How to create a baby proof home office

Learn how to create a baby-proof your home office with these tips and products.

Working from home can be challenging enough without having to worry about your little ones safety.

Like a lot of other people, I have been working from home for the past year now. It has been great to be able to be home with my little diva for the past year. I have been here for a lot of milestones I might have missed if I had to go into work every day.

I didn’t worry about my home office and how safe it was when she was little and couldn’t walk around. However, now that my daughter is a toddler, she is everywhere and into everything.

Why are electrical outlets so fascinating to babies and toddlers? I know they are just learning, but man! I spend more time keeping her away from hazards then I do getting any work done.

The playpen has been a godsend, but I know in the not too distant future she will be able to climb out of it. Once she can do that, it’s going to be a free for all.

Since I’m working on a complete home office makeover, I decided it was a good time to also create a baby proof home office.

What do you really need to baby proof?

We all know little ones are curious and they get into everything. They are learning with everything they do. We need to make sure their exploring and testing out their surroundings is safe. Here is what needs to be baby proofed in your home office.

• Cables and cords
• Unused electrical outlets
• Sharp corners
• Trash containers
• Cabinets and drawers
• Surfaces within reach of little hands
• Furniture that could easily tip over

Solutions for Creating a Baby Proof Home Office

• Manage the cables, exposed surge protectors, and plugs. Hide them out of reach with a cable management box. You can DIY it with my DIY Cable Management Box | Baby Proof the Surge Protector or buy one if DIY isn’t your thing.

DMoose Cable Management Box Cord Organizer 

• Cover electrical outlets. This is one of the easiest things to you can do to keep your baby or toddler safe. Their little fingers won’t be able to get these outlet plug covers out. Shoot, it’s even hard for me to get them out.

Outlet Plug Covers (32 Pack) Clear Child Proof Electrical Protector Safety Caps

• Take care of the corners. Sharp corners are not your friend and they always seem to be right at eye level for a toddler. Use corner protectors to minimize the risk of injury due to sharp corners.

Corner Protector, Baby Proofing Table Corner Guards, Keep Child Safe, Protectors for Furniture Against Sharp Corners (12 Pack) by CalMyotis

• Put away the trash. Just like you have a lid on the trash can in the kitchen, you need to have one with a lid in your home office. Out of sight, out of mind.

6-Liter White Plastic Round Step-On Trash Can by simplehuman.

• Lock cabinets and drawers and keep everything put away. Child cabinet locks are a great way to keep cabinets and drawers locked to curious little hands.

Child Cabinet Locks

• Create a kids zone with toys and books. Make a space for them in your home office to keep them occupied. Not only will you be keeping them safe, but you’ll be able to get some work done.

Chalkboard and Magnetic Dry Erase Board

• Use faux plants in plastic pots. There will be no dirt to play in and leaves won’t get pulled off and stuck in little mouths. In the event that one gets pulled down, the plastic pot will be less likely to cause bodily damage and it won’t break.

• Get a good playpen. It’s ok, no one will judge you. Playpens have come a long way and they really look more like toddler play places than a playpen. You will be able to work with peace of mind knowing that your toddler can’t get out and get into anything.

Milliard X-Large 8 Panel Playpen

You will have to tweak your baby proof home office as your baby grows. What will work at one stage of their development may not work as the get bigger. You will learn as they grow what steps to take to continue to keep them safe.