There is one forgiving aspect in the whole child-rearing scenario: It usually takes at least seven months before a baby can crawl. This gives parents some time after bringing home a newborn to get their home fully baby-proofed. That said, making a home — even a relatively small one — safe for babies and toddlers on the move is an intensive job. It’s likely you will feel some disconcerting awe when you look around and see all the potential baby death traps in your home.
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Brands and retailers are well aware that the mortal coils for tots are literal and plentiful. Need to baby-proof an electrical outlet, a cabinet or a sharp-cornered table? There’s a product or 10 for each of those things. And they all cost money. A pack of outlet covers? That’ll set you back $10. Table corner guards? Another $10. There are tried and true ways to skip the marketing noise and baby-proof your home without buying pricey junk.
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Painters Tape On Outlets
Rather than buying outlet covers to apply to every outlet in your home, get some painter’s tape (this 3-roll pack of standard blue painter’s tape goes for $10 on Amazon) and cover individual outlets with strips of it. It’s easy for adults to remove and reapply and may even be more effective than products made specifically for covering outlet plugs, which babies and toddlers sometimes figure out how to remove.
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Pool Noodle Pieces On Table Corners
Once you have a baby or toddler in your home, you start to see how much stuff in your house has edges. Not just tables, but also bookshelves, TV stands, fireplace hearths and sometimes more. Baby-proof dangerous corners by getting a pool noodle (no need to buy a new one if you already have one) by slicing it lengthwise to make a slit and wrapping it around the furniture’s edges. It creates a kind of foam bumper.
Rubber Bands Or Hair Ties On Cabinet Handles
This is a favorite ultra-cheap, DIY baby-proofing hack: using rubber bands or hair ties to make cabinets off-limits. All you have to do is tie one around the two cabinet door handles (double-looped is best) to keep the doors closed.
Towels Under Doors
You may have heard of using towels under doors to contain noise, but this hack serves another purpose; you can put a towel under a door to prevent it from slamming or closing on your little one’s fingers.
Socks On Door Knobs
You can spend $10 on four door knob protectors, or you can use old socks. By slipping one over a doorknob and securing it with a rubber band or hair tie, you make it so a baby or toddler, who doesn’t yet have the muscular control or motor skills to do very precise things with their fingers, can’t open the door.
Plastic Wrap Over Toilets
Toddlers — including those who are not yet going through potty training — can develop quite a fascination with toilets. They may want to play with the water inside or throw things in and flush them away. You can buy toilet seat locks, or you can take a little time and DIY a solution. Wrap plastic wrap (Saran wrap is perfect) over the toilet bowl when not in use to keep the toilet lid shut.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 6 Cheap Ways New Parents Can Baby-Proof Their Homes
