subject: Simple Ways to Childproof Your Apartment Home [print this page] Simple Ways to Childproof Your Apartment Home
Look at your apartment from the perspective of a toddler. Do you see any electrical outlets? Sharp corners on the media table? What about small decorative items on tables? How about all those fascinating doors that are in the bathroom and kitchen? These are all Mecca for inquiring little minds. You need to take on the project. Firstly, take a trip to the home improvement store. Everything you will need to childproof your home will be found there. These are cheap fixes, and easy to install. All childproofing can be done whether you live in an apartment or house, whether you rent or you own. Think of children's safety first. Not to mention the peace of mind you gain from taking the time for this project.
Get the small plastic covers for the electrical outlets. They fit tightly in the wall outlets so that small prying fingers can't pull them out very easily. This way you won't have to worry about small children sticking paperclips or small objects into the outlets and shocking themselves. The greatest thing to keep children out of the kitchen and bathroom cupboards is to shut the door, but a most cases, there aren't doors to shut and it's an open floor plan. Cupboard safety latches that are plastic are available almost anywhere. The cupboard can then only be opened by pressing down on the latch. Seems a bit inconvenient to the adult as first but keeps kids from getting into the garbage or cleaning products that most people keep under their kitchen sink.
You can get foam bumpers for the sharp edges on furniture. Many people don't even think to fasten their tall furniture to the wall. If a child were to try to climb it, it can easily tip over on top of them. Any residential home owner expecting to have children over needs to make sure their household furniture is immobilized.
Once these changes are made, look over your apartment again with a critical eye. If there is a patio door, make sure it's locked. Clear any table surfaces of decorations and knick knacks. Most importantly, keep an eye on the child at all times so you know they are always safe.
