How to Babyproof a Home Office
If he can touch it, he will touch it -- that's the rule by which your baby lives. As soon as he's able to crawl to an object that interests him -- like your shiny computer or the noisy shredder -- he'll head straight for it. A home office poses risks that other rooms in the house don't, so babyproofing this space takes a critical eye. With the help of a few gadgets and tricks, your office will be a place where you can work and he can explore safely.
Things You'll Need
- Sliding outlet covers
- Tape or tacks
- Electrical cord covers
- Corner and edge guards
- Drawer latches
- Sandpaper
- Spackling paste
- Childproof door latch or handle lock
- Furniture anchors
- Window guards
- Cordless window covers
Instructions
Take care of any potential electrical hazards. Install sliding outlet covers on all outlets; these covers snap shut when the outlets aren't in use so baby can't stick anything inside. Secure all cords by taping or tacking down any sections that run across the floor or walls so your baby can't trip or pull them loose. At your desk, move the cords of any electronics so they run down between your desk and a wall. If that's not possible, use cord covers to keep baby from touching them. Inspect your desk and filing cabinets from the bottom up. Open every drawer and check all its sides for sharp metal edges or loose screws. Run your hands over the sides of each piece of furniture, looking for jagged pieces of wood that could splinter or paint that could peel off in the hands of a curious little one. Install corner and edge guards and cabinet drawer latches and use sandpaper and spackling paste, if necessary, to babyproof dangerous spots. Scan the tops of tables and desks for heavy items a baby could pull down onto herself. Move large equipment like printers and scanners to high shelves or push them to the back of a table that backs up to a wall so she can't reach them from the ground. Keep your shredder unplugged, suggests Consumer Reports; to be even safer, go a step further and store it in a closet between uses. Clear the desktop of permanent markers, important documents, letter openers. You should store anything you don't want your baby to touch in a latched drawer. Collect all objects small enough to pose a choking hazard. Look for objects on your desk or in accessible drawers and routinely check the office floor for items on which a small child could choke. Gather pen caps, loose change, paper clips, and other potential hazards in a locked drawer or container kept on a high shelf. Install a childproof latch high on the office door, out of a child's reach. Installing a handle lock or doorknob cover is also an easy way to ensure little ones can't break into the office while you're distracted.
