Baby-Proofing Cabinets

Do I Need To Baby-Proof Cabinets?

The answer to this question will depend on:

Where are the cabinets? A place that your baby is often (e.g. kitchen cabinets) or seldom (e.g. guest bathroom cabinets)?

What are the contents of the cabinets? Are they dangerous or safe? Costly or inexpensive? Easy to clean up or cumbersome?

Based on how you answered above, you can apply the three potential reasons why parents or caretakers would need to baby-proof cabinets:

1. The contents of a cabinet - or the cabinets themselves - pose a safety risk to the baby. 

Dangerous items include: sharp cutting utensils, medications or, even heavy pots, which, if dropped, can be quite painful.

Additionally, cabinets that are of heavy material or have a spring-loaded closing mechanism may be a recipe for lots of booboos. 

2. Cleaning up the contents of a cabinet - or having to constantly shut the cabinets themselves - is annoying.

I have collectively picked up thousands of Q-tips, so when I say I'm passionate about number 2, it's coming from personal experience.

3. A child ruining or breaking the things in a cabinet can be expensive. 

Leave them in an accessible cabinet and you can kiss your lucrative Pokemon card collection goodbye.

Best Child-Locks For Cabinets

Most Durable Child Lock For Cabinets

For durability purposes, I would stay away from most adhesive products, especially those of thin plastic.

Try exploring these magnetic child-locks for cabinets, the U-shaped child locks or this spring-loaded child lock which is attached by screw.

Most Affordable Child-Lock For Cabinets

Frankly, the most affordable child safety locks for cabinets will depend on the ebbs and flows of the marketplace which are constantly changing. Click here and filter by price for the current best-offer.

Easiest To Install Child Lock For Cabinets

Two options for baby-proof cabinets without drilling:

For cabinets that are facing another cabinet these U-Shaped locks are by far the easiest to install. No measuring. No sticking. And definitely no drilling.

To baby-proof cabinet doors without handles or solo cabinet doors without an adjacent door, these adhesive cabinet lock straps do not require exact measuring and can be installed quickly and easily. 

The latter would work in other baby-proofing contexts as well. When something needs to remain closed.

Child-Lock Which Is Most Accessible For Adults

All child locks are fairly simple to open for an adult. But the ones that are most accessible are the ones that can be unlocked with one hand and with minimal attention (like having to find a magnet). Hands down this needs to be the classic latch design 

Most Invisible Child-Lock For Cabinets

The two child-locks for cabinets that are invisible while the cabinet is closed are: the common latch device and the more advance magnetic method.

Emptying A Cabinet Can Be A Baby Activity

I wanted to end off with a little something that may turn you into the "Fun-Parent."

If you've got a cabinet that isn't being used, you can turn it into the cabinet that is prepared for children's fun.

Fill this cabinet with toys - or household items that can be toys - that aren't too difficult to clean up and require little parental oversight. And let your little one have at it!

In a kitchen where the rest of the cabinets are locked, this one may become quite popular!