Who doesn’t want their home safe and in style? In 2022, people spent $472 billion to better their homes, or $144 million more than they did the previous year. This shows that homeowners now see the importance of quality living spaces. Of course, they can do it for many different reasons. If you belong to the childproofing group, this guide will be handy.
Read on for indispensable pointers for ensuring safety while keeping your aesthetics sharp. You will also learn how to select durable materials, implement safety measures, and assess financing options to help you plan wisely for financing this project.
Designing With Safety in Mind
Safety is the anchor behind child-friendly spaces. According to the 2023 Childproofing Report, ER doctors treated almost 200,000 kids with injuries related to beds or bedding. Half the job of preventing these accidents is for parents to understand common household hazards to create a truly safer environment.
Choosing Safe Materials and Furniture
Choosing suitable materials and furniture couldn’t be a better way to start when it comes to child-friendly home renovations. You may have countless options at your disposal, but these essential tips can help you put things in perspective while making plans:
- Select round-edged furniture to prevent injuries – A simple coffee table with rounded edges can keep kids away from bumps and bruises. Spend time exploring brands known for offering child-friendly furniture.
- Go for durability – Great examples are microfiber sofas, which are tough against wear and tear, easy to clean, and perfect for families with young children.
- Forget toxic paints and finishes – Choose paints with a low-VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) label. It’s your cue that the product has less harmful chemicals.
Implementing Childproofing Measures
While choosing the appropriate materials is crucial to any child-friendly home renovation project, further steps are needed to ensure you meet your goals. Here are three of the most significant actions you can take in childproofing your home:
- Install safety gates at the stairs on both ends – Many brands offer easy-to-install gates that are also adjustable to fit various widths.
- Secure heavy furniture against the wall to prevent tipping – Use anti-tip straps or brackets to secure dressers, bookshelves, and TVs.
- Cover electrical outlets with childproof covers – The best ones are those that are easy for adults to remove but secure enough to keep children safe.
Stylish yet Practical Interiors
A child-friendly space that is also visually pleasing calls for achieving the right balance. With a 2022 study showing that the cost of renovations is up by 20 percent, it seems like families are more interested in attaining the look and function that syncs with their children’s needs.
Multi-Functional Furniture
Furniture serving varied purposes can be beneficial in childproofing your home and keeping it attractive. For instance, storage benches serve double duty as seating and a place to stash toys or shoes. Adjustable beds and desks are also awesome since they change as your kid grows. That means you don’t have to repurchase everything as they get bigger. Plus, you save cash and hassle over the long term.
Luckily, several stylish options are on the market—you just have to look! However, neither style nor function is enough. Brands known for durability are always worth the investment.
Easy-To-Maintain Decor
Low-maintenance home decor helps childproof your home by reducing cleaning time, minimizing hazards with durable materials, and ensuring a safer, more hygienic environment for children.
The basics include washable rugs, slipcovers, and durable, easy-to-clean flooring like laminate and vinyl. These are both very stylish and practical for high-traffic areas. Removable wall decals, which you can easily update as your children grow, are also nice to have.
Strategic Use of Space
Maximizing space is crucial in a child-friendly home. According to Stanford Medicine, about 2,000 children up to the age of 14 die due to home injuries yearly. The sad part is they could have been safer with better planning.
Assigning Play Areas
Designating play areas in a home helps prevent accidents by providing a controlled environment where children can enjoy activities suitable for their age and development. Shelves and cube storage systems with bins are great for keeping toys, books, and other items contained and organizing the space.
The key is to choose an easy-to-supervise area where the children are in clear sight from the kitchen or living room. This setup allows you to watch the kids while doing other tasks.
Keeping Bedrooms Safe and Functional
Falls are some of the most significant bedroom safety issues for kids, but you can prevent them with a few easy steps. For example, get low-height beds for your toddlers or use soft, non-slip rugs that help prevent accidents and keep things convenient by being machine-washable. Maximizing storage space with drawers and wall-mounted shelves is also incredibly efficient in keeping the room tidy and safe for kids.
Financing Your Home Improvements
Home improvements usually require a significant financial commitment, but home mortgage loans can help keep the cost manageable. Of course, reasonable budgeting also goes a long way toward keeping your home project financially on point.
Understanding Home Loan Options
Home loan options are suitable for anyone seeking to lighten the weight of their home improvement costs. They give you ample room to find the package that best matches your needs and repayment capability. SoFi, a leading fintech company, can be particularly helpful.
Home Equity
Another option is getting a Home Equity Line of Credit, commonly known as HELOC, to finance your childproofing renovations. SoFi offers remarkably competitive rates and flexible terms for these options, allowing you to borrow against your home’s equity in their homes to fund your childproofing project.
Personal Loans
SoFi personal loans provide another avenue for financing home projects. They are unique in having fixed interest rates and scheduled monthly payments.
Refinancing Mortgage
Through refinancing, you can lower your monthly mortgage payments or shorten your loan term and allocate more resources toward childproofing renovations. This option not only helps you save on interest but also provides the financial means to invest in enhancing the safety and functionality of your home.
Empowering Yourself with Knowledge
Even though applying for a loan can seem intimidating initially, knowing more about it makes you a stronger potential borrower, especially with SoFi’s team and digital tools ready to guide you. Whether choosing the right loan type, understanding rates, or learning your repayment choices, their online resources and dedicated representatives are happy to provide all the details and answers you need.
They make applying straightforward and stress-free so you can feel confident making the right financial decision for your situation. This service feature helps with informed decision-making throughout your childproofing renovation project.
Budgeting for Renovations
Creating a detailed budget is crucial for effective planning when childproofing home renovations. Start by breaking down costs for materials, labor, and permits to understand expenses clearly. Online tools can assist in this process by providing budgeting frameworks and tracking expenses to ensure financial accountability.
Prioritizing safety-related upgrades is paramount to immediately enhance the security of your home for children. Focus on critical safety improvements such as securing furniture to walls and installing safety gates in crucial areas.
Lastly, remember to allocate funds for major renovations and minor updates, balancing larger projects like kitchen remodels with smaller tasks like adding childproof locks on cabinets and drawers. This step ensures that your childproofing efforts address immediate safety concerns while enhancing the functionality and security of your home.
Safety, Style, and Smart Financing for a Child-Safe Home
Creating a home that works well for kids requires serious planning and effort, but the rewards are endless. By focusing on safety, what’s practical, and personal style – and financing options like SoFi home loans – homeowners can design welcoming and secure spaces for children.
With the right strategy, every room can become a safe space for kids, allowing parents peace of mind and creating an enjoyable environment for children.
