If you have children at home, you know how important it is to foster a kid-friendly environment. There are safety concerns to consider first and foremost and also practicality and style. Luckily, these top ten tips for making your home kid-friendly will help with all of that.
For little people, children often have lots of belongings, everything from clothes to toys and accessories. Those belongings take up space. The more storage space you have available in your home, the easier it will be to keep everything organized. Consider using baskets, chests, or even built-in shelves.
When your kids are still very young, baby gates are a great tool to keep them safe and out of restricted areas of the house. For example, consider installing gates at the top and bottom of any staircases to prevent falls. Retractable gates are a great choice since they’re convenient while still looking sleek and stylish.
Much to their parents’ horror, little kids often make a mess, and sometimes the walls are affected. Whether it’s drawing with a permanent marker or spilling something sticky, kids can end up damaging walls. Luckily, if you use washable interior paint, you’ll be able to wash those messes right off.
Simple safety measures like cabinet locks and outlet covers can keep kids away from some of the more accessible hazards in your home. Adding locks to your windows is another good idea if the windows are in a place the children could reach.
There’s something about sharp corners that just seem to be a magnet for little kids banging their heads. You can prevent those kinds of injuries (or at least significantly reduce them) by choosing furniture with nice rounded edges. As a plus, they’re very stylish and will fit in with the decor of any home! When it comes to a fireplace hearth, you can purchase a cushioned hearth guard to prevent injuries.
On the subject of furniture, It’s not unusual for young children to climb and play on the furniture. Unfortunately, accidents happen, and kids can topple over large pieces of furniture if they’re not properly anchored. To prevent furniture tipping and protect your kids, all you need to do is use a furniture anti-tip kit.
Generally, people advise you to avoid carpets when you have little kids in the house but carpet tiles have changed the game. If you’d like to take advantage of the soft feel of carpet without worrying too much about stains, try carpet tile. Each square can be removed separately so if you find a stain, you can just lift that tile and clean or replace it. Good as new!
As your kids get a little older, they’ll have coats and backpacks and shoes to take off when they get home. Having a nice entryway nook with storage bins and coat hooks can help them keep all that stuff organized and in one place. It’s functional but looks great, too.
Sure, it’s always nice to hang up the kids’ artwork on the fridge but why not incorporate it into the decor in your home? Pick some of your (or your kids’) favorites, frame them, and hang them around the house. You can swap out the pictures every few months to keep things fresh. Your kids will love showcasing their artistic efforts!
If your home has a pool, you probably already know you have to take precautions to protect the little ones from any accidents. Constant supervision around the pool is essential but something like a pool alarm can give you additional peace of mind. These alarms will alert you if anyone falls into the pool so you can save them from a serious injury.
Try incorporating these tips to make your home more kid-friendly. The whole family will love them!