5 Ways to Baby Proof Your Home Before the Toddler Years

Toddlers are curious, crazy, amazing little humans. Their curiosities know no bounds, but that could spell trouble for mom and dad. Below you will find a list of 5 suggestions for baby proofing your home before the toddler years.

Invest in Several Safety Gates for Your Off-Limit Rooms

From staircases, to the bathroom, there are lots of places a toddler would love to explore, but some of these places can be dangerous. So, invest in a few flip-lock safety gates. Stretch them from one wall to another in any hallway or doorway. This will help you establish boundaries for your kiddo. You should also think about safety outside, like on your deck. Make sure your deck is secure and level with floating deck footings.

Place Your Valuable or Dangerous Items Out of Reach

House cleaners, small toys of your older children, jewelry…really, anything that your toddler could swallow should be up and out of the way. Toddlers are so curious about their senses and the world around them, so anything they find will usually go through the touch and taste tests. Put valuable or dangerous items out of reach in high cabinets and locked cupboards.

Adopt a Cleaner Lifestyle

When you have a toddler, the life of a slob becomes obsolete. You suddenly have to be more aware of what you have in your home—and, more specifically, in your floor or on your tables. Before the baby ever arrives, you should work on adopting a cleaner, simplistic lifestyle. Make your home an optimum, safe environment for a curious toddler.

Ask Loved Ones to Be Aware of Their Habits

Adults have a variety of bad habits, such as smoking and drinking. However, when you are a parent, you become more aware of the bad habits of others because you don’t want your child to be affected. Ask your loved ones to tone down their habits in your house, from stepping outside to have a cigarette, to saving alcoholic beverages for another time, and so on.

Snag a Few Rugs and Play Mats

Rugs and play mats will be your best friends in the toddler years. They provide a cushion that your baby can play on, land on, and generally be comfortable on. The crawling phase can be hard on your little one’s knees, while walking and climbing will inevitably lead to bumps and bruises. There will be less ouchies and tears with rugs and play mats in place.

The toddler years are full of ups and downs, explorations and adventures, and awesome firsts. Never miss a moment. And draw on this article for ways to keep your toddler safe while they do what they do best.

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