Getting your home ready for a new baby
Having a baby changes everything. Including your entire home. You can't just expect your baby to ignore all the dangerous things and can't spend every second with your eyes attached to your baby. It isn't possible. So here are some ideas for baby proofing your home so that your little bundle of joy doesn't end up hurting themselves and so you don't go crazy.
Before your baby comes, baby proof your home. Baby proofing your home doesn't just mean putting the plastic covers on the electrical outlets, but it means fixing things that are broken, making sure there aren't things that could topple over on your baby, and making sure there aren't things he could get into on the floor.
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Give everything a place. Have a container for anything on the floor, like toys or blankets you like keeping out. You might have to buy a new entertainment center or more shelves to hold everything, but you need it out of the way of the baby. They will get into everything. If you don't want your baby to get into certain things, make sure you have it blocked off. You might have to buy another baby gate, but it is better than finding your night stand empty with everything on the floor.
You don't have to put up the safety gates and everything else the day the baby comes but have them ready. It will help save you time when your baby starts crawling around. Your life will be crazy for a few months after the baby comes, and having everything ready will make it so much easier.
Crawling happens before you know it, and then after that, they are non stop. To prevent countless trips to the baby store and hardware store, and weekends just spent on buying more stuff for baby, get your list of everything you will need to baby proof the house. Buy everything you need before you need it. Go through your house and see what you will need. Get down on the floor of rooms and make sure that there aren't things that the baby could get into while on the floor.
When you're baby does start moving around a little on their own, like when they start rolling over on their sides or sitting up on their own, it's time to put everything up. Before you know it you won't be able to stop them so put all the plastic covers on the outlet, and the baby gates by the stairs. Don't forget to put locks on the drawers in the kitchen that have small appliances, bags, and cleaning supplies. Go through the house and put locks on anything that you don't want your baby to get into.
The easiest way to not stress about your child playing around the house is to baby proof your home. Make every part of it a playground for them. There are areas like the bathrooms, pantry, and the garage that you won't want him to get into at all so make sure everyone knows that those doors have to be shut at all times. You can even make a cute little sign to put on the door to remind everyone if you want. Don't wait until the last moment to baby proof everything!
