Choosing cabinets for a kitchen or bath remodel can be an exciting moment for any homeowner. But those of us with children know that design and function aren’t the only things that need to be considered in these rooms. Safety is also a top priority. Here, we’ll share a few things all parents and grandparents should consider when childproofing the kitchen or bath.

Build off a good foundation.

Let’s start with the basics. If you are at the beginning stage of your kitchen or bathroom design, you have the luxury of making monumental choices that can improve the safety of your home.

When choosing cabinets, think about wall cabinets and base cabinets very carefully. For example, one of our customers was considering installing a wine rack in their kitchen. Without thinking twice about it, she decided to include one in her kitchen island design. But after discussing the project with a fellow mother, the friend recommended she go with a wall cabinet wine rack instead, so that it could be installed safely away from her toddler’s reach.

For flooring, you may want to go with a material that gives a little more, such as cork or linoleum, so that crawlers or fallers won’t have to experience the impact of a rock hard floor.

These minor adjustments to your home design can create a great foundation for childproofing.

Keep cleaning products up and away.

Your existing storage solutions may actually be a hazard if they are within your child’s reach. Do you store cleaning products and other chemicals beneath the kitchen or bathroom sink? If so, it’s time to relocate them. Even if you secure cabinets with childproof locks, lower cabinets should never contain any products that could be harmful to your child.

When considering storage solutions for your cleaning products, always think up and away. In other words, the more distance the better. It also doesn’t hurt to swap your standard household cleaners for non-toxic green versions.

Be countertop cautious.

You might think your stovetop and countertop are too high for your child to reach, but you’d be surprised how far they can go with a little determination. Keep any items on countertops pushed back as far as possible. That goes for décor, cutting boards, and small appliances. When cooking, keep pans and pots to the back burners if possible.

The same goes for your bathroom vanity. Keep your soap dispenser, toothbrush holder and any other items away from the edge, and make it a habit not to leave toiletries, makeup or medicine out.

Don’t miss the unexpected culprits.

Childproof locks, outlet covers, and safety gates are just a few of the standard things we think about when talking about childproofing the home. What we often miss are the unexpected culprits like refrigerator magnets, poisonous plants, and everyday items that are fine for adults but bad in big doses for little ones (like salt and vanilla extract).

After you’ve checked off all of the essential childproofing, take a seat on the floor and have a good look around the room. Seeing things from a new vantage point often reveals hidden dangers you never noticed before.

 

At The RTA Store we help make your dream home a reality with RTA (Ready To Assemble) and Pre-Assembled cabinets and accessories. Whether it’s your kitchen bathroom, laundry room, home office, bar room or TV room, we offer the same (if not better) quality you would find at any retail store, but for a fraction of the price. Stop by our website or give us a call and let us make your dreams come true with the help of our free room design tool!