling her why she can’t be in there. Explain the dangers and talk to her about why you’re removing her; with consistency, she’ll start to understand that the area is off-limits.
Keep your furniture low to avoid tumbles.
Sometimes babies’ and toddlers’ limbs have a mind of their own. They rock, rollover, kick out and punch, all to their delight! It only takes a second for an over-excited baby to crawl or fall off the sofa. In order to keep injuries to a minimum, keep your furniture as low as possible while they’re still learning to walk and climb.
Protect your soft furnishings with tough fabrics.
You want to keep your children safe, but you also don’t want to sacrifice style. Upholstering your sofas and armchairs with tough, hard wearing fabric keeps them safe from mucky hands, baby sick, and all sorts of other sticky liquids that will inevitably find their way onto your furniture.
Stair gates that match your interior.
If you’re going to childproof your home, stair gates are an inevitable bit of kit that you’re going to need. As they’re unavoidable, you might as well have fun with them and make them match the rest of your decor. It’s possible to draw up and design your own stair gate using hinges and a lock that only the adults can reach. There are tons of styles to try out, and you can even create stair gates to suit specific measurements – for example, building a stair gate that’s taller than usual. Alternatively, bespoke stair gates can be tailored especially to suit your home interior.
Make sure your furniture is attached to the walls.
This is such an important baby proofing process, but fortunately, it’s a precaution that will go completely unnoticed by your guests. There are lots of kits available on the market that ensure the tall furniture in your home, for example, bookshelves and wardrobes, are securely attached to the wall. This type of furniture can look extremely inviting to little climbers, so make sure to think about your house from a child’s point of view and assess each room for any dangerous furniture that needs to be tied down – this includes TVs.
Find electrical output covers and cord concealers that match your existing decor.
The good news for interior design lovers is that you no longer need to have white plastic protectors in your plug sockets anymore. This is especially good news if you have non-traditional electrical sockets such as brushed metal or chrome. Search your local hardware store or look online to find safe electrical output covers and corn concealers that match the colour and style of your existing furniture.