Babyproofing: Furniture Safety

We all have furniture around the house that can pose falling hazards for our children. Heck, IKEA had to recall a dresser line because of eight child deaths associated with a tip-over. It’s actually quite horrific to think about…

The goods news is: the solutions are EASY. Hang in there, we’re almost done…

Furniture Safety

Tall, top-heavy furniture items pose the biggest danger to little ones.

Walk around your home to various furniture items, then get on your knees and try to pull the item down from the top. Remember that kids can get aggressively curious or climb up on furniture (using the drawers/shelves like steps, etc.), so if you have ANY doubts, you should secure it to the wall. Don’t forget about spaces like your garage or basement, where tall shelves are abundant.

To eliminate the risk of falling furniture or TVs, the easiest solution is to install “L brackets,” or furniture anchors. These are all pretty generic, and you’ll definitely be able to get them at your local hardware store – or here on Amazon.

Furniture brackets, or L brackets, are the cheapest, simplest option, and most people are very happy with them. They don’t allow for any wiggle room (literally). Just scoop some up at the hardware store and install them, like so (yes, you’ll have to drill your furniture).

Furniture anchors are a more durable, advanced option for securing pieces. They tend to come in either a wire form or a strap (fabric form). New furniture, such as dressers, are sold with anti-tip devices. Install them right away.

All stand-alone ranges should also be secured with an anti-tip device, as kids tend to climb up on open oven doors and use it as a step — and always when your back is turned!

Best Furniture Anchors

The benefit of a proper furniture anchor is not having to drill or deface the top of your furniture, which most people don’t want to do. The exception to this is when you have an extremely tall piece of furniture that you’ll never see the top of anyway.

Best Furniture Cables

Hangman Anti-Tip Kit ~$9 for 1 / $39 for 6

Probably the most dependable furniture anchor. The Hangman Anti-Tip Kit can withstand up to 400 pounds of resistance; if you need something ultra heavy-duty, this is your best option. Reviewers rave about it.

It’s discreet, works very well, and is easy to set up. You can watch the full installation demo here.

Best Furniture Straps

KidCo Anti-Tip Straps ~$5

Almost everyone agrees that the KidCo straps get the job done (actually, so much so that many users complain they’re difficult to remove if/when the time comes). Parents love them for being inexpensive, effective, and easy to use. That said, these aren’t technically guaranteed against any specific weight (like the Hangman Anti-Tip Kit, above), and the materials are obviously less structurally reliable (plastic vs. steel, c’mon).

Best TV Straps

You should also get special straps designed to hold TVs on top of TV stands. *You should anchor your television even if it’s standing on a piece of anchored furniture, btw.

QuakeHold! Universal Flat Screen Safety Straps ~$29

This one gets rave reviews. It works for flat TV screens up to 70” and 150 lbs.

These are nice because they don’t require screws, and tons of users say their TVs have survived some pretty nasty earthquakes.

Corners and Edges

Other than the falling risk, furniture corners and edges can be tricky for wobbly toddlers.

You can get a set of corner guards alone (~$11 for 8):

Or you can get a set that also comes with a whole roll of edging (~$22) if you want to line any surfaces flush:

OK! Anchors away ; )

Next: Doorknob Covers and Locks