There’s no doubt about it: when it comes to decorating and furnishing your child’s bedroom, safety is the number one priority. Furnishing your son or daughter’s bedroom can be a fun bonding experience that allows your child to express his or her own creativity, and develop important planning and decision-making skills. However, a few easily-overlooked mistakes can compromise your little one’s safety.
Here are five safety tips to keep in mind when furnishing your kid’s bedroom.
1. Invest in cordless blinds
If you choose to put blinds over your child’s bedroom windows rather than curtains, it is worth your while to find a set that do not have a cord or drawstring. Having a cord or drawstring dangling from the blinds increases the risk of your child getting tangled up and possibly strangling himself. Even if you think that the cord will be too high to harm your child, it’s best to be safe and opt for cordless blinds or drapes.
2. Keep nightlights away from fabrics
Many children take comfort in having a nightlight on while they sleep, and so a nightlight is an essential in many kids’ bedrooms. When arranging your child’s room, pick a spot to plug in the nightlight where it will be far away from drapes, bedding, and other fabrics. You will also want to make sure that the nightlight does not get too hot. If the nightlight does seem to grow too warm, you’ll need to buy a different nightlight, preferably one that is advertised as having a cool bulb.
3. Make sure the bedroom has a working smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector
Most children who are injured or die in household fires end up that way because they slept through the ordeal. For this reason, it is important to have working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors in all childrens’ bedrooms. Change the batteries in both of these devices frequently and instruct your child on what to do if one of the alarms goes off.
4. Check that your child’s bedroom has several escape routes in case of emergency
In the event of a fire or other household emergency, your child will need to be able to escape his bedroom and possibly the house itself quickly and without any confusion. Make sure not to put any furniture, rugs, or decorative items in such a way as to obstruct the bedroom door. The path from your child’s room to the front door should be similarly clear of obstructions.
5. Tighten all bolts and screws in your child’s bedroom furniture
Even if your child’s bedroom furniture has already been assembled, find all of the bolts, screws, and other fastening hardware on each piece of furniture and tighten them as much as possible. If a piece is missing, order it directly from the manufacturer rather than risking an ill-fitting piece from the hardware shop.