Challenge: Finding the safest possible apartment for your family to rent.

If you’re moving with a baby, when looking at a property you should speak to the landlord about the safety concerns you have about the space. Is the landlord flexible with things like screwing items into walls (anchoring bookshelves, installing baby gates)? This will give you a gauge on whether or not you can form a working relationship with this person.

As far as the apartment itself goes, keep an eye out for these potential problems:

• Watch for falling hazards: open staircases, etc. that can’t be blocked off by a gate?
   

• Do the window coverings have long cords or loops? These are a strangulation hazard and needs to be replaced, cut, or secured to the wall. Check with your landlord before you do anything so it doesn’t become a problem later.
   

• Check for odors in the apartment. Do your neighbors smoke? Cigarette smoke has been linked to SIDS and should be avoided.
   

• Lead paint is a concern in any property that was built before 1978. Check for chipping or flaking of paint around staircases, windows, and door frames on older apartment buildings.

Challenge: Blocking off potential dangers in your apartment home

Invest in baby gates. For apartments, you will be specifically looking for ‘pressure-mounted’ baby gates. Good news? Nothing needs to be installed for you to use it. There are discs on the gate that screw out to hold the gate against the wall.

If you have a set of stairs in your apartment, you’ll need a gate at the top of the stairs, which will have to be hard-mounted (screwed into the wall), so talk to your landlord. If it’s an issue with your manager, offer to fill and repaint holes that are left by the gate or consider paying to have this done.
 

Challenge: Securing Cabinets

There’s a large number of cabinet door locking systems that require screwing into the cabinetry, but there are still options. Shop around and find adhesive locks for baby-proofing your space.

Spend some time rethinking the layout of your storage space as well. Place pots, pans, and plastic items in the lower cabinets of your apartment while keeping breakables or dangerous items like medicines and cleaning products far out of reach from your little one.

Challenge: Keeping Toddlers from Escaping Through the Front Door

Some apartments have decorative door handles that no baby proof cover seems to fit. If installing a chain on the front door isn’t an option (in some cases, landlords will say no because of fire safety issues), a simple alarm system can alert you when the door is opened. 

Challenge: Preventing Falls from Windows

This is a vital, often overlooked part of baby proofing. Make sure that your child’s crib or bed isn’t next to a window and move any furniture that can be climbed on away from the window in their room. You can get window guards, but these need to be drilled into the frame- talk to your landlord. It’s worth the investment and it could save your little one’s life.

Conclusion

These are only a few of the points to consider when you’re baby proofing an apartment. For more tips, talk to your landlord and you both can work together to keep the babies in your life safe and sound!

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