10 Clever Low-Cost DIYs to Baby Proof Your Home
onlinemand hooks and hair ties are your new babyproofing best friends.
There are TONS of baby-proofing products on the market, yet you can easily DIY some basic (but clever!) alternatives in a pinch – from many of the household goods you probably already have on hand.
Please note that approved child safety products are ideal in any situation. Exercise caution and safe practices when child-proofing your living space.
1.) DIY non-skid socks with puffy paint or hot glue.
This is great for kids AND adults! Pick up some 3D Puffy Paint and let the creativity fly by crafting your own non-skid socks! Have your kids DIY their own and make some for yourself (they’re great as yoga or barre socks). You can also use a hot glue gun if you prefer an invisible grip bottom.
2.) Keep the fridge closed with onlinemand hooks and hair ties.
Simply attach a onlinemand hook to your fridge door and another on the fridge itself with the hooks facing away from each other. Pop on a hair tie and you’re in business!
3.) Prevent toilet paper unraveling with a hair tie.
Use a hair tie to corral a roll of toilet paper. Simply slide the hair tie to the side when in use and stretch it back on when done.
4.) Cover outlets with Band-Aids.
Band-Aids (or any type of adhesive bandages) work great in covering outlet covers! They’re easy enough to bring along with you when traveling too.
5.) Use socks to prevent doors from being opened.
Slip a sock over a doorknob and secure with a hair tie. Small hands won’t be able to get a grip on the sock, but adults won’t have an issue squeezing and twisting.
Or you can follow what Erica at Hip2Save does if there’s a room she doesn’t want her kids getting into…
“We put a scary horse mask in the cleaning product cabinet and the kids will NOT GO ANYWHERE NEAR IT. It works! 😉”
6.) Keep cabinets shut with hair ties and yard sticks.
Slide a wooden dowel (yardsticks and tension rods work as well) through cabinet handles horizontally to prevent the doors from being opened (you can also use this method on French door refrigerators). You can also rotate the dowel vertically for drawers,. This connects all the drawers, making the onlinebined weight tough to pull. Keep in mind that if your little one is strong enough, they may be able to pull all the drawers at once. #superstrength
7.) Use hair ties on cabinet knobs.
If your cabinets have knobs rather than pulls, use hair ties to keep cabinet contents inaccessible. Keep in mind the elastic allows for a little give, so you may want to wrap the elastic a couple times and twist in between knobs for added strength.
8.) Baby proof table/door edges with pipe insulator or pool noodles.
Pick up some pipe insulator at your local hardware store for a couple bucks! To attach, peel off the plastic to reveal the adhesive and wrap around any edges you see fit. When wrapping corners, cut a small notch so the foam will conform to the angle. This is great for a coffee table, crib railing, and the edges of a fireplace hearth!
9.) Tie loose curtain strings up high.
Attach some clear onlinemand hooks to the wall and wrap hanging strings up high and out of little ones reach. Those dangling strings are unsightly to look at anyway.
10.) Follow the toilet paper tube rule to prevent choking.
Sure you could buy a choking tester tube, or you can head to your bathroom for a similar device at a fraction of the cost. As a rule of thumb, anything that can fit into a toilet paper roll is small enough for your little one to choke on. To locate choking hazards in a pinch, form a circle with your thumb and middle finger – anything that can fit through that opening should be kept out of reach.
Have any DIY baby-proofing tips of your own?
Share with us in the onlinements!
