Baby Proofing Products & Safety Gear
Think of this page as a shopping list: what physical hardware to buy for each part of your home, and the one or two things worth checking before you buy. For full installation steps and the regulatory background behind each category, our dedicated how-to guides (linked at the bottom of this page) go deeper than we do here. This page covers hardware only — cabinet locks, outlet covers, corner guards, furniture/TV anchors, and safety gates. For monitors, thermometers, and other non-hardware safety products, see our Baby Safety Products Guide instead.
- KEY TAKEAWAYS
Prioritize the highest-consequence categories first: hardware-mounted (wall-screwed) gates at the top of every staircase, and anchors on any furniture with drawers, doors, or shelves plus every TV. From there, add cabinet locks on anything storing medicine, cleaning products, or sharp objects, and outlet protection sized so it can’t be removed or choked on. None of this hardware replaces supervision — it reduces risk in a home an adult is still actively watching.
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Cabinet and Drawer Locks
Shop by hardware type, not just brand: adhesive strap locks go on fastest and need no tools, magnetic locks hide inside the cabinet for a cleaner look but require drilling and a separate magnetic key, and sliding locks work well on paired handles close together. Buy enough to cover every cabinet and drawer holding medicine, cleaning products, matches or lighters, and knives or other sharp objects — not just the kitchen. See our Baby Proof Cabinets & Drawers guide for installation steps and testing tips.
Outlet Covers and Electrical Safety
Skip small cap-style plugs if you can — they’re removable, easy to lose, and small enough to be a choking hazard themselves if a child works one loose. A sliding-plate cover that stays permanently mounted to the wall plate, or a box-style cover for outlets that usually have something plugged in, avoids that loose-piece problem entirely. If you’re renovating, ask an electrician about tamper-resistant receptacles, which build the same protection into the outlet itself. Full comparisons of each cover type are in our Outlet Covers & Electrical Safety guide.
Corner and Edge Guards
These are the simplest purchase on this list: foam or rubber bumpers for sharp furniture and fireplace corners. The only real shopping question is whether the guard will stay attached to your specific furniture — test adhesive-backed guards on an inconspicuous spot first, since strong adhesive can damage some wood finishes, and avoid guards with small parts that could work loose and become their own choking hazard.
Furniture and TV Anchors
Buy a kit rated for your furniture’s actual weight, and make sure it includes both a wall-side bracket and a furniture-side bracket connected by a strap — some kits sold separately only include one side. If a TV sits on furniture rather than being wall-mounted, you may need a second, TV-rated anti-tip strap in addition to anchoring the furniture itself. Our Furniture Anchoring & TV Safety guide covers installation into wall studs and what to do if you can’t drill.
- CHECK THE BOX FIRST
Most new dressers, bookshelves, and armoires already ship with a basic anchor kit, since manufacturers are required to include tip-over warnings and anchoring hardware. Check what came in the box before buying a separate kit — you may only need to buy anchors for older furniture you already own.
Safety Gates
The single most important purchase decision here is mounting type, not brand: buy a hardware-mounted (wall-screwed) gate for the top of any staircase, since pressure-mounted gates can be pushed loose there. Pressure-mounted gates are a reasonable, no-drilling option for doorways or the bottom of a staircase. Either way, buy a gate sold specifically as a child safety gate rather than a pet gate, and check the listed opening width against your doorway or stairway before ordering. See our Baby Gate Installation Guide for mounting steps and our How to Baby Proof Stairs guide for the full staircase picture.
Babyproofing Shopping List at a Glance
| Hardware | Buy For | Watch Out For |
|---|---|---|
| Cabinet/Drawer Locks | Any cabinet/drawer with medicine, cleaners, or sharp objects | Adhesive that doesn’t hold on your cabinet finish |
| Outlet Covers | Every accessible outlet | Small removable caps — a choking risk on their own |
| Corner/Edge Guards | Sharp furniture and fireplace corners | Guards that pull loose over time |
| Furniture/TV Anchors | Anything with drawers, doors, or shelves, plus all TVs | Kits missing the furniture-side or TV-side bracket |
| Safety Gates | Stairway tops (hardware-mounted only); doorways (either type) | Pressure-mounted gates at the top of stairs; pet gates |
Frequently Asked Questions
Start with the two highest-consequence categories: a hardware-mounted safety gate for the top of any staircase, and anchors for any furniture with drawers, doors, or shelves plus every TV in the house. Cabinet locks and outlet covers matter too, but falls and tip-overs tend to cause more serious injuries.
Check what’s already in the box first — most new dressers, bookshelves, and similar furniture ship with a basic anchor kit. You’ll typically only need to buy separate hardware for furniture you already owned before babyproofing, or if you want a stronger kit than what came included.
Yes, for doorways or the bottom of a staircase where there’s no drop if it gets pushed loose. It’s specifically the top of a staircase where the CPSC says a hardware-mounted, wall-screwed gate is necessary.
Sources
This guide is based on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s “Childproofing Your Home” safety guide and the CPSC Anchor It! furniture and TV tip-over prevention campaign. Full citations for each hardware category, including the ASTM F1004 gate standard and furniture-stability requirements, are in the dedicated how-to guides linked throughout this page.