There’s a lot to think about right when you move into a new home, from wondering if you actually called to have your internet set up to desperately trying to remember which kitchen box you packed the forks and spoons in. And if you have young kids, you’re also going to be in a rush to figure out how to quickly child-proof your home before anyone gets hurt. Because while you’re busy unpacking, you know the little ones are going to be busy seeing what kind of trouble they can get into. Here are some simple tips on how to child-proof a new home right when you move in.
Get prepared before you move
To quickly child-proof your new home, you’re going to want to start early. Pack and clearly label a box or boxes with the basics that know you’ll need right away, including outlet protectors, baby gates, toilet and cabinet locks, doorknob locks, and anything else you regularly used for child proofing in your previous home. Then, either bring these boxes in the car with you so you know exactly where to find them, or have them loaded last on the moving truck so they’ll be the first things off. It will be easiest to quickly child-proof before every room gets filled up with boxes, so make this the first step before you go on to tackle to other things.
If you can, have another plan for the kids on moving day
Moving day tends to be a bit chaotic, and it will be easy to overlook simple child proofing tasks while you try to juggle so many other things. If at all possible, make other arrangements for your kids on moving day so that you don’t have to worry about making sure everything is done the very second you set foot in your new home. It’s definitely a great day to send the kids to grandma and grandpa’s for a sleepover.
Create a separate space for unpacking materials
Empty boxes are joyful distractions for kids, but things like box cutters, scissors, and plastic wrap should always be kept out of reach. Set aside a separate space for storing these items as you unpack, such as a tall cabinet and/or a spare bedroom or the garage, and be careful to never leave them lying around. Be sure to install a doorknob lock on the door leading to where you’ve stored these items just in case tiny hands may find their way in.
Gate it off
While you work to get the home safe for your kids, make sure to gate off the no-go areas that aren’t secured yet. If you’re working on getting the first floor child proofed, for example, gate off the stairs and use another gate to keep your kids confined to one space, such as the living room. Put a movie on the iPad or hand off some empty boxes and markers for fort building to keep them busy. If you have really little kids, you’ll need to make sure you keep someone in the room with them as well. Before you leave everyone inside though, do a scan of the room, covering up outlets and clearing out any potentially dangerous items.
Cover up outlets right away
Go into each room and put in your outlet protectors. If you realize that you don’t have enough, focus on the ones at your kids’ level and in rooms they’ll frequent most often until you can order more. Just be sure that if you do have rooms where reachable outlets aren’t yet protected, you keep them off limits until you’ve finished the job.
Check the windows
Make sure that all windows have screens before opening them. And even if a window does have a screen, if you want to open it move all furniture and boxes away so that nobody can climb up there. You can also quickly put in some window stops that will keep your windows from opening too widely. If the window blinds have long hanging cords, tie them up and far out of reach.
Don’t keep your boxes stacked high
A tower of boxes is just asking to be climbed. Remove the temptation by spreading boxes out instead of stacking them on top of each other. If you have fragile items, don’t sit them on top of boxes either. Put them somewhere that you know they will stay out of reach, even if it means putting them in another room than where they’ll eventually end up.
Tackle the kitchen
The kitchen is one of the rooms with the most potential hazards, so make it a first priority when you’re working to quickly child-proof your house. Since unpacking the kitchen can take a while, choose a cabinet or cabinets high up and out of reach to stash breakables, sharp objects, and alcohol before you find their final spots. Tamper-proof the knobs on your stove with knob protectors, and put on your oven door lock. Put cabinet locks on any lower cabinets that are being used for dangerous items, such as cleaning supplies. For small appliances with electrical cords, move them out of reach to the back of the counter toward the wall or stow them away in upper cabinets.
Bathrooms
Depending on the age of your children, you may want to simply install doorknob locks on the bathroom doors until you can get around to doing a more through child proofing. But if your kids are potty trained and will need to get in there, keep the door open and focus on securing individual areas instead. Put a piece of packing tape around the lock so that your children cannot accidentally lock themselves inside, and install cabinet locks on any cabinets you’re using to store bathing products, cleaning products, or sharp objects. Keep any medications in their original containers and store them in a bathroom that the kids don’t have access to. If it’s not there already, cap your water heater at 120 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent any scalding water from coming through the faucets.
Be on the lookout for potential hazards
Always be looking for things that could pose a danger to your kids, such as long stretches of ripped-off packing tape on the floor or loose screws. Even after you think a room is in the safe and clear, get on your hands and knees to search for anything that may have escaped your gaze—you’d be surprised how far an errant packing peanut can travel.
The key to determining how to quickly child-proof your new home is to think like a kid. Whereas moving day may just be a long to do list for you, for your kids it’s an exciting break from the norm and filled with curious new things and places to explore. As much as you can, try to keep your little ones in one designated space while you get to work securing key areas, and consider enlisting some extra help if you can.
Looking for some more tips on moving with kids? Check out our advice on how to make the transition to a new home as seamless as possible and ways that you can help keep your kids busy by getting them involved in the moving process.
You can read the full article at Moving.com