How to Childproof your New Home

At Ence, we realize that buying and owning a new home can feel like you’re walking on clouds. That is, until you look down at your 22 month old child, realizing that sometime in the not-too distant future, they will be getting into absolutely everything and anything that they can and possibly hurting themselves in the process. Whether you are new parents or grandparents, here are 5 tips to help ensure that your child won’t be the victim of circumstance. While this list is not all-inclusive, it does contain some great tips for getting started on child-proofing your new luxury home.

Dresser falling on a child

1. babyIs it big and heavy? Anchor it to the wall! Many parents likely feel that their two or four year old toddler couldn’t possibly tip over the heavy television stand, or the book case filled with books. That’s definitely not the case.http://abc7.com/news/anchoring-tv-and-furniture-prevents-tip-over-injury-to-kids/800282/
Every year, over 200 children die because of heavy furniture falling on top of them.
It can happen at any moment. Don’t let your child become a statistic. If you think that the piece of furniture is potentially heavy enough to crush your child, secure it to the wall with an anchor, and secure all televisions to the furniture pieces themselves. For more information on what kinds of furniture should be secured, check out this site here: http://childproofingexperts.com/5-myths-about-furniture-tip-over-injuries

2. Purchase furniture with rounded edges and a sturdy build. Kids are full of energy and it only takes a second of running around a corner, or taking a wrong turn without looking, for the event to turn into a trip to the hospital. If you have furniture with sharp edges, whether it be counter tops or a table, consider either attaching plastic guards over the top, or possibly manually rounding the edges. Your child may still run into the corners, but it is more likely to be a bump that can be healed with a kiss than a cut which requires stitches. Buying furniture that is heavy duty will also reduce the risk of injury as your child gleefully jumps, runs, and otherwise uses the living room furniture as a jungle-gym, while you aren’t looking.

3. If you have small children, cordon off stairwells leading to the second floor or basement. While it is likely every boy’s and girl’s dream to fly, their first experience shouldn’t be down the stairwell. Keep in mind that baby-gates will only work for so long. You may need to upgrade them as your child figures out how to climb or otherwise disable the safety mechanisms that are supposed to keep them at bay.

4. On the subject of safety devices, plug guards, cabinet hooks, door safety handles, and other similar devices can keep a child in the room they are supposed to be in. However, a young child should be supervised at all times. These preventative measures will likely ensure that you won’t have to worry about a child ending up in a room they weren’t supposed to be in.

5. Finally, there is no substitute for education. Educate your children at every opportunity about the various dangers that can be found around the home. While they will assuredly discover many of these dangers on their own, vigilance and education should keep them from trying to inadvertently hurt themselves.

By following these helpful tips, you can avoid many of the stresses that come with being a parent. It is our hope that you and your children safely and happily enjoy living in your Utah luxury home.

Kid friendly decorating

The décor of your custom or move-in ready new homes in St. George changes entirely when you add kids into the mix. Your decorating style turns into a goal of creating a safe and comfortable environment for your kids that won’t get easily messed up. Check out these ten kid friendly decorating tips.

  1. Kids love to be involved. Allow your children to assist you in the decorating process, especially for the kid zones.
  1. Repurpose old pieces of furniture by sanding it down and adding a fresh coat of paint to give it a new look.
  1. Store your China and glassware far out of reach of your child’s hands.
  1. Purchase machine-washable bedding to quickly clean up food or drink spills and other accidents.
  1. Buy furniture in colors and material that will hold up against playtime, spills and everyday use.
  1. Avoid creating a jungle, ocean, sports, space, dinosaurs, cars, princesses or movie character a themed room. Your kids may love it at first but lose interest and want to change the theme of their new homes in St. George bedroom a few months later. Bed linens, lamp shades and throw pillows are great ways to incorporate a themed decorative accessory without doing up the entire room. Choose neutral paint colors that’ll grow with your child as they get older.
  1. Use decorative containers and bins to help your kids stay organized. Make use of multi-purpose pieces such as coffee tables or ottomans with storage units. Beds with storage compartments are great for keeping linens or toys.
  1. Display your kid’s artwork around the home for décor and switch them out as they bring home newer arts and crafts projects.
  1. Opt for overhead lighting instead of table lamps because they can easily be knocked down.
  1. Whether it’s a section of the great room or a spare bedroom in your new homes in St. George, designate an area for your kid’s to play in. This will help to avoid having them use the entire home as their play area with their toys and other play items everywhere.