Baby proofing help!

Woshy

I have an incredibly active and destructive 2 year old. His favourite thing is pulling everything he can out of cupboards and shelves and onto the floor. We've tried baby proofing cupboards and drawers but nearly every brand/type we have tried he has broken through within days, basically because he is so strong and determined.

Up until now we've been letting him take stuff out that's not dangerous or too breakable but that's just not working for us now, I have a newborn I'm carrying around in a sling and bad enough I have to watch out for his toys everywhere nearly every surface of the floor is covered in Tupperware, cutlery, tea towels and plastic bowls and plates and anything else he can get his hands on. He's also started on the everything must go down the toilet phase and I caught him dipping toothbrushes in there the other day.

We've just had our house renovated and it breaks my heart to have everything out of the cupboards and drawers and all over my floor. Does anyone have any recommendations for cupboard/drawer locks that actually work for longer than a few days? We've found two types that seem to help, both safety first ones but they're not suitable for most of our drawers and cupboards (one is a magnetic one and the other a big u shaped thing that closes two handles together). I also need to get a decent toilet lock. Help!

uck51js9zml2yt

We use u locks on press doors. Depends on the handle.
As for the toilet. A small bolt at the top of the door works wonders.

nikpmup

I got press locks in ikea that I used for the toilet, they're fairly effective! Stick on with adhesive so easy to remove when you don't need them.

As for everything else, well, we're trying to sell the house ATM and we just couldn't have him pull stuff asunder. We've emptied every cupboard and shelf within his reach, and we bought a big Ottoman in homestore & more for his toys & books, and we're trying to teach him to put stuff back!!

http://m.ikea.com/ie/en/catalog/products/art/90278098/

Roesy

http://www.tesco.com/direct/lindam-xtra-guard-multi-purpose-latch/714-3394.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=714-3394

We find these lads pretty decent. Not very attractive but they keep her out of where we need her out of fairly effectively. She's managed to break the ones that go inside. Like nikpmup, we are trying to teach her to put things away too. She's sings a fairly decent 'cleam mup' and puts one or two thing exuberantly back in the toy box and wanders off then It's a step in the right direction I suppose.

Sligo1

Hi woshy, have you tired these? https://www.babyaccessories.ie/p/clippasafe_mini_multi_purpose_latch_2pk

Total lifesaver for us. Tbh, I actually have trouble opening themmsometimes as they're so stiff. I'd say they loosen up a little bit tho once they are used a hit more often. We only have them on a couple cupboards as I usually let Into cupboards with the safe stuff. But now I'm finding potatoes etc in my shoes and L is now in the cupboards too pulling everything out so I'm considering putting a few more of these on the cupboards.

cyning

I use the same as Sligo... I only had them on cupboard under sink and drawer with knives on them until number 2 came along... Now they are on everything fridge, freezer, they were on toilet but not now we are toilet training, every press... The destruction they can get up to in the time it takes you to change a nappy is unreal I get mine in Smyths. I stick one part on counter top and one on press. They don't look great but are very good.

Sligo1

O just to add, I'm after realising the link I posted was for the mini latch? You can get the normal size clippasafe multipurpose latch which is exactly the same as the link only slightly bigger. That's the one we have .

Woshy

Thanks all! Will check them out. The U locks do work but aren't suitable for the majority of our cupboards due to the handles. I'll def try out the recommendations above to try keep him out of my stuff! He has so many toys he doesn't need to get into cupboards and drawers. We're also trying to get him to pick up after himself but he's hitting the terrible twos hard and we've so many tantrums in general that we don't have the energy to push it too much. Having a 3 week old doesn't help either.


Also, love the idea to put a little bolt on the bathroom door. Keeping him out of there in general but make my life easier!

cbyrd

I had this with my eldest girl, I took everything out of the presses for a few weeks til she got over the trip of driving me mad! It was a pain in the butt having boxes on the counters but a smaller pain than tripping over stuff!

Millem

My sis has a very complicated magnetic system that I struggle with :D
You need to put a some sort of a "key" on the outside to open the press.
From looking at the cupboard you wouldn't even know there was a lock on the drawers.

sillysocks

Millem wrote: »

My sis has a very complicated magnetic system that I struggle with :D
You need to put a some sort of a "key" on the outside to open the press.
From looking at the cupboard you wouldn't even know there was a lock on the drawers.

We have that two and they've never opened from the kids pulling them - despite their best efforts!
There's two types though, one you have to drill a fairly large hole in your presses for the locks, I wasn't happy with that so returned them and got the ones with sticky pads. I was very skeptical that the sticky pads would hold strong but two years later they're all perfect.

I remember reading somewhere before that if your kid really loves the presses you could put a lock on them all except one. In that one have things like Tupperware etc that they won't break and at least they can still explore one press which might keep them quiet while u do a few things!

mirrorwall14

sillysocks wrote: »

We have that two and they've never opened from the kids pulling them - despite their best efforts!
There's two types though, one you have to drill a fairly large hole in your presses for the locks, I wasn't happy with that so returned them and got the ones with sticky pads. I was very skeptical that the sticky pads would hold strong but two years later they're all perfect.

I remember reading somewhere before that if your kid really loves the presses you could put a lock on them all except one. In that one have things like Tupperware etc that they won't break and at least they can still explore one press which might keep them quiet while u do a few things!

What's it called? And can you get the sticky stuff off? We're renting and I'm a bit panicky about next year with him!

Millem

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

What's it called? And can you get the sticky stuff off? We're renting and I'm a bit panicky about next year with him!

Mirrorwall14 I don't know what they are called but there is a special spray to remove sticky residue that your caretaker in school with have! They use it to take off stickers etc after LC and JC.
We have just taken off the clevamamma foam off fire place so I just borrow it
Apparently mayonnaise works too!!

sillysocks

The ones we had were by Babydan. You can buy a pack with a few locks and one key. I think that worked out cheaper than buying the individual lock and key packs-you don't need the key for every press. Even two on either end of the kitchen would be enough. I find them great, and once u get the hang of it they're really easy to use.
As Millem says id imagine that spray would remove them, but we still have ours on so couldn't swear. They're only on inside of the press anyway so can't imagine they'd do too much damage.

Woshy

We have the magnet one on two cupboards and they are pretty much the only ones that have worked. They're not suitable for the other cupboards and drawers which is why I asked for recommendations!

GerardKeating

Woshy wrote: »

We have the magnet one on two cupboards and they are pretty much the only ones that have worked. They're not suitable for the other cupboards and drawers which is why I asked for recommendations!

What kind of doors, we have double doors under the sink, so just got a metal padlock with a very long shank to keep it closed.

This one actually... Works 100% as long as you remember to take the key out.

Akrasia

regarding the toilet door, we rigged up a simple pulley system. You need a hook attached to the corner of the door frame, but the rest is just a string tied to the handle and a 2 litre plastic bottle filled with sand or water.


it works brilliantly when there are other young kids that need access to the bathroom but might forget to close the door behind them