How to Renovate Your New Home to Make it More Kid-Friendly

"Keep your child safe and keep everything else safe from your child"

As a parent, you already know that most of the time, you are alternating between keeping your child safe and keeping everything else safe from your child. That is the main principle in mind when you renovate your new home to make it more kid friendly. Your kids' safety is a priority, of course. But you also need to think of the longevity of your new home features under the extreme conditions kids sometimes impose on it. Here are some tips on how to achieve just that.

​Make your kitchen more-kid friendly by making everything hard to reach

When you renovate your home to make it more kid-friendly, there are several things you can do in your kitchen. Our most precious family members tend to be curious, and kitchens have a very high disaster potential. It is simply impossible to remove all dangerous objects as they are necessary for cooking. The best tactic to adopt here is to make whatever you can out of kids' reach. You can achieve this by making the following home adjustments.

Push-to-open mechanisms deter the kids from opening cupboards
A child is a marvelous creature with a curious mind that often tells them: "Oh look, there's a handle! Open it, open it, you must open it!". This is simply how they learn. The unconscious mechanism in their heads drives them to inspect everything they see. Instead of teaching them not to open your drawers and cabinets, why not try and remove the handles and install push-to-open mechanisms? Without handles, kids would have to search for the exact spot to push, which would be hard to locate without the adult's assistance. Most of them will give up. And there you go, no more open cabinets and spread dishes on your kitchen floor.

A mid-mount wall oven is a safe way to bake
A mid-mount wall oven is a safe and practical solution when you plan to renovate your new home to make it more kid friendly. Not to mention that you would not be bending over to get the food out of the hot oven. You can leave the kitchen and do other work using a mid-mount wall. On the other hand, using an oven installed on the floor requires you to watch your kids when they are in the kitchen so they wouldn't try to open it. So, the oven mounted on a higher level saves you time and is easier to handle. 

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"Make whatever you can out of kids' reach"

For homes with children, light colors and delicate materials are not a good fit

​Every parent knows that his lovely child's tiny little hands are almost always dirty. Also, a human needs many years to fully develop their motor skills and pair them with enough caution to avoid spilling things. So there is a good chance that your child will spill juice or milk at least once on every surface they use, sofa included. For these reasons, light-colored furniture, where stains may decide to stay, is not a good choice. Also, delicate materials that need to be handled with care may find it hard to survive tiny (and often damaged) car races and similar play-date attacks. A robust, dark-grey sofa might be able to resist it all and would be a great choice, though. 

​When you renovate your new home to make it more kid-friendly, all that is sharp must go

An active child that likes to run around is a joy to have, but it is a nightmare to keep safe. You can make it a lot easier if you refurbish your home to remove all sharp edges. Pay attention to tables, chairs, and even wardrobe doors and frames. Little girls running with their hair down can get stuck on the door handles. For that reason, maybe you should opt for doorknobs instead.
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As for glass and mirror components, it might be best to restrict them to the master bedroom and the bathroom, preferably the one your kid isn't using. And yes, it is very likely a child will accidentally fall straight through a closed glass door, as is the case with all unlikely accidents with sharp or breakable stuff. In general, our lovely babies tend to find unique ways to do just what we thought impossible, so it is best to eliminate the hazard points from your home as much as possible. 

​Redesign your kid’s room to have sufficient space for all those toys

​He who hasn't stepped on a Lego knows not of pain. Having a child often means you will find toys in all kinds of unusual places, especially on the floor. Yet, chances are better if they all have their place where they wait for another imaginative game to be part of. They will not spend their days on the floor and risk getting stepped on by you. There are many reasons one should choose to increase storage space when renovating a home. Bear in mind that having a child doubles the number of those reasons. 

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​Renovating and relocating is a good chance to declutter and regroup

​Renovating a newly purchased home is very exciting. But don't pass on the opportunity to declutter your kid's stuff. Children tend to cling to all their beloved toys. When you tell them to give some away, even those they are not using. They might even get upset. Decluttering your kid's stuff will go unnoticed and problem-free if done during the relocation. It might seem like unnecessary additional work, but it is a perfect opportunity you shouldn't miss. Even a local move may turn out to be a lot of work, yet you must make your kids a priority. 

​If you have an attic, turn it into a playroom

​Imagine the smile on your kid's face when you show them a room with the sole purpose of spending time playing in it. With a bit of remodeling, the attic can be that room. If you decide to renovate your home to make it more kid-friendly, and you have an attic, consider turning it into a playroom. Not only will your child be ecstatic, but you will also manage to relocate a large amount of your kid's stuff away from everyday living space. And most importantly, your own living space will be toy-free, and no one will complain.

"An active child that likes to run around is a joy to have, but it is a nightmare to keep safe."

Renovating for a happy child and a happy you

So, to sum everything up, if you want to renovate your new home to make it more kid friendly, you need always to imagine your child running with dirty hands around the home. The design and colors that will last and will not hurt your kid are a top choice for families with kids. Also, don't forget the ton of toys you need to find a place for. With all that in mind, there's a good chance you will have both a tidy home and a happy child!

Author

Bethany Walker is an interior designer and a parent of two. Over the years, she specialized in storage solutions and has worked for beltwaymovers.com, a moving company that offers relocation and storage services. Her advice related to creating the best home solutions has helped many. 

Want to learn more about designing, renovating and building houses?

​Paul Netscher has written 2 easy to read books 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses - Volumes 1 and 2'. An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses Volume 1 deals with Hiring Contractors, Managing Construction and Finishing Your Home.  and Designing your ideal home Volume 2 deals with Finding Your Ideal Property and Designing Your Dream Home. 
​("Great for those that DIY. Very helpful in home renovations!" said a Reader on Amazon.com 5*****)
These books are available from Amazon and other online bookstores in paper and ebook.

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