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  • Alissa Isenhath

How to Baby and Toddler-Proof Your Vacation Home



 

When your guests are on vacation, one of the last things they want to worry about is baby or toddler-proofing their vacation rental home. After all, they just had to pack everyone’s stuff, load the car and then drive to their destination!

Be a rockstar and baby and toddler-proof in advance. Not only will they be grateful, they’re likely to show that appreciation by booking your property again. 

Here are some suggestions: 

#1. No Fragile or Sharp Objects (Including sharp corners)

Babies and toddlers live life at full speed and without a care in the world. Keep them safe on their journeys by strategically placing sharp-edged furniture out of harm’s way. 

In addition, make sure all breakable items, such as vases, porcelain, crystal and glass are safely out of little one’s inquisitive reach or just out of the house altogether. 

In the kitchen, knife blocks add a nice aesthetic, but it’s better to keep them out of the way of curious eyes by just storing them in drawers. 

#2. Outlet Covers

For about 10 cents each, make sure each and every outlet in your home is protected with a plastic cover. Not only are you keeping the kids safe, you may be saving your electrical system. What else is there to say? 

#3. Baby/Stair Gates

There’s not much cuter than a toddler just getting his/her legs under him. Make sure to keep them upright and out of harm’s way by providing gates. If you’ve got stairs in your home, make sure to provide one gate for each set of stairs. This provides tremendous peace of mind to and gratitude from parents. 

#4. Cover All Wires

Kids are curious little buggers, aren’t they? And it never fails that if you turn your back for just one second, they’re immediately getting into something, anything, they shouldn’t. Make sure it’s not those tempting TV/DVD/cable/phone wires by banding them together and tucking them safely out of sight and reach. Painter’s tape and good old twist ties are two cheap and easy ways to get cords out of the way. 

#5. Cleaning/Laundry Products

This is a scary one, isn’t it? If you advertise your home as kid-friendly, never, ever, ever leave any cleaning product or laundry product out in plain view or easily accessible to innocent hands.   The horror stories are legendary. 

Better yet, make sure that every cabinet in your property has a child-safety lock firmly in place. Another very inexpensive, and very welcome, thoughtful amenity. 

#6. A Kid-Friendly Welcome Book

Not warning like the others above, but a suggestion. 

Vacations with kids are hard on parents. Make it a little easier on them by providing information about the following: 

~ Nearby pediatricians and walk-in medical clinics ~ Kid-friendly attractions and activities  (including any special times, i.e.; reading hour at the library, or Wednesday discounts at the water park) ~ Kid-friendly restaurants (with your personal reviews, if possible) ~ Professional babysitting services ~ If you’re at the beach, any ocean areas that are particular gentle or attract a lot of young families ~ Family picnic spots

Good luck with creating a family vacation rental in which every kid will be safe and protected and every parent can’t wait to book again!

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