Are you expecting your first baby? Do you already have a baby and are either moving to your new Destin apartment or working on baby proofing your current home? No matter which stage of babyhood you are in, this blog post is for you.
Ground Floor Apartment
If possible, opt for a ground floor unit. Any parent gets a little nervous when taking their baby and soon-to-be toddlers up the stairs. If you are looking for a Destin apartment, ask your rental manager if there are any ground units available. If not, you can still make your second-floor apartment safe.
Second Floor Apartment
If your Destin apartment involves stairs, then stock up on a few baby gates. When residents are home it is not uncommon to find renters putting baby gates at their front door. Babies are adventurous and will move to wherever they find of interest including the front door. Some babies are outright magicians and can manage to open anything, including your doors, so block them where you can! This includes bathroom doors, sliding glass doors to the balcony and your bedroom.
Plants are Dangerous
We aren’t saying to get rid of your plants, but we are saying to realize the potential hazards plants pose to your curious baby. When they say babies will stick anything in their mouths, they weren’t kidding. Most parents will tell you one of the first things babies stick in their mouths are their feet. Do you think they will think twice of your pretty plants on the coffee table? You can keep your pretty plants – after all, they are good for purifying the air (and who doesn’t need that after a good diaper change?) Just put your plants up high. Consider putting in shelves or place them in the kitchen on top of the refrigerator. Also, consider the planters you use. Just in case your planter falls or baby gets to it and knocks it over, you want something that won’t break. We recommend using a fiberglass planter. They don’t look like plastic, are easy to clean and won’t break if dropped or mangled by a curious toddler.
Watch For Sharp Edges
We all know that baby will be traveling in no time! That is why baby-proofing those traveled areas is important. Of course, baby needs to practice getting around. We don’t want to carry them forever! You can either buy the edge protectors they sell at any big box store, or you can get really creative with it. You can go to a dollar store and get a bunch of pool noodles for really cheap and slice them down the middle. Then cut them up to fit the corners that need protecting, like your coffee table. It’s not a designer’s choice, but they make for great stories and for pieces long enough you can reuse in the summer at the pool.
Lock Up the Cleaners
We are sure that most folks think of this tip first. You already thought of getting a baby latch on the cabinets where you keep your cleaning supplies, right? But did you think of where you keep your hand sanitizer that sits on your end table or the baby wipes that sit next to the playpen? Find a safe space for these, like a closed box that can sit on the end table. Be sure that it can be locked so baby can’t inspect the contents.
We hope these few tips serve you well as baby grows up and begins to explore. Parenting is stressful enough without worrying about your home being safe!