Baby Proofing Your Home: A Room-by-Room Safety Checklist

Once your baby starts moving — rolling, crawling, cruising, and eventually toddling — the world becomes a very different (and far more dangerous) place. Baby proofing isn’t about creating a sterile, fun-free home; it’s about removing the most serious hazards so you can let your child explore safely. Start when your baby begins to roll (around 4–5 months) — it comes sooner than you think.

The Biggest Hazards to Address First

Before the room-by-room checklist, prioritise these high-priority dangers:

• Falls from height: Stairs, windows, balconies, high surfaces
• Drowning: Baths, buckets, garden ponds — even a few centimetres of water
• Choking: Small objects within reach — under 4cm diameter
• Poisoning: Medications, cleaning products, button batteries, plants
• Burns: Hot drinks, cooker, radiators, fireplace
• Strangulation: Blind cords, loose wires, necklaces

Living Room

• Secure heavy furniture (bookcases, TVs, chest of drawers) to the wall with anti-tip straps
• Cover sharp furniture corners with foam guards
• Install a fireplace guard
• Hide or secure all wires and cords
• Cut or tie up blind cords out of reach — or replace with cordless blinds
• Remove small decorative objects within crawling height
• Check houseplants — many are toxic (pothos, philodendron, peace lily)

Kitchen

• Install cabinet and drawer locks on all lower cabinets (especially cleaning products and knives)
• Fit an oven guard and use back burners where possible; turn pot handles inward
• Keep high chairs away from counters and surfaces they could push off from
• Store bin inside a locked cabinet or use a bin with a secure lid
• Never leave hot drinks within reach — even a cup of tea cooling down can cause serious scalds
• Lock dishwasher (detergent tablets are highly toxic)

Bathroom

• Install a toilet lid lock
• Store all medications, toiletries, and razors in a locked cabinet
• Never leave a baby or toddler alone in the bath, even for a second
• Set your water heater to 48°C/120°F or lower to prevent scalds
• Use a non-slip bath mat inside and outside the tub
• Keep bathroom door closed when not in use (door handle covers help)

Bedroom

• Keep the sleep space clear — no pillows, duvets, bumpers, or toys in the cot until at least 12 months
• Ensure window locks are fitted — a child can fall through a screen
• No blind cords near the cot
• Secure changing table — never step away during a change

Stairs and Hallway

• Install pressure-mounted gates at the bottom of stairs; screw-mounted gates at the top (these hold under more force)
• Check banisters — if you can fit a 10cm ball through the gaps, it’s a head entrapment risk
• Ensure hallway is well lit

Garden and Outdoors

• Fence or cover any garden water feature, pond, or paddling pool when not in use
• Check garden for toxic plants and remove or make inaccessible
• Lock garden sheds containing tools or chemicals
• Ensure garden gates are child-proof and self-closing

No home will ever be entirely risk-free, and children need to explore to develop. The goal is removing the life-threatening hazards while keeping a normal, liveable home. Do it gradually, room by room, and you’ll get there without feeling overwhelmed.