The Ultimate Babyproofing Guide for Your Home Interiors

“Sometimes the littlest things take up the most in your heart.” Winnie the Pooh.

Once your adorable baby starts crawling actively, your safety concerns for your baby will increase. Crawling away, falling over, opening cabinets, putting their tiny hands into spaces and things, climbing stairs, and much more mischievous adventures await them, keeping you in alert mode. Childproofing your home and preparing for the arrival of your baby is one of the most exciting times of your life as a parent. When it comes to interior design, parents realise the modifications in home interior designs they have to make to ensure the safety of their baby. Imagine loose wires, accessible electrical sockets, or even tipping furniture. That’s where babyproofing home interiors come in.

What is babyproofing?

Babyproofing is all about making your home the safest place for your child, which ensures there are no risks of accidents or chances of your baby being hurt. As parents, childproofing your home minimises your anxieties about your child’s safety. A home that has undergone childproofing allows the baby to play and crawl around safely, no matter where they are. Babies are curiously driven to learn and explore the world around them. Picking up stuff they find on the floor, putting it in their mouths, crawling into spaces unknown to them, and throwing objects are all their ways of learning and understanding the world around them.

When to start babyproofing?

The best time to start babyproofing is during pregnancy or after delivery. If you’re planning to childproof your home after delivery, babyproof your home before the baby becomes mobile (within 5-7 months). Remember, baby-proofing interiors isn’t just about safety locks and childproof gates on stairs; it’s also about objects lying around, slippery floors, and sharp objects that can pose a threat when the baby is in your arms. Baby gates (stair gates for babies also) are indeed a priority to keep your baby safe. Start by organising hairpins, clips, combs, scissors, and anything else that you use regularly that they can get their tiny hands on. Adopting the concept of minimalism when it comes to grown-up things and possessions can help make the baby-proofing process easier.

Here are some amazing and essential home babyproofing tips for parents and families.

Baby Proofing Locks

You might love this. Get your hands on the floor like a baby would, and get a baby view of the room. This will help tackle potential dangers that you may have missed, like exposed screws under furniture. Analyse your home interior layouts. If it’s an open kitchen layout, your baby can access the kitchen with ease. Keep garbage bins out of reach or introduce babyproof locks. Drop a childproof lock into every drawer, cabinet, and even the microwave oven that the baby can get their little fingers into. Magnetic locks in cabinets are a good idea to implement while baby-proofing cabinets. In case a childproof lock goes missing, find a hair tie, a tight rubber band, or a rubber bracelet as a temporary replacement.

Sometimes, babies can get lucky with baby-proof locks; they may crack those locks. You would be surprised. Beware; do not act surprised or appreciate them in case they unlock a childproof lock. This will motivate them and may compromise your baby-proofing efforts. Keep kitchen knives, sharp objects, fragile decor, mirrors, and anything fragile (glass objects and mugs) out of their reach with safety latches, if needed. Store them in cabinets away from their reach.

Fabrics: Rugs, Bed Sheets, and Tablecloths vs. Stains

Your little ones will spill a lot of food and might get their stained hands on your bed sheets or sofas after dinner or a painting session. So, it’s a wise option to consider choosing the right fabrics for your rooms with easy stain-removing properties. There are fabrics that can have those tiny handprints easily washed away. Be ready with good stain removers before those stains get more difficult to remove. Always keep in mind that you should avoid high-maintenance fabrics like silk and wool. Wool can hold odours if it is exposed to moisture, and it takes a lot of time and effort to wash and dry it.

The kitchen and other rooms

Make sure to install magnetic locks or childproof locks in cabinets and under-sink areas where cleaning liquids and stain removers are stored. Cultivate the habit of unplugging appliances in the kitchen and other rooms after use, which is a priority measure to be considered as it is very risky to have babies messing with kitchen appliances. Ensure to have no windows opened in accessible areas and no dangling wires or cords around. Keep computer wires organised and out of your baby’s sight. Introduce safety covers for stove knobs that can keep your child from turning them on.

Keep the hot dishes off the edges of countertops and tables. Restrain from using tablecloths, as a child can pull on them and may have an accident with plates falling on them. Cover the pointy edges of tables, as your baby might bump into them. Avoid glass tables as they are fragile, and choose heavy furniture as they cannot be tipped over that easily. Place your detergents, hand sanitizers, and laundry liquids away, as they appear colourful and attractive to the baby. If you are a fan of biophilic designs and have indoor plants, you will have to make strategic adjustments as babies can chew and eat the leaves or even drop the pots to the floor, making a huge mess.

The baby’s crib should be clear and not cluttered with pillows and blankets, as your little one can get stuck in between them. The baby’s crib should meet the current safety standards.

Safety

A baby monitor should be on top of your list when you go shopping for baby-proofing tools.

A first-aid kit is a must-have. In the case of a minor injury or a medical emergency, this can be a lifesaver. Use outlet covers in electrical sockets to avoid your child getting an electric shock. As per the risk assessment, install a fire extinguisher. Never leave a bucket or any container filled with water that the baby can get into. We frequently access our purses or moneybags and may place them around carelessly. Remember, it can have coins that the child can swallow and cause choking.

Install baby gates or childproof gates at the top and bottom of stairs, irrespective of how long or short the stairs are. Have window guards and babyproof all windows. Keep a plastic-free system, which has the bonus of an eco-friendly home. Regularly check the floor for small objects that can be a choking hazard for your baby. Ensure safety locks on toilets and front-load washing machines and dryers. The bathroom floors are indeed slippery. Get non-slippery mats for indoor and outdoor spaces that can turn slippery during the rainy season. An alarm system can let you know if your baby has stepped out of the room. Bolt or add furniture straps to your bookshelves, and definitely blot large furniture to the walls. Keep rug pads under rugs to avoid slipping and falling.

Babies grow up, and to your surprise, the cute little ones will be crawling and running around in no time. As parents, there is no measure you wouldn’t take to ensure the safety of your child. Baby proofing is not an easy or quick process. It feels perfect and safe when you do it with patience and go through every detail of your rooms that may not be safe for your little ones. There will be moments when you will need to upgrade the babyproofing setups you have made. Stay alert in cases where your baby has cracked the babyproof measures you have placed.

We hope this babyproofing blog is informative and useful in giving ideas to start babyproofing your home interiors. After all, trust your parental instincts. Quoting Benjamin Spock, an American paediatrician and best-selling author, “What good mothers and fathers instinctively feel like doing for their babies is usually best after all.” Happy parenting!