You applaud their first steps, and then immediately google, "How to stop my baby from falling out a window and sticking their fingers in electrical sockets?" Overnight, every single part of your once mundane house becomes an active war zone. This forces you to do the unimaginable ... cover every inch of your home in clunky plastic in an effort to babyproof. Luckily, for those with active toddlers, there are smart and attractive products out there that will you give you a little peace of mind.
The reality is some babyproofing products aren't worth it. You don't want the gimmicky childproofing products marketers say you need to have — you want safety first. To help you wade through the mess, we rounded up 10 parent-approved home necessities for your little ones below.
Video of the Day
Video of the Day
The Best Babyproofing Products
While these often come in plastic, parents agree that it's worth it to spend the extra money on the metal version of sliding door latches from Amazon. Since it's up at the top of the door (vs. the doorknob), only adults will be able to use this device. And, since it's accessible from both the inside and the outside, you'll never worry about getting locked out from wherever your kid is.
These nifty blind cords will shorten any dangling strings to keep them out of the hands of your munchkins. They are also completely recyclable and will not need adhesive or screws to use.
This genius device uses a piston to keep your child's toy box (or any other chests or containers) from slamming shut on little fingers. In fact, this clever fix keeps chests and boxes open at a 105-degree angle and closes them slowly for extra safety.
We love a well-reviewed product, and these magnetic cabinet locks have over 3,000 reviews and four stars on Amazon. These magnetic lock systems are a bit safer than those child-lock cabinet stoppers since they can't be learned — you need to actually use a key to open them up. Once you have these, you'll rest easy knowing medicines, cleaning products, and valuables are safely tucked out of reach.
A bump on the head is the last thing you want to happen during bath time. A whopping 71% of Amazon reviewers gave this product five stars and described it as super easy to put on and remove, as well as pretty sturdy when tugged on.
Keep loose cords and power strips concealed in this stylish surge protector box, which is also a game-changer for keeping all your cords in check.
Window screens aren't designed to withstand a leaning toddler, so until your baby learns the dangers of falling out a window, further safety measures are required. As one reviewer put it, these "look as nice as bars on your window can look." Plus, when not in use, it can be used as a baby gate or even pet gate in doorways.
Keep heavy items from tumbling onto your child with these metal furniture anchors that are a low-profile alternative to fabric straps. They'll turn any old bookshelf or dressers into child safety cabinets.
We like The Orignal Cushy Closer because it's useful beyond babyproofing. Parents credit the door cushion for allowing them to stealthily leave their child's room after story-time or even visit a bathroom without announcing it to the whole house. (Not to mention remedying slamming doors from teenagers.) It's also available in nine different colors and patterns to match any aesthetic.
Forget removing outlet covers when you want to plug in. This safety box keeps your child safe and you can leave your cords plugged in.