Health & Safety

Babyproofing Your Home: A Room-by-Room Checklist

By the Nurture & Grow editorial teamUpdated October 13, 20262 min read

The best time to babyproof is before your baby is mobile — once they are crawling, everything becomes urgent at once. Walk through your home at your baby's eye level (literally get on the floor) and look for hazards with fresh eyes. This checklist covers the big ones room by room.

Everywhere: the basics

  • Cover electrical outlets and keep cords (lamps, chargers, blinds) out of reach — corded window coverings are a strangulation hazard; cordless is safest.
  • Anchor bookshelves, dressers, and TVs to the wall; furniture tip-overs are a serious and preventable risk.
  • Install safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs — hardware-mounted at the top.
  • Keep small objects, coins, batteries (especially button batteries), and magnets locked away — anything that fits through a toilet paper roll is a choking hazard.
  • Store cleaning products, medications, and sharp objects in locked cabinets, and keep poison control saved in your phone — in the U.S., that is 1-800-222-1222, answered 24 hours a day.

Kitchen and bathroom

In the kitchen, use back burners when possible and turn pot handles inward. Lock away knives, cleaning supplies, and plastic bags. In the bathroom, set your water heater to no more than 120°F (49°C) to prevent scalds, never leave your baby unattended near water — not even for a moment — and lock away razors, medications, and cosmetics.

Nursery and sleeping areas

Keep the crib bare and away from windows, cords, and wall hangings. Make sure the crib meets current safety standards with slats no more than 2⅜ inches apart. Secure heavy wall decor, and keep diaper creams, wipes warmers' cords, and monitors' cords out of reach of the crib.

Babyproofing is not a one-time project — revisit it as your baby grows and gains new skills (climbing changes everything). If you are ever unsure whether something in your home is safe for your baby's age, your pediatrician is a great sounding board.

Was this helpful? Browse more in Health & Safety, and remember — your pediatrician knows your baby best.

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