It does not take long for a baby to go from being unable to sit up to getting mobile and exploring everywhere they can. If you have recently had a child, or if you have one on the way, then now is a great time to get started babyproofing your home.
From kitchens and bathrooms to everywhere in between, here is a quick room-by-room guide to making your London property safe for a child to explore.
Babyproofing the kitchen
The kitchen may be the hub of the modern home, but can also be a dangerous place for children with sharp objects, cleaning supplies, and high heat from ovens and hobs.
1. Add locks to kitchen cabinets and the fridge
Kitchen cupboards can contain cleaning supplies, cooking tools, and sharp objects, and so it is critical to put latches or locks on these to stop your child getting access to them. The under-sink and lower cupboards are the most important to secure, but securing every cupboard is never a bad idea. You can buy cupboard latches and locks from retailers from Argos to Ikea, but if you don;t have the tools or time to fit them yourself, then a handyman is only a phone call away.
2. Put away appliances when not in use
The modern kitchen is filled with appliances that generally sit on countertops from air fryers to blenders. Whilst we might have left these plugged in previously, with young children around you should always put these away to stop your child grabbing at the cord and pulling the item down on themselves. If you do not have enough cupboard space to fit all your appliances, then think about adding some additional cabinets to your kitchen if you have the space, whether you build the flat packs yourself or get a handyman carpenter in for the task.
3. Add cooker knob covers
To stop wandering hands grabbing at the knobs for the oven or hobs and accidentally turning on the heat or gas, you can buy knob covers that fit securely on top. In general, it’s best to cook using the back hobs to keep pan handles out of the way as well.
4. Keep the edges clear
Children will try and grab everything within their reach, and so if you leave pans or plates on the edge of the kitchen surface and accident is bound to happen. Instead, try and put away things as soon as possible and certainly push everything away from the edges.
Babyproofing the bathroom
Bathrooms can present dangerous drowning hazards and stores of medicines and cleaning supplies.
1. Add locks to bathroom cabinets
Just as in the kitchen, a lock should be installed on all cabinets in your bathroom to stop the baby from gaining access to where you store medicines, makeup, and bathroom cleaning supplies.
2. Add a toilet seat lock
Children are inquisitive and will climb into places you do not want then to have access both for cleanliness and because they are full of water like the toilet and can be a drowning hazard. To avoid any accidents, it is best to add a toilet seat latch that prevents your baby from lifting the lid and peering or climbing inside.
3. Secure or remove the bin
Bathroom bins are useful, but children have a habit of emptying everything onto the floor and sifting through it. So, whilst your child is young, think about either removing the bin from the bathroom or keeping it securely stored in a higher location or behind a locked cabinet door.
Babyproofing the sitting room
Family rooms tend to pose fewer dangers than bathrooms or kitchens, but there are a few ways to make the living room
1. Tidy up electrical cords
Electrical cords, just like window blind cords, can be a choking hazard as well as giving babies the opportunity to pull lamps, TVs, and other items down on top of themselves. Therefore, it is good practice to tidy up the cords and hide them behind some cable trunking which can be secured to the wall. This also has the benefit of making the room look tidier, which is a bonus! Adding cable trunking is relatively simple, but if you don’t have the time or tools to complete the task, then a local handyman can help.
2. Add window locks and guards
Many modern windows come with the ability to lock them so that they can only be opened a crack and therefore not pose a risk to babies climbing out. However, if the windows of your London property are older period windows, you can add aftermarket window locks which perform the same role. Additionally, you can add window guards, which are securely fastened to window frames with bars no more than four inches apart to stop your child getting too close to the glass. If you need some help securely screwing window guards into the sides of the frame or adding window locks, then a reliable local handyman can get the job done quickly and professionally.
Babyproofing the nursery
You will probably have babyproofed the nursery from the start, but it is always worth double checking everything is safe when your baby starts to crawl and explore for themselves.
1. Secure dressers and wardrobes to the wall
Any heavy piece of furniture should be securely screwed into the wall to prevent them toppling over, especially items like dressers and wardrobes that can be a little top-heavy. If you don’t have the right drill bit, screws, or rawlplugs (wall plugs), then get a professional handyman in to help.
2. Install cordless blinds or curtains
Window cords can be a choking hazard for children, and so any room where your child might be left alone for any period of time should have the cord safely out-of-reach, or even better the blinds would be entirely cordless to avoid the issue entirely. If you need some help putting up a new curtain rail, or installing a new cordless blind then the friendly team of handymen from BBOJ have the right experience for the job.
Babyproofing the home office
More and more of us work from home at least a few days per week, and that means we have a home office that is full of computers, printers, and other office supplies. You could babyproof this room in the same way as any other, by making sure everything is out of reach and any electrical cables are inaccessible. However, in reality you probably don’t want the baby in your office at any point, so the best option might be to simply put a lock on the door and make sure it is locked whenever it is not in use.
Is your London home ready for your child to start exploring? The above list is a good place to start, but it is not exhaustive – if you would like a professional to make sure all your property has been babyproofed then give Bits Bobs and Odd Jobs a call on 0208 244 5070 or book a handyman online.
