Baby Proofing – What you should do before the baby comes

When you have a new baby, there are tons of things to consider before bringing the baby home. Have I done enough baby proofing in areas where my child will be? As a whole, is my home safe to be in? Do I have the right equipment in my car so I can leave the hospital with my baby?l  Most new parents second guess their baby proofing. Here are some tips to help you make your house as safe as possible for your bundle of joy.

Baby proofing your house in more than 20 ways

When you are looking to baby proof your home, you could look at most anything as a safety hazard. Of course, you’ll want the obvious plug covers and rubber corner stoppers. One less obvious idea is to rent self storage to remove some hazard items in your home that you may not be using. This might include exercise equipment, box fans, and some kitchen supplies.

Here are some other ways to make your home safe and baby proof:

1. Install a UL-listed carbon monoxide detector on every floor of your home. This is especially important if you have gas or oil appliances, or even an attached garage. Also, be sure to check the batteries of any detectors you already have.
2. Install smoke detectors. In similar fashion to carbon monoxide detectors, smoke detectors are very important. Integrating these with an alarm system can help automate your home and also allow save you money on your homeowner’s insurance.
3. Purchase a fire extinguisher.
4. Store medicine, cleaners, and other poisonous chemicals in hard to reach places off the ground or in a locked cabinet.
5. Add emergency contacts and medical information to your phone that can be accessed even in lock mode.
6. Add a first-aid kit to your home.
7. Install a temperature guard on your water heater so it doesn’t get too hot and potentially scalding your baby.
8. Add non-slip pads to your rugs.
9. Cover all sharp furniture edges and corners with bumpers or safety padding. Walmart baby proofing kits can help with this specific task.
10. Block all open electrical outlets with furniture or use safety plugs.
11. Always unplug and put away electrical appliances such as irons, curling irons, toaster ovens, etc.
12. Check your house and yard for potentially poisonous plants and remove them.
13. Put a thick rug or pad below the changing table. Babies can roll off very quickly as they tend to squirm.
14. Position the crib away from windows, heaters, lamps, wall decorations, cords, etc.
15. Use furniture straps to keep ‘tip-prone’ items from falling such as dressers, TVs, bookshelves, and more.
16. Keep toilet lids down and secured with a lid lock.
17. Use cord holders and zip ties to keep wiring secured and fastened against walls. This will prevent your little one from tugging on cables and keep them from being electrocuted.
18. Be sure your changing table has straps and always buckle up when diapering your child.
19. Use baby gates at the tops of stairs and in the entry of certain rooms to prevent them your child from falling down or entering an off-limits room.
20. Place your child’s crib away from windows so they do not accidentally fall out.
21. Make sure any toys purchased for your baby are childproof. Beware of small parts that they can choke on.23.  Choose a toy box with a safe design and avoid containers with hinged lids that can potentially slam down.

Sound like a good idea to hide away some of your items in self storage before your baby arrives? Call us here at Boxie24 at 844-337-7739 and let us help you with your storage needs. Rent a clean dry and air-conditioned storage space in one of our storage facilities for a reasonable price. Keep in mind that we can provide you with secure, sturdy moving boxes to assist you with your packing.

Baby proofing your car

After leaving the hospital, your vehicle is the first thing your baby will encounter, so it is important that it is baby proofed. Below are some examples of how to baby proof your car:

• Install an approved, rear-facing car seat in the back seat behind the passenger side seat if possible.
• Purchase a sun visor to block any harmful rays from shining on the baby’s face. You can purchase simple stick-on shades to make this installation a breeze.
• Clear the car of any small objects as they could be potential choking hazards
• Clean your car! The days of soda cans and garbage piling up are over. Make sure the car is rid of any loose trash as well as dust and dirt.

Baby proofing your garage

Once your baby gets a little bigger, they will start wandering around the house and even into places like the garage. It goes without saying that they shouldn’t be left alone. Things do happen though, so take the necessary precautions and ensure your garage is as baby proof as a garage can be. Below are some great examples of how to baby proof your garage.

• Hang tools out of reach or place them in locked cabinets. Tools are certainly very dangerous, especially if put in the wrong hands, so be sure that they are locked away or unreachable.
• Disconnect all power tools and secure your outlets when not in use.
• Simple alarms can be installed on the garage door that will alert you when the door is opened or left open for a continuous period of time. Make sure nobody is going where they shouldn’t be.
• Test your garage door opener and safety beam. You want to make sure that your garage door could never close on somebody, potentially crushing them.
• Keep the garage door remote opener and physical button out of arm’s reach.
• Make sure all tools that cannot be stored away (vices, table saws, etc.) are securely mounted and cannot tip over or potentially fall.
• Be sure there are no small items like screws, nuts, bolts, etc., laying on the floor.

The garage in many homes tends to become a storage center for people, making for a lot of lost space. Let Boxie24 Storage change this for you so your garage can be a garage and not a storage facility for your Christmas decorations. Call today at 844-337-7739!