10 ways to childproof your home

11 Mar 2014

For many young couples, the prospect of starting a family is what prompts their first home purchase, but if you’re about to bring home a new baby, you need to make sure the property will provide a safe and loving environment. 

Install safety gates at the top and bottom of all stairways and keep them properly closed at all times.

This is according to Berry Everitt, MD of the Chas Everitt International property group, who has some advice on how to create a child-friendly home. Get tips... 

1. Install safety gates at the top and bottom of all stairways and keep them properly closed at all times.
 
2. Install plastic safety guardsin all unused plug points to keep out curious little fingers, and put snap locks on all ground-level cupboard doors.
 
3. Make sure any nappy or cleaning buckets havelockable lids, and install snap locks on toilet lids too. Small children are top heavy and can easily drown in little water.
 
4. If you have a pool, it’s best to have both a fence with a locked and alarmed gate and a safety net. Small children should also not be allowed to play in a paddling pool without supervision, and the pool should be emptied immediately after use. 
 
5. Make sure all bookcases and storage cabinets are firmly fixed to the wall with brackets so that they do not fall over if used as standing aids by a child learning to walk.
 
6. Make sure deck or balcony railings are close enough together so that a child can’t squeeze between them. If they are not, plastic mesh at least one metre high should be firmly fixed to the vertical railings and the floor.
 
7. Store medicines and chemical cleanersin closed, preferably locked cupboards, well out of reach of any furniture children can climb on.
 
8. In the kitchen, be careful not to let pot and pan handles project over the edge of the stove, and never leave a chair or stool near the stove.
 
9. If you have glass sliding doors, place bright stickers or decorative decals low down on the glass so that children can easily see when they’re closed.
 
10. And finally, keep children out of tool sheds and garages, and keep your car locked even when parked in the driveway.