Raising a baby isn’t cheap.
Studies show parents shell out a few thousands yearly for baby items. So, it’s no surprise that you want to cut corners on babyproofing your home.
Childproofing items can be pricey, but you can solve this with some creativity and items easily found at home. In this blog, we’ll share three household items you can use to lock up your cabinets and drawers. We’ll also share the ultimate drawer locks for babies that won’t cost a fortune. Let’s get started!
How Many Safety Drawer Locks Do You Need?
Parents might go overboard by putting drawer locks everywhere, even in places where their little ones don’t go. Ask yourself, “Can my child crawl or walk? Can they reach the knobs and drawer knobs?”
Is your baby rocking back and forth on their hands and knees? This is the start of their journey to crawling. During roughly their sixth to their ninth month, your little one will learn to crawl for the bottom drawer or cabinet door. Eventually, they will learn how to pull themselves up when they reach their first year.
Childproofing is good, but to a certain degree. You don’t want your home to look like a prison. Plus, you don’t want to splurge on drawer locks you don’t need just yet. Thus, when your baby starts crawling, start babyproofing from the bottom and work your way to higher cabinets and drawers.
DIY Drawer and Cabinet Locks You Can Whip Out at Home
If you are on a budget but need quick ways to protect your baby from dangerous appliances and supplies, you might want to consider safety locks you can create yourself.
Some might be for short-term, but it could save you the trouble of spending on a pack of child safety locks and then worrying about disposing of them in the future. You can also use these DIY safety locks while traveling or when you’re away from home.
#1. Rubber Bands
Rubber bands are convenient items to have in every household. They can be used in a variety of ways, but did you know you can also use them to keep two-door cabinets closed?
Get three or more pieces of rubber bands and tie them around the knobs. You can make a double loop or a figure 8 for that extra tightness. If you don’t have rubber bands around your kitchen, you can opt for a strong hair tie, ribbons, a small rope, pipe cleaners, or a cotton cord.
With enough rubber bands, your cabinets and drawers will stay closed for some time. However, this only works for furniture with two doors. Plus, who knows how fast your little one can figure out how to remove these rubber locks?
#2. Zip Ties
Perhaps, rubber bands aren’t strong enough to keep your baby’s little hands from getting a hold of your detergents under the sink. If this is the case, our second household item can do the trick—zip ties.
Zip ties work on not only knobs but also on handles. In addition to its versatility, you can rely on this nifty tie to keep your toddler safe since zip ties can’t be removed or broken easily without using a pair of scissors or a knife.
Circle the tie around the knobs of the handles of your cabinet and insert the end of the tie in the other end with a square loop—this will securely lock your cabinets. Then, snip the extra end of the tie to avoid your toddler from being poked.
#3. Yardstick
Do you have column drawers with handles? If so, grab a yardstick or rod and place it through the handles. This is another surefire way that your baby won’t be able to open not just one drawer, but all of them in one fell swoop.
But, of course, a big stick lodged in your drawers isn’t aesthetic. Plus, you’ll have difficulty removing the wood whenever you want to get something from your drawer.
The Cheapest Option for Seamless Furniture
All of our DIY solutions above are quick and easy, but they’re missing a vital criteria for child safety locks—appearance.
Many parents want an invisible lock with enhanced functionality. Meaning they want a lock that adults can open but children can’t. You also want a lock that won’t leave scratches or marks on your cabinet doors. At the same time, the safety door lock should have a strong grip.
Let’s introduce you to Ashtonbee’s child safety lock for drawers and cabinets.
This DIY babyproof lock is installed from the inside, so the outside is clutter-free. How? It’s a spring latch lock that hooks itself onto the grip that it comes with. You can install this yourself as it uses a strong adhesive strip. This is perfect for keeping your wooden cabinets smooth from any holes or dents.
How do you open this lock? Simply open the door a bit and push the spring-loaded hook down to open your drawer completely. You don’t need keys or scissors, nor do you need to remove the lock completely
Ashtonbee locks are made not only for smooth surfaces but for textured furniture as well. If you have a textured surface, all you need to do is to screw these safety locks in instead of using the adhesive foam tape.
The best part is that this lock is affordable as well. For $15, you’ll get 12 locks. That’s 12 cabinet doors or drawers that can be babyproofed. So, save yourself from eyesores and headaches. The best cabinet locks are easy and affordable to buy and install yourself.
Final Thoughts
Whether you choose babyproofing solutions you have on hand or Ashtonbee’s child safety locks, remember the most important thing—your baby’s safety. So it’s up to you to determine how to keep your baby completely safe inside and outside of your home.
Babies are curious creatures, so be sure your locks can seal your drawers tight. For guaranteed safety, check out Ashtonbee’s safety locks and other babyproofing items today!
