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Finding the perfect apartment in Dubai for your family is a massive accomplishment worth celebrating.
Moving your family successfully to your new flat is another achievement you should be proud of.
However, your work won’t end at unpacking all the boxes and organizing your home after moving. When you have an infant or a toddler, you have to baby-proof your apartment to ensure it is a safe place for them at all times.
Baby-Proofing Your New Home
Making the Marsa Plaza apartment you rent safe for your baby requires several steps, techniques, and tools.
If you are unsure where and how to start with baby-proofing your new apartment, here are some tips you can follow:
1. Baby-proof Your Room or Your Child’s Bedroom First
Your baby will likely spend the majority of their time in their own bedroom, or in yours if they are co-sleeping with you. As such, you need to look into securing these rooms first.
Ensure all furniture and electronics are secure in the bedroom. Use anchors or brackets to prevent the dresser, nightstand, bookshelf, TV, and other heavy items from toppling easily.
Also, anchor the cot to a wall to prevent it from falling over.
Lastly, keep the cot free of small and stuffed toys and several blankets so that nothing can impede their ability to breathe.
2. Cover or Soften Sharp Edges
Undoubtedly, your new home has several pieces of furniture with sharp corners. These include coffee tables, bookshelves, and even some chairs.
Although these furniture pieces may look great in your new flat, they can be the cause of bumps, bruises, and other injuries once your baby starts standing and walking on its own.
Use safety guards to cover and turn sharp edges into soft, safe ones for your baby. Although they don’t look stylish, they are the best fixtures to protect your child from getting hurt.
If you want to get new furniture, consider getting a round coffee or dining table. Since they have no sharp edges, you can have peace of mind even when your baby starts exploring your home.
Cushioned or tufted ottomans are also excellent options if you want to get more furniture. They work well as chairs and additional storage solutions. They also look great in the living room and bedrooms.
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3. Secure Drawers and Cabinets
The kitchen also holds several features that can be sources of hazards for young children. Because of this, you need to baby-proof this room, too.
Install child-safety locks on the cabinet doors and drawers to ensure your baby can’t get their hands on dangerous cleaning supplies and sharp objects.
There are different types of safety locks for doors and drawers, including magnetic and adhesive kinds. These tools do not require asking your landlord for permission to screw or nail them on the fixtures, making them a more convenient option.
Also, don’t forget to rearrange the contents of your cabinets and drawers. Make sure the harmful products and items, including cleaning supplies, toiletries, and knives are stored up high so that babies won’t be able to reach them.
4. Cover All Power Outlets
Electrical outlets are the most dangerous hazard for your baby once they start crawling and exploring your home. As such, you have to prioritize covering them as soon as possible.
Baby-proof all power outlets with protective plastic coverings, even those hidden behind furniture.
Try to look for outlet covers with cord shorteners to prevent your child from playing with the appliance cables as well.
Cord shorteners have receptacles that store the excess length of long cords. Because of this, your baby won’t tug and pull the cables, which can be really dangerous.
Also, strap exposed cords down to prevent your child from tripping over them. Use tape to stick them to the floor or cover them with carpets or area rugs.
5. Baby-proof All Windows
Regardless of which floor your flat is located on, ensure your windows are safe for your baby.
Check if the window frames in your new home have safety locks. If they don’t, install them immediately.
You can also use window wedges, a type of window stop that wedges the window shut.
Also, consider getting window guards that allow you to open the windows without being afraid that your baby will push out the screen.
Ensure your window treatments won’t pose any threats either. The safest options for babies are those without cords, which means curtains are your best bet.
However, if your flat already has blinds or shades with cords, tie the cables securely and keep them out of your child’s reach.
Additionally, keep all furniture away from windows, including their cot, to prevent your baby from climbing and gaining access to any opening.
6. Use Baby Gates
Keeping your kitchen, laundry room, and bathroom doors closed ensures your baby won’t wander into these areas and get their hands on harmful cleaning supplies or sharp objects and get into any accident.
If your kitchen or laundry room does not have a door, get a baby or child safety gate. This feature prevents your child from accessing areas of your home where they could get hurt.
The best baby gates are plastic ones with solid panels. Consider getting portable pressure-mounted ones so that you can use them in different areas of your home and avoid the hassles of using nails and screws to install them.
Portable baby gates are also excellent alternatives to large playpens. Simply enclose a baby-proofed room with these fixtures and you can let your toddler roam freely and safely.
7. Remove, Hide, or Secure Anything Fragile
Although your collection of crystals, ceramics, fine china, and delicate artwork add a touch of style and appeal to your home, you’ll have to remove and hide them temporarily to keep your apartment safe for your baby.
If you want to display them, store them in glass cabinets. However, ensure these fixtures are secure and won’t topple easily. Also, place them in an area that your baby won’t spend a lot of time in.
You can also put less valuable fragile decors in locations that are harder for a baby to reach. For instance, you can move the flower vase from the coffee table to the dining table.
Lastly, don’t forget to secure your TV screens. Flat TV screens are thinner and lighter, making them easier for children to tip over or pull on top of themselves.
Because of this, make sure your TV screens are mounted securely to the wall or kept in a place out of your child’s reach.
Baby proofing is an essential part of keeping your child safe and healthy after moving to a new apartment. With these tips, you’ll have a happy home perfect for all members of your family.
