Baby-proofing a home in eight steps

The best moment to start is when the baby begins to roll. From there it is only a few weeks to crawling, and everything at floor level becomes reachable.

1. Look from knee height

Start by kneeling in the middle of the room. From that angle you notice the hanging corner of a tablecloth, a trailing cable and the small object that rolled under the sofa.

2. Anchor the furniture

Securing tall narrow furniture, dressers and bookcases to the wall is the single most important step. Tip-over accidents typically happen when a child stands on an open drawer.

3. Corners and edges

The corners of a coffee table, a dresser and a window sill sit at exactly head height for a child learning to walk. Translucent silicone guards solve this in minutes.

4. Sockets and cables

Flush socket blanks prevent poking fingers, and a cable channel or tidy removes wires that can be pulled. Put extension leads behind furniture.

5. Cupboards and drawers

You do not need to lock everything. Rearranging two or three cupboards so hazardous items sit high up leaves only a few doors needing an adhesive lock.

6. Stairs and thresholds

You need a gate at both the top and the bottom of the stairs. At the top always use a screw-fitted gate: pressure-fit models can slip on the top step.

7. Bathroom and kitchen

Move cleaning products from under the sink to a high shelf. Limiting hot water temperature and adding a non-slip mat to the bath are two cheap, quick steps.

8. Windows

Blind and curtain cords can form loops, so fix them with a cord tidy. Keep climbable furniture away from under windows.

The list does not get done in one go. Follow the baby's development and stay one step ahead of what they can already do.