Baby Proofing 101

If you think having a baby is hard work, then just wait until you bring your new bundle of joy home and it comes time to babyproof your home against any dangers, both real and imagined. I was more than a bit nervous after bringing home my newborn and I spent many a day and night fretting over everything and if I had done enough.

For those new mothers out there that have not done it before, I have some sound advice that I can impart since I have been through it. I’ll let you know what worked for me and what might not work and then what really isn’t worth your time at all. It’s a process, obviously, but it is one that must be done. You have to go room by room and make amendments and adjustments, but after it’s done, it’s done and your stress levels will subside significantly.

Making your house baby proof means placing measures in each room that will stop your baby from pulling, pushing, opening, or closing things that might harm them. You should set aside a couple of days on the weekend to go through each room individually to ensure they are safe. You will have to go through this process a few times until your child reaches a certain age. Of course, you shouldn’t just take my word for it as there are loads of sites that can give you insight into the entire process. Try here and be sure to narrow down your needs with what is possible. The views here are my own, but I have several years of experience on this…and counting.

The Big Picture

In general, you should already know how safe your house is on a scale from 1 to 10. For example, your water heater should not be above 120 degrees, so as not to burn your baby during a bath. A fire extinguisher should always be located in the kitchen, with smoke detectors functional and placed in each room. All electrical outlets should have plastic caps placed over them. You also should check the basement and make sure it is free of any objects or substances that can cause harm to your child.

Kitchen

Since this is one of the busier rooms in the house – and you will be sufficiently distracted while in it – it is advised to have this room as organized as possible.

If there are cleaning supplies in the lower cabinets, then they should be relocated to top shelves. The bottom shelves can then be stocked with plastic containers, pot, pans, and paper products instead. Drawers should also place sharp objects up top, with plastic and paper bags placed on the bottom.

Living Room

I know that when there are kids around, accidents happen, and that means things fall from time to time. This is why the guards you invest in corner guards with cushions attached to place anywhere with sharp corners. The television should always be attached to an entertainment center so that it doesn’t fall off.

Date Night – Do you Have One?

Anyone that is in a relationship is in the same boat as we are. There never seems to be enough hours in the day! Whatever we do, whatever we plan, nothing ever seems to be enough sometimes. These days, my husband and I have decided to put an end to missing our together time and making a concerted effort to see one another as often as we can, just the two of us. We have learned to appreciate the precious time we have alone and have re-dedicated ourselves to getting in a few hours every week where we can just be alone with one another and our thoughts.

We have decided to make a few date nights each month where we spend a few hours together, without the baby and without discussing anything related to work. If we have to consolidate things around the house, we have actually done it. Once, we spent about a half hour of our date night searching for kitchen faucets for our renovation. It may sound boring, but we made the best of it. The most important thing was that we were together.

Can you even remember the last time you were alone with your partner spending some quality time? Even researchers understand that date nights are crucial to staying in a committed and rewarding relationship. We used to think a date night meant going out and seeing a movie or dinner, but we have since learned to stay at home and Netflix and have a few glasses of wine together if that is all we can manage. For those that think they don’t have the energy or the time to schedule a date night, you should think again! If we have to hire a babysitter for a bit of time alone, it is definitely worth it. If only for the sanctity of our minds and marriage.

What is the minimum amount of time you should set aside for date nights, you might ask? I would say at least once a week, but one time every two weeks can work as well, if you make that time special enough. And again, I stress that is doesn’t have to be a major event. That means there is no need to go to a fancy restaurant or wear a suit and tie and cocktail dress. The most important part is being able to see one another one on one and share your week – and everything that happened in the interim that you may have missed – with one another. I have come to look forward to the time I get to spend with my partner and I know he has too. 

Sure, we all lead busier lives than the previous generation and we all know how precious time is. But nurturing your relationship is also difficult and takes time but ultimately, it is worth it. And at the end of the day, having a relationship takes more than a bit of work. It’s just like anything else you really want to have. No one wants to feel taken for granted and no one wants to feel ignored.

For the Love of Faucets

We can laugh now about it, but when my wife Maria and I got down to choosing a new kitchen faucet to replace our broken one, we went to hell and back trying to decide which would be the best for our kitchen. Maria wanted something that would be beautiful and complement what we already had in our home. I did too, of course, but I also had to really worry about the budget we had and I figured there had to be some way to combine the best of both worlds and narrow down the list to ultimately find the best faucet on the market. We did finally make a short list of kitchen faucets, and now I can go over the ones we looked at and what we chose in the end. Hopefully, my suggestions will help you and your family find the best faucet for your kitchen and save you a bit of time and money in the process.

Our primary objective is to let people know that kitchen faucets are more than fixtures in the kitchen. As one of the most used areas of your home, your kitchen is basically a hub within a hub and it should be treated as such. Maria wanted something that was welcoming and inviting and I can understand that. However, since I was in charge of the budget, I had to make a compromise that we could both live with. And more importantly, it had to be something that we could stand for years to come because how often does one change out kitchen faucets anyway?

The next question was whether or not we wanted a pull-out faucet or a pull-down version. There are advantages and disadvantages to each, and it can truly be confusing to navigate the waters of which one is the best for your own kitchen. Based on what we saw and researched, we made a quick list and narrowed it down to the following kitchen faucets:

Check out this site, and find out the ratings and reviews of the top quality taps.

Delta Faucet 9178

Probably one of the classiest versions we saw while we were researching was the Delta Faucet 9178, which offered a modern touch and was available in five colors. So no matter what your kitchen looked like, this model had a hue that would mesh well with what you already had in your home.

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Kraus KPF-2110

This pull-out model was simple in design, but it was clear that it had been manufactured for durability and to be long-lasting. It also offered the flexibility of a true pull-out faucet, and was available at an attractive price that meant we had to at least consider it in the end.

Kraus KPF-1602

From what we gathered, industrial faucets are becoming one of the newest trends in American homes and the KPF-1602 is probably the best of the bunch and packs a huge visual wallop. We were on a budget and this one was affordable, so that also made it a real consideration that had to be added to our final list of faucets to consider.

I will add that this is ultimately our list and you can do whatever you want, but I can honestly say that we really did our homework and these suggestions are more than likely to end up on your list as well, one way or another. You always have the option to search out the biggest brands and then look at their images and descriptions to make a decision. But me and my wife decided to make our list and then go and see them directly because there is always more information to be had once you are up close with the object.

Another aspect we had to consider was installation, which was another headache we were not looking forward to. Before you decide on a brand, you should also consider who will be providing the installation. If you are doing it yourself, ensure that you have the tools and the know-how to get the job done properly. There’s nothing more upsetting than buying new appliances and then finding out they have been installed incorrectly.

After looking at all the pros and cons, Maria and I decided to splurge a bit and get the Delta model. Even at that price, it was still worth the investment and I knew we would have the faucet for years to come. So, not only did we find a great faucet that will add value to our home, we both agreed on the final product, which always makes things easier to digest!

Learn more about the home renovation ideas when you visit the page of Kitchen Faucets Reviews.