Home Maintenance | Kids Room

Oh, Baby! Kid-proofing tips that won’t break the bank

 

Let’s be honest, kids are great,
but they’re expensive and fragile. Most of us spend a lot of time making sure
either our kids don’t break our stuff or, more importantly, our stuff doesn’t
break our kids. Unfortunately, with baby-proofing and kid-proofing, we’re also
at risk of breaking the bank if we anxiously buy into every tool and gadget on
the market for locking down your living space. Here are three simple low-cost but definitely ingenious home hacks for keeping the little
ones safe.

 


Use your noodle
The humble pool noodle is one of the
most versatile objects for keeping kids safe. The beauty of the pool noodle is
that they are relatively cheap, available pretty much everywhere, and a little
bit of noodle goes a long way.
Personally, I use lengths of pool
noodle that I sliced horizontally to protect my car when I’m carrying a canoe
on top. But the same principle can be applied to virtually any surface in your
house. Cut a length of noodle, slice lengthwise partially through, and fit onto
sharp edges of fireplace hearths, or coffee tables at play time, or any surface
that’s dangerous to tiny noggins. The beauty of the pool noodle is that the
sections can easily be put away out of sight when not needed.
Another great use for short lengths of
pool noodles are on doors as pinch protectors. Again, cut a thin slice of the
noodle, make a cut, and slide over a door. You can use this on the hinge side
to prevent pinched fingers or on the knob side to prevent slams and accidental
lock outs.
Some people cover pool noodles in batting and fabric and using them as wall bumpers for beds and
cribs. This adds a more decorative spin. When it comes to this object, the possibilities are nearly endless!



Hook and loop tape
Hook and loop tape, also known as Velcro in the same sort of way that tissues are
known as Kleenex, is the number two home safety superhero on the list.  Cabinet door latches can be confusing and scary
and make you question whether or not you’re actually a functional adult who should
be in charge of the well being of another more helpless, tiny human being. Velcro has
solved this nightmare. All you really need to do is tightly secure both the
hook and loop halves through the handles of cabinet doors, securing them
closed. Your pots and pans stay safely inside, and your sanity remains for
those moments when you need to quickly grab something.

You can also
use strips of heavy duty Velcro on the inside of your cabinets. Even if a
toddler were to perform a trust fall while holding on to a handle or knob, it’s
highly unlikely it would budge. The benefit of this house hack is that the
Velcro stays hidden, and it is a whole lot cheaper than a mess of plastic
doohickeys that lock you out of your own stuff.

Sugru
The third, and
possibly coolest, item on my kid-proofing list is Sugru. Sugru! It’s fun to
say, so you know it’s fun to use. If you’ve never encountered it before, it
looks a lot like polymer clay, but it’s self curing. And like the first two
items on the list, its uses are nearly infinite.

 

It can be used to reinforce laptop charger cords, because they always seem to need a
little strength, but this powerful little silicone polymer is a regular
household hero. Sugru can be applied on pointy corners and edges to prevent
bumps and bruises. Application is as simple as sticking a wad of gum to the
underside of your desk used to be. Whether it’s the edge of cement steps, a
sharp cabinet corner, the tap in the tub, or the underside of a table, this
stuff is great for softening hard, pointy surfaces. According to the product
website, it can even be used to affix plexiglass over your oven window to
protect little hands from heat.With a little ingenuity and some heroic everyday household
products, it’s possible to break free from expensive accessories that stores
sell for child-safety, and it’s even more possible to protect the little ones
you love from life’s preventable ouches without emptying your pockets.

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *