Junior is moving and shaking all over the house now. I never noticed how dangerous my house was for babies until… well, I had a baby. (I also never knew how dirty my house was before babies but that’s another subject)

baby proofing

Aside from putting him in a giant bubble, I needed to baby proof the house in a way that’s still livable for the rest of the family.

From what I’ve learned so far, here are 20 must-dos when baby proofing your house.

  1. Put up baby gates to block off rooms or stairs. I like the ones you can walk through for convenience.
  2. Cover all exposed outlets
  3. Lock your cabinets (particularly those with sharp objects of hazardous cleaners and liquids)
  4. Pad sharp edges or remove sharp-edge furniture entirely for the time being. Cut up pool noodles work great!
  5. Cover exposed wires or cables
  6. Lock your oven. Also, remove the towel hanging off the handle. Baby can use that to pull down oven doors as well
  7. Buy covers for your stove knobs if they are in reach as well
  8. Store all remotes out of reach
  9. Tape the back of the battery cover for the remote so batteries don’t fall out. (Learned that one the hard way)
  10. Heavy furniture NEEDS to be fastened to the wall
  11. Install door knob cover or a high lock so baby/child doesn’t escape.
  12. Vacuum regularly under chairs and tables and also behind any furniture
  13. Purchase a toilet lock
  14. Abide by the “toilet paper roll” rule. If a something is small enough to fit in a toilet paper roll, it is too small for baby.
  15. Cover radiators or heating vents which can cause serious burns
  16. Purchase a spout cover for the tub faucet
  17. Purchase door pinch guards to prevent fingers getting slammed.
  18. Place purses, jackets and pocket books up high.
  19. Use cord shorteners for blinds or curtains
  20. Never leave baby alone with a family dog, even if you trust the dog. You just never know.