How to childproof your living room covering furniture anchoring, corner guards, outlet covers, blind cord safety, small object removal, TV mounting, gate placement, and plant toxicity checks.
Last updated:
0 of 20 completed0%
Copied!
Furniture Anchoring
Anchor all bookshelves, dressers, and TV stands to the wall with anti-tip straps
Furniture tip-overs kill an average of 25 children per year and injure over 14,000. Use metal L-brackets or nylon anti-tip straps rated for the furniture's weight. Test each piece by pulling on the top — if it moves at all, the anchor needs tightening.
Remove or secure any freestanding floor lamps that a toddler could pull over
A standard floor lamp weighs 8-15 pounds and can cause head injuries when toppled. Switch to wall-mounted sconces or table lamps on anchored furniture. If you keep floor lamps, place them behind heavy furniture where a child cannot reach the base.
Check that all shelving units have weight distributed on lower shelves
Top-heavy furniture is more likely to tip when a child pulls on a shelf or opens a drawer. Place heavier items (books, storage bins) on the bottom 2 shelves and lighter items up high. This lowers the center of gravity even before anchoring.
Corner and Edge Protection
Install corner guards on coffee tables, end tables, and entertainment centers
Foam or silicone corner guards cushion the sharp edges where toddlers fall most often. Coffee tables are the number one source of furniture-related head injuries in children under 5. Cover all 4 corners plus any exposed edges at child height.
Add edge bumpers to fireplace hearths and raised stone surfaces
Fireplace hearths are made of stone, brick, or tile — all extremely hard surfaces. Adhesive foam bumpers that wrap the entire hearth edge cost $15-25 and prevent the most serious falls. Also install a hearth gate if the fireplace is operational.
Consider replacing the glass coffee table with a rounded soft-edge alternative
Glass tables shatter on impact and create sharp fragments. If replacing isn't an option, apply safety film to the glass to prevent shattering and cover all edges with bumper strips. Tempered glass is safer than standard glass but still cracks.
Electrical and Outlet Safety
Cover all unused electrical outlets with tamper-resistant covers or plates
Standard plug-in outlet covers can become choking hazards if a toddler pulls them out. Sliding plate covers (which slide shut automatically) or self-closing covers are safer. Check every outlet in the room, including ones behind furniture — toddlers find them all.
Bundle and hide all visible electrical cords behind furniture or in cord covers
Exposed cords are both a tripping hazard and a strangulation risk. Use cord covers that mount to the baseboard, or run cords through hollow furniture legs. A cord longer than 7 inches can wrap around a child's neck.
Secure power strips inside a cord management box
Power strips with multiple plugs are irresistible to toddlers. A cord management box ($10-20) encloses the entire power strip with a single cable exit. Mount or place it behind furniture where the child cannot access it.
Window and Blind Cord Safety
Replace all corded blinds with cordless versions
Window blind cords are the leading cause of strangulation in children under 5, causing an average of 8 deaths per year. Cordless blinds, cellular shades, or motorized blinds eliminate this risk entirely. The CPSC has worked toward banning corded blinds since 2018.
If corded blinds remain, install cord cleats at least 5 feet high and wrap cords tightly
Wind cord loops around a wall-mounted cleat so no loop hangs longer than 3 inches. Cut continuous-loop cords and add separate tassels. This is a temporary fix — replacement with cordless options is the only way to fully eliminate the hazard.
Install window stops or guards to prevent windows from opening more than 4 inches
Children can fall through windows that open wider than 4 inches. Window stops cost $5-10 per window and screw into the track to limit the opening. Screens are designed to keep insects out, not children — they will not prevent a fall.
Move all furniture away from windows to prevent climbing access
Sofas, chairs, and toy boxes placed near windows give toddlers a climbing platform. Keep all furniture at least 3 feet from windows. Children as young as 18 months can climb onto couch arms and reach window sills.
TV Mounting and Small Object Removal
Mount the TV to the wall with a rated bracket or secure it to a heavy stand with straps
A falling flat-screen TV sends about 17,000 children to the emergency room each year. Wall mounting is the safest option. If using a stand, strap the TV to the furniture with anti-tip straps and anchor the furniture to the wall.
Remove all small decorative objects from surfaces below 4 feet
Anything smaller than a toilet paper tube (about 1.75 inches in diameter) is a choking hazard for children under 3. This includes decorative rocks, candles, coins, remote control batteries, and small figurines. Do a hands-and-knees sweep of the room at toddler eye level.
Secure remote controls and keep button batteries inaccessible
Remote control battery compartments often pop open easily. Tape them shut or use remotes with screw-secured battery compartments. Button batteries cause about 3,500 emergency room visits per year in children and can burn through the esophagus in 2 hours if swallowed.
Gates and Plant Safety
Install safety gates at the top and bottom of all staircases
Use hardware-mounted gates (screwed into the wall studs) at the top of stairs — pressure-mounted gates can be pushed out by a leaning child. Gates at the bottom of stairs can be pressure-mounted. The gate should be at least 22 inches tall with vertical bars spaced no more than 3 inches apart.
Use gates to block access to rooms that are not fully childproofed
A home office, exercise room, or guest room with un-anchored furniture and small objects can be gated off entirely. Retractable mesh gates work well for wide doorways up to 55 inches. Remove the gate once the room is fully childproofed.
Check all houseplants for toxicity and move dangerous ones out of reach
Common toxic houseplants include pothos, philodendron, dieffenbachia, peace lily, and sago palm. Sago palm is especially dangerous — all parts are poisonous and ingestion can cause liver failure. Move toxic plants to high shelves or rooms the child cannot access.
Secure fireplace tools and screens behind a locked gate
Heavy metal fireplace pokers, shovels, and log holders are both sharp and heavy. A freestanding fireplace gate creates a barrier around the entire hearth area. If the fireplace is operational, install a locked screen and never leave a fire unattended with a child in the room.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the biggest living room hazards for toddlers?
The top 5 hazards are: (1) unsecured furniture that can tip over — furniture tip-overs injure roughly 14,700 children per year and kill about 46, (2) sharp corners on coffee tables and TV stands that cause head lacerations, (3) electrical outlets (about 2,400 children are treated annually for shock and burns from outlets), (4) window blind cords which are a strangulation risk, and (5) small objects on low shelves or tables that pose a choking risk for children under 3.
How do you anchor furniture to prevent tip-overs?
Use L-brackets or anti-tip straps ($5-$15 per set) to secure all furniture over 30 inches tall to wall studs. This includes bookshelves, dressers, TV stands, and floor lamps. Locate the wall stud with a stud finder, drill a pilot hole, and screw the bracket into the stud (drywall anchors alone are not strong enough). IKEA provides free wall-anchoring kits with their furniture. TVs should be mounted to the wall or secured with an anti-tip strap — flat-screen TV tip-overs send about 17,000 children to the ER each year.
Are outlet covers or outlet plates better for childproofing?
Sliding outlet plates (also called self-closing covers) are safer than plug-in caps. Plug-in caps can be pulled out by determined toddlers and become a choking hazard themselves — they are the exact size and shape to block a small airway. Sliding plates ($3-$5 each) cover the outlet automatically when not in use and cannot be removed by a child. For outlets behind furniture, tamper-resistant receptacles (required by code in new construction since 2008) have built-in shutters that block insertion of foreign objects.
When should you start childproofing the living room?
Start by 5-6 months, before your baby begins crawling (typically 6-10 months). Babies develop mobility faster than most parents expect — the period between first rolling over and first pulling up to standing can be as short as 4-6 weeks. Get down on your hands and knees and crawl through the room at baby height to spot hazards you would not notice from an adult perspective. Re-evaluate every 3-4 months as your child grows taller and more capable.
How do you childproof a fireplace or wood stove?
Install a freestanding hearth gate ($80-$200) that creates a barrier around the entire fireplace area, keeping children at least 3 feet from the heat source. For gas fireplaces, install a safety screen ($30-$60) and use a fireplace lock to prevent children from turning on the gas. The glass front of a gas fireplace can reach 400-500 degrees F and cause instant burns. Never leave a fire burning unattended, and store fireplace tools, matches, and lighters in a locked location out of reach.