Nervous is how many new parents feel when they look around their home and discover all the hazards for young children. Power points, glass tables, electrical cables, heavy bookshelves, fireplaces and / or heaters, hard wooden floors – and that’s just in the lounge room.
Our best advice to new parents is to keep it covered, up high or lock it away. Keep power points covered, put power cables away in locked cupboards, keep plants up high (some types of plants and flowers, such as daffodils, can be poisonous), secure bookshelves to walls, tie (or cut) cords on window blinds or curtains and install safety guards for fires and heaters.
And just remember – as cute as young children are, if they can touch it, eat it, break it or fall over it, they usually will. Here are some of our top tips to make your lounge room not only safe for your little one, but also comfortable for the rest of the family.
- Young children and glass coffee tables just don’t mix, but this doesn’t mean wooden tables with sharp corners are any better. Opt for heavy-based ottomans which are good for children and perfect for putting your feet on or trays containing dinner or afternoon tea (although keep the tray away from the little ones!). Alternatively consider doing away with a coffee table and get a lounge with chaise. Have a look at Lambro or Casper.
- If you have wooden or tiled floors say hello to thick, soft, heavy duty rugs, which will become your best friend for the next few years. Put them in places where children are likely to fall off furniture (i.e. next to your sofa) or where they’re most likely to fall over and bump their heads (long hallways with slippery surfaces). Always make sure rugs are secured in place so your little one (or you!) don’t trip over the edges.
- Spills, splodges and general splashes mean that lounge coverings must be hardwearing. If you can, always opt for leather with young children (and messy grown-ups for that matter) and if you can’t have leather make sure your lounge is covered in microfiber, which is a hard wearing suede like fabric.
- Say goodbye to the remote control, TV cables and general entertainment gadgets – at least for some time. Alternatively lock all your gadgets in an entertainment unit where the TV is up high and all your other gadgetry are safely tucked out of site behind locked doors.
Stay safe and enjoy your little ones! And if you’re in the market for some new furniture, come and have a look at Nick Scali’s incredible range of beautifully designed, quality furniture that’s available at affordable prices.
We pride ourselves on our range of furniture as well as our excellent customer service.