Standing among gigantic piles of freshly delivered moving boxes, you somehow manage to gather your thoughts and begin to form some sort of an unpacking strategy for the next few days, and then hopefully proceed to do your renovation design ideas for your house in Singapore. So, in order to make each unpacking hour count, you must have prioritised your plan of action.
However, if you have just moved to your new home or apartment with a baby or a toddler, there is a very important task ahead of you which you might not be aware of. In fact, what you must start doing even before getting down to unpacking your items is more than just a single task, it’s an entire process that will ensure your child’s safety.
Why should you childproof your home?
Also known as baby-proofing, childproofing is all about providing the ultimate safety for your small child against the potential household hazards that can be found in a strange and still unfamiliar setting, such as your new residence. By childproofing your home interior, you’ll be giving your child a safe place to play, learn and grow without any real risks of accidental injuries. Small children between the ages of 1-4 are very susceptible to unintentional traumas from fire (burns), water (drowning), hazardous substances (choking, poisoning) or falls. Therefore, you, as a parent, should do everything in your power to guarantee a safe home environment for your little angel.
Baby-proofing your furniture is a big job, but it doesn’t have to be expensive or extremely time-consuming. Identifying the key areas and solving problems creatively can keep your home interior without breaking the bank or entirely changing the aesthetic of your living room. Here are basic tips to child-proof your bedroom interior.
1. Soften up
Remember those edges you searched for? It’s time to soften them up. You can do this in many ways, from DIY fixes to store-bought solutions. Every family and interior design will use a different remedy, but here are some of the best ways to keep your little one from hurting themselves on sharp corners. Buy corner protectors, invest in edge guards, use plumbing foam pipe to cover edges, use hollow pool noodles to cover edges, and whether you hit the baby store or the hardware store, plenty of online tutorials will show you the way forward.
2. Remove unstable furniture
Some things inside our home can’t be fixed up for a baby. The good news is that they won’t be small forever but, while they are, it may be best to store floor lamps and breakable vases or potted plants out of reach. If you’re using baby gates or are willing to rearrange your furniture, move these unstable breakables to areas your baby can’t access.
3. Keep surfaces clear
The more clutter on your flat surfaces, the more your baby will be drawn to explore them. Side tables with open cups or easily accessible electronics are both dangerous and asking for a mess! Staying on top of organisation and tidiness is a great way to beat danger and minimise cleaning after a long day of chasing kiddos around. Find alternative storage places for clutter, move objects up higher out of reach, or to be sure, you can hire a reliable interior designer in Singapore to help you clear spaces you never knew you could.
4. Use non-slip rugs
Rugs are an easy safety solution for hardwood floor tiles design. They offer cushion for falls and trips while doubling as a play mat. Plus, the right rug can really pull a room together. Many rugs are manufactured to be non-slip. However, if you already have a rug that isn’t non-slip, and you’re not willing to part with it, consider investing in a rug pad. For those on a tighter budget, you can get smaller rug grips to put on the corners too.
5. Find safe alternatives
If you have the means to do so, replacing some of the furniture in your bedroom can go a long way in the safety department. Some of the most dangerous objects in your bedroom have safe, stylish alternatives. If you are unsure which to get, consider onboarding an interior designer to help you out.
6. Strategically arrange your furniture
There are some traditional home interior designs in Singapore that has furniture pieces that already makes an area for your toddler to enjoy while keeping the danger zones off-limits. Baby gates can play a big part in this, too. Some rearranging can go a long way. Placing a large decorative pillow or bean bag chair in front of outlets or wall lamps can keep that area kid-friendly. Get creative with what you have and just start shoving things back and forth until you find what works.
Identify and eliminate
Every proper childproofing process consists of two major stages: identification of the various household dangers and their subsequent elimination. These two childproofing phases are closely connected and the successful outcome of the entire baby-proofing operation depends exclusively on the success of each of the two safety steps. In other words, you can’t eliminate a potential hazard in your home without having identified it first.
If you are in need of trusted interior design service in Singapore, check out more on our website and let our experts help you with your interior design needs today.