How To Baby Proof Your Apartment

Many parents start baby proofing their apartment when their baby has managed to get into at least one accident. Many times we underestimate the reach of our children. It’s only when they put their chubby little fingers in the electrical socket that we realize that they had been eyeing it for some time now.

Baby proofing your apartment becomes necessary then. If you feel your apartment is just unsafe altogether for a baby, consider checking out new apartments. Resources like https://www.crediful.com/rent-apartment-with-bad-credit/ can help you navigate the waters to gain access to a nice, safer apartment. I remember when my kids started crawling. The simplest things became potential weapons.  Here’s what I learned on how you can baby proof your apartment:

Check from a baby’s eye level

This is the first step you take to make your house baby proof. It is very common and you have heard it too that when you need to understand someone’s position; you have to wear their shoes. This is something you have to do crawling around the house. When you do that, you see things from your baby’s viewpoint: dog bowl (a potential licking spot for your baby), nails, wires, and whatnot. Babies have the tendency to put everything in their mouths and they have very keen eyesight for all the wrong things. So, get down on your knees and prepare to see the dangerous world your baby is living in.

Cover Electrical Outlets

Electrical outlets are also accessible to a baby when they are at the floor level. These aren’t safe with a baby crawling in the house. Cover them with a sliding panel outlet cover. This cover automatically slides on when you take out your plug making it instantly secure. You can buy them from online stores or from any hardware shop near your home.

Secure Furniture

With a baby in the house, it is highly important that your furniture is child proof. You do not want the dresser to fall on your toddler or want your child to bump his head on a sharp edge of the bedside table. What I did was that I placed all my taller pieces of furniture along the walls and secured them by screwing or strapping them to the wall. This includes your TV as well because these days TVs are so light. Even your toddler can knock them off with the swipe of his hand.

Also, pay attention to the blinds in your home. Those blind cords are very dangerous. I have seen videos of kids strangling from those. You must either keep cots, beds or sofas away from the windows but if space is smaller use blind cord wind-ups. It hides those attractive dangling from the baby and there you go.

Baby locks

Protect your baby from the knives, sharp utensils, even chinaware, hairpins in the dresser or medicines, by locking the cabinets. There are baby locks available in the market that is going to be real sanity savers.

Use them to secure those cabinets which contain anything that may be harmful to the kids. You need to count those chemicals in too; I am talking about those bathroom and floor cleaners you have in yours. The baby may drink it in your absence. You never know so be CAREFUL, dear parents.

Even if your cabinets don’t contain anything dangerous, it’s a good idea to use a baby lock. You don’t want your kid messing your drawer for the tenth time in a day.

Baby Gate

Are there places in your apartment, you do not want your kid to be but there’s no door? That’s what baby gates are for. This is a must buy if you have an open kitchen or especially if there are stairs in your home. You don’t want your child running up and down the stairs unsupervised, every chance he gets. Believe me, that is going to happen.

Keep the Bathroom Locked

Well, this seems less important but this tip will save you a lot of time. When you have to re-roll the tissue roll thousands of times just to feel frustrated at the end of it. And don’t even talk about finding that paper in my child’s mouth. Just think of all the germs he may gulp down.

And then there’s the toddler’s love for water. Just imagine their hands down the toilet seat, splashing their hands happily. Not a happy position to find your toddler in.

I have learnt this lesson the hard way. Dry bathrooms are rare in a toddler’s house and your baby slipping on a puddle may not be your dream in the middle of a busy day. So, be very careful when it comes to those bathroom doors. Keep the closed, preferably locked at all times.

Even after all this, some apartments are not baby friendly. If you feel that your baby is still unsafe, you should consider renting a new apartment. Don’t let bad credit get in the way of your baby’s safety.