Blog

SAFE & KID-FRIENDLY HOMES THAT GROWNUPS WILL LOVE

Safety first:

Every parent’s first priority is to have a home that is safe and kid-friendly.  We want to take preventive action so that accidents never have the chance to happen.  Here are several measures you can implement to make your home a safe haven for your children:

• Secure heavy items, like bookcases, dressers, TVs and consoles with wall anchors.  The anchors prevent these large pieces of furniture from falling over on  a small child during an earthquake or if they try to pull themselves up or worse, climb up the cabinet or dresser.  There are plenty of tutorials and websites to show you how to easily install these wall anchors.
• Electrical safety: cover all unused electrical outlets with plastic plug covers.  Shorten or hide hanging cords for blinds and appliances, so that they are not a strangulation hazard.
• Install hardware mounted safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs.  Doorknob covers will prevent access of little ones to hazardous rooms such as bathrooms, garages and basements.
• Use cabinet and drawer locks on the storage areas where cleaning supplies, knives and tools are kept.
• Install window guards or stops to prevent children from falling out of windows.  Screens are not protection against this terrible accident.  These are also easily findable with instructions on how to install.
• If you have home exercise equipment, having the gym inaccessible in a locked room is ideal.  But if space does not allow, keep heavy weights locked in a cabinet when not in use.  Turn off the Pelaton, treadmill etc, remove the key and store out of reach.
• In your bathrooms, use non-slip mats in the tub, keep your toilet lid down and set the hot water heater at no more than 120 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent accidental scalding.
• In the kitchen, use the back burners only and keep the pan handles turned in.
• And lastly, if you own firearms, keep them locked in a safe, with the ammunition stored separately. 

 

We’ve covered the basic safety steps to make your home kid-friendly.  Now let’s go over what you can do to create a home that the grownups will also love – a home that shows your style and personality and is a place your whole family loves to inhabit together.

 

You will want to have a balance between materials that will withstand children and pets without totally sacrificing nice things.  After all, it’s a service to your children that they learn to respect and take care of their surroundings.  You want to help them learn how to clean up after themselves, put things away, and respect the space for others to use as well.  This gives them a sense of owning the space and taking responsibility for it.

 

With this goal in mind, here are some design and organizational tips for your kid-friendly home that grownups also love!

• Keep your home clean.  De-clutter frequently and get rid of toys and playsets regularly, as soon as your kids outgrow them.
• Get clever about storage. For example, build a bench seat that lifts up and has ample storage space or create some built-in cabinets.  Have LOTS of baskets in all shapes and sizes where toys can be kept, and cleanup at the end of the day can happen quickly.  There are tons of ideas online about how to use baskets, and they look great, adding charm to your room.
• Install good water resistant flooring, like a higher quality laminate.  Not only are these floors water resistant, they are extremely durable and hold up well to pet claws and children’ s hard play, looking good for years.  Throw down some soft rugs for warmth and cushioning, but stay away from solid light colors, choosing patterned rugs instead, which will hide a multitude of sins.
• Use treated performance fabrics on your furniture (Sunbrella and Crypton are two popular brands).  These are a bit more expensive, but they will save you money in the long run, as they repel dirt and keep liquids from penetrating, as long as you get to them quickly. You could also use slipcovers on your furniture, which can be removed, washed and changed out.
• Rounded furniture is safer for small children who are toddling around and falling frequently.  Round dining tables, coffee tables and side tables are all less treacherous.  A great idea is to swap out your coffee table for a large ottoman, which is soft and safely climbable for children, while it holds all the things your regular coffee table does.
• Floor seat cushions are also perfect for children and the more agile adults!
• If your space allows, having some kid-sized furniture that matches your home decor can be fun and useful.
• Here’s a very fun idea: dedicate a wall or a section of it to display your children’s books.  Put up multiple picture ledges and display the books on these with the covers facing out.  Not only do you have storage, but the books act as wall art, with their colorful and varying covers.  You will find a large assortment of picture ledges at IKEA, Etsy, West Elm and many more places.
• Here is another lovely wall art idea:  display your children’s drawings in special frames, designed to open up like a book so you can easily swap out their art work.  Again, you will find these frames online, and your kids will love how often you can show off their latest masterpiece!

These are just a few ideas to help you create a home that is safe, functional and aesthetically pleasing!