How to Childproof Your Home Office

If you work from home or you just have a home office to get extra work done at home, you may find that your child always seems to like that room the best. It's not always easy to childproof a home office as children can get into many things. Here are some ways that you can childproof your home office to ensure the safety of your child and the sanity of your mind

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Home office

1. Place all small office supplies, such as paperclips, staples, and rubberbands in small containers. Then place those containers in high places where your child can't reach them. Anything that may be a choking hazard should be stored out of reach of your child.

2. If your home office is located in an extra room that is not needed at all times, then make sure to close and even lock the door to the home office. This will help ensure that your child does not get into the home office and cause a mess and cause danger to themselves.

3. Organize all paperwork into your cabinets or drawers. Lock those cabinets or drawers when you are not using them. This way your child can't get into the papers and ruin them and it also helps you to stay organized in your home office.

4. Back up all your files on an external drive or at least on a CD. Make sure that when you are working on a document that you periodically save the document just in case your little one decided to turn off your computer or press some buttons.

5. Store away anything that may be poisonous to your child such as printer cartdridges and glue in an area that can't be reached. You may also want to lock these items away as another safety precaution.

6. Make sure that any unused outlets in the home office has childproof safety devices in them so that your child can't stick items in the outlets. Not only can they electricute themselves, but they can also do damage to your office hardware.

7. If you work from home and you need to entertain your child for some of the day, consider buying a small desk for your child to put in your home office. Supply them with some small toys or crayons and paper so that they can play office in their own little space in your home office.

Tips & Warnings

• Any steps that you take in the rest of your house to childproof it, should also be taken in your home office. This may include the above steps or even special things that are individual to your own child.

[jamilanette]

on 11/18/2008 This is great information! The office is one of the toughest rooms to babyproof.