If you’re moving in with your baby, you need to pay more attention to safety. While living in a rental apartment doesn’t offer a lot of flexibility, as a parent you should explore ways to baby-proof your place. Don’t worry, here are some ideas that help.

1. Keep the chairs away from the tables.

Got a child who keeps climbing on seats? Make sure that you put away the chairs as far as possible from the tables or any elevated area (kitchen countertops, cabinets, etc.) where they can grab onto things.

2. Replace or cover sharp edges.

Do you have furniture with sharp corners? As your baby navigates the room, he might bump into these edges and hurt himself. The best thing you can do is to replace square coffee tables with round ones or cover the edges with something soft.

3. Close the doors all the time.

You wouldn’t want your baby to hurt himself by slamming the door on his fingers. Whether it’s your bedroom, bathroom, or dining room, be sure to keep the doors shut. This tip is simple yet often forgotten.

4. Get a playpen.

Playpens never fail to keep babies safe and entertained in one place while the parent is doing the laundry or something important. A playpen would prevent your child from wandering off. This is a good piece of furniture to include in your apartment if your landlord doesn’t allow drilling (as in the case of installing baby gates). However, if you like baby gates, don’t hesitate to ask your landlord’s permission.

5. Keep your floors clean.

Try to scan your areas for spills of liquid, small houseplants, food droppings, or objects that cause choking. Dirty floors are a cause for accidents. These untoward events can easily be prevented by simply cleaning the floors. Use castile soap as the cleaner as it is safe to use around babies (even pets).

6. Install baby proof cabinet locks.

If you store your cleaning supplies in cabinets that your child can easily access, you’d better use cabinet locks. Many cabinet locks these days don’t require drilling or tools and can match various door handle shapes.

Conclusion

These are just a few of the many tips to consider in keeping your apartment safe for your little one. I recommend that you review all areas in case you missed babyproofing some. Right from the start, scout for child-safe properties. Or, at least speak with your landlord about the ways to improve the apartment’s safety.