You have to consider your child's nature as well as the specific hazards in your home when deciding how to babyproof, but these four items are a must for most households:

 

Smoke detectors

Keep at least one smoke detector in every bedroom, as well as in the adjacent hallway, and on every level of your home. Carefully follow the installation instructions and replace the batteries at least once a year.

 

Childproof latches for doors, drawers, and cupboards

Any child who's old enough to move from one place to another is old enough to open cabinets or escape through a door. Childproof latches are an easy, inexpensive way to prevent disaster.

 

Safety gates

A sturdy gate can keep your child away from just about any potential hazard, including stairs, an exposed heater, and a mess of computer cords. Some gates are made to fit in doorways, while others can expand to go around almost anything. Hardware-mounted gates are generally safer and more parent-friendly than pressure-mounted gates, which often cause more wall damage.

 

Electrical outlet covers

If your child sees you plug something in, he or she will want to try it, too. You don't want your child plugging in appliances, and you definitely don't want him or her sticking a fork or other metal object into the socket. Use sliding outlet covers rather than push-in caps, which can be too easy or too difficult to remove and, if small, can be choking hazards.