Is your baby nearing eight months? They may start to crawl at any time now – or even earlier! Whilst this is an exciting time, it can be nerve racking when you look around your home and see unprotected outlets, wobbly furniture, and other things that are all of a sudden hazardous. From the obvious items like cabinet locks to the easy-to-miss items like window cords, here’s a room-by-room baby-proofing checklist that will help you keep your home a safe space for your soon-to-be-crawling bub.

Every room

• Apply outlet covers and doorknob covers to all outlets and doorknobs
• Add baby gates to every necessary doorway or staircase
• Ensure all heavy furniture (TV’s, bookshelves, fridges, dressers, etc.) is mounted to a wall or surface
• Check your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors are working and in the necessary rooms and/or floors of the house
• Ensure all windows are locked and have safety guards
• If your window coverings have strings to pull or a loop, make sure they are out of reach
• Place plants out of reach
• Keep surfaces clear without any small objects around
• Keep a first aid kit stocked and accessible
• Always store guests’ items out of reach

Kitchen

• Secure all pantry doors, cabinets and drawers that contain scissors, knives, cleaning products, heavy pots and other potentially harmful items with child-proof latches/locks
• Secure the oven and microwave (if in baby’s reach) with a child-proof lock
• Remove your oven/stove knobs or add knob-covers to prevent your child from turning on the oven or stove burners
• Place non-slip pads under rugs
• When cooking, use a stove guard or remember to face all pot or pan handles towards the back of the stove, so little ones can’t grab them
• Lock your refrigerator and freezer
• Lock your dishwasher and cover the buttons, if necessary
• Move the rubbish bin out-of-sight or purchase a rubbish bin with locking lid
• Store toasters, air fryers, or other items with cords away or out of reach
• Opt for table placemats instead of table cloths

Living Room

• Cover the corner ends of coffee tables, tv stands, bookshelves and side tables with corner protectors
• Ensure all lamp cords, TV cords, etc. are out of reach, tied up, or secured down
• Lock any cabinet or sideboard handles or drawers
• Add a restrictive gate around your fireplace and store fireplace tools away
• Move furniture away from windows
• Remove any glass or small décor
• Ensure rugs have a non-slip mat

Nursery

• Remove mobiles above cots, if applicable
• Lock dresser or side tables drawers
• Swap toy boxes with lids to open baskets, so babies can’t pinch their fingers
• Keep the cot away from other furniture, so they can’t climb out onto it
• Place baby wipes and other supplies out of reach

Bedrooms

• Lock wardrobe doors or secure sliding wardrobe doors to avoid jammed fingers
• Add child-proof locks and latches to all drawers

Bathroom

• Secure all cabinets and drawers with child-proof locks/latches
• Add non-slip pads under mats
• Keep shampoo, conditioner, soap, razors, etc. elevated in the shower or stored away after each use
• Keep bathroom appliances like hairdryers and straighteners unplugged and locked inside a cabinet or drawer
• Move all cosmetic items, like makeup, lotions, aftershave, etc. to a secured drawer or cabinet
• Lock the toilet lid
• Turn the hot water system to 60-65 degrees Celsius

Outdoor Areas

• Move garden tools and other equipment to the garage
• Keep tools, equipment, and toxic substances out of reach
• Make sure garages and sheds are locked at all times
• Remove any toxic plants or soil
• Add a baby gate to the outdoor steps

Conclusion

While this is a thorough list, each home is different and may require additional baby-proofing. Once you think you have your bases covered, it’s a good idea to get down at your baby’s eye level to check for other hazards that you may not have noticed during walk throughs. We hope this checklist puts your mind at ease as you start to baby-proof your home!