Baby Proofing Essentials

Congratulations, your baby is now crawling and on the move! Now you need baby-proof the house to keep them safe. It only takes a second for your baby to get into something they shouldn’t. Accidents are inevitable but trying to prevent any unnecessary incidents before they happen is worth your time.

One of the best ways to do this is by babyproofing and making things safer for your little one. To help, I have collected some of my favorite baby proofing tips and things I did to baby-proof my house.

Outlet Plug Covers

My number one go-to is outlet plug covers. I’m sure you’ve seen them and know what I’m talking about. They are plastic plugs you put into the electric sockets of your outlets so that your little ones can’t stick fingers or toys in them. You can buy them for cheap with many plugs in a package. I put them in every single outlet in my house. I only take them out if I plug something else in.

Kitchen Cabinet Locks

Little ones love to explore and get into things. Kitchen cabinets are no exception. You can find simple locks in the baby department in most stores. They go around (or through) your cabinet handles to keep kids from opening the doors. I put them on our cleaning product cabinet and even our pot and pans cabinet because my kids kept pulling out the pans every day.

Doorknob Covers

This has been another lifesaver for me. The covers are plastic and you clip them around the doorknob so kids can’t open the door. They have a gripping section for an adult can squeeze and twist the cover to open the door. I put them on closets I didn’t want my kids to get into and pull items out of.

Baby Gate

Once your baby is on the move you will want to invest in a baby gate. We used a gate for our stairs to prevent falling down our giant staircase. Even now that my kids can do stairs safely, we still use the baby gates every day. I put them in my kids’ doorways now that they are in toddler beds during nighttime and naptime so they don’t go exploring while I’m asleep.

Carpet/Foam Play Mat

If you have mostly hardwood floors, you can get some affordable foam play mats. I had a cute Paw Patrol one for my daughter as a baby for her to play and crawl on. After having my son, we set up a designated play area with toys and used some play rugs for them to play on.

Corner Covers

These are a common item for families with coffee tables that have sharp edges. They are typically rubber covers you place over the corners of tables, shelves, etc. They help to prevent head or other injuries in case the child falls and hits the corner.

Breakable Things Out of Reach

Move all breakable items to high places where your kids can’t reach them. Not only does this prevent a treasured item from getting broken but it also prevents an injury if a glass object breaks with a baby nearby.

Baby Toys Within Reach

Make sure to have Baby’s toys down low where they can reach. This will help them to focus on things they can play with and also encourage independent play.

Gate Off Areas

You can find baby playpens and bigger gated items. You can create a baby safe area for your child to play inside the gate and/or you can use the gate to gate off areas you don’t want your child playing in (such as a Christmas tree, etc).

Grippy/Nonslip Socks

Last but not least, if you have hardwood floors you will want to invest in some grippy socks/slippers. In the winter my kids get cold and want to wear something but would slip and slide. Once we got grippy socks the problem was solved.

I hope that these baby-proofing essentials are helpful for you to create a safe home for your little one to grow and play in. What is your number one baby proofing item? Let me know in the comments below.