Babyproofing, part one

We are far from fully baby-proofed (is there such a thing) but we made some progress this month, mostly in preparation for her birthday party, which would have a few other children in attendance. Installation is horrible and we're starting to understand why there are services to do this for a hefty fee.

In the strangest underhand compliment ever, we cursed our cabinetry for being made of such quality hardwood that it was time-consuming and frustrating to install locks. Our first attempt was the kind that we have to side together to lock each time. It was a favorite toy for the young 'un back in the summer when we bought it (she looked at it with what seemed like so much wisdom that I'm pretty sure she had it figured out before we did).

But the problem with locks like these is that they rely on us not being lazy and remembering to re-fasten it each time. Plus (and this is just a personal pet peeve for me) they look really ugly.

So we bought a magnetic kit that automatically locks and requires a key to unlock. And they are hidden from view. Perfect, we thought.

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They work pretty well on our doors except that the wood is so dense that it cracked a little even when D drilled a pilot hole (apparently it wasn't deep enough). So we had to work very slowly and carefully.

The drawers are a problem. Only 3 of them have enough clearance for installation but the wood front piece is so thick that the more typical latches won't work either. So we installed them on the 3 we could and for the rest, well, we'll just have to watch to make sure little fingers don't get slammed. We moved the hazardous items out of reach, but the drawers themselves remain a risk until we can think of a solution.

We didn't get pictures of it, but we also installed anti-tip hardware to our TV (and plan to install it on some of our more precarious furniture). It was frustrating to purchase, because all the normal brands sell anti-tip straps complete with incredibly cheap and breakable plastic. This model, at least, uses metal.

Stock photo

Our last big project involved our first of two gates. This one is in hallway separating our living room/dining room/kitchen from the bathroom, guest bedroom, office, and, most importantly, the stairs to the basement (which we can't close with a door given the narrow hallway and abrupt incline down the stairs).

We wanted one that could open in both directions, stay open, and fit our doorway and bought this model:

We thought installation would be quick but it took all evening. Our floors aren't particularly level, it seems, and the tight pressure required to install it and align the swing door so that it would lock when it shut just wouldn't match up.

Three hours later, it was mostly up, but still is a bit finicky and doesn't always lock. But it was good enough for one day. And it's obviously pretty solid given that D almost broke his foot when he stubbed his toe on it - it didn't budge.

So that leaves more drawers, some anti-tip straps on the furniture, and a gate for the top of the stairs. Joy joy...