new home. new dangers.

We recently purchased a new home. While we are excited about the extra space, we’ve quickly learned that with more space comes more hazards for a busy toddler. I’ve already shared with you about our adventures with stairs. (Mary now is starting at her bedroom, then goes around a corner, down a short hall and then down the stairs – all backwards!) But there are a few other things I’ve learned along the way to check either when purchasing a home or to watch upon move-in.

• Cabinets – Big surprise here! Of course we’re childproofing those which contain any potential hazards. The big thing is how there are so many different types of cabinets (think lazy Susan) which may require some creative childproofing thought.
• Closets – Mary thinks the sliding doors on her closet are the coolest thing ever! Imagine toddler saying “BYE” for hours on end. We’ve ensured the closet door won’t slam on her fingers and made anything at her level age-appropriate. (Note – my mother-in-law also checked to make sure there was enough oxygen in the closet. Yes, I married into the right safety-conscious family!)
• Furniture – With the move we inherited some beautiful hope chests. We’ve ensured that the locks on these have been removed and will teach Mary that they are not toys as she gets older.
• Fireplace – We really wanted a fireplace – Santa needs a way to get into the house! However, immediately Mary thought the fireplace hearth was a jungle gym. We’ve covered it with blankets and are teaching here only to sit on her bottom when it comes to the hearth stone. Consistency will be key here.
• Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Detectors – With a fireplace (and many other household items) comes the possibility of CO inhalation. We’ve double checked all of the smoke and CO detectors in the house to make sure they have batteries and are working.
• Locks – Who knows how many people might have a key to our house. A friend who works for a police department said the first thing we should do when we move is change the locks – or at least get the re-keyed. Good advice.

While this isn’t my exhaustive list – they are some of the key items that have been on my never ending to-do list – hopefully they will be on yours as well!