7 Ways To Baby Proof Drawers Without Drilling

If you have a baby who is starting to be mobile or a toddler who is into absolutely everything, you know it’s time to baby proof those drawers and cabinets! It’s a good idea to baby proof and keep dangerous things out of their way. But how do you baby proof drawers without drilling? In this post we’ll cover a few foolproof methods that keep your baby safe.

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7 Ways to Baby Proof Drawers Without Drilling

1. Magnetic Locks

One way to baby proof drawers without drilling is to use adhesive magnetic locks. We found these particularly useful in places like the kitchen and the bathroom but also had them on drawers in my son’s room as well.

You can purchase sets of magnetic locks that adhere to the inside of your cabinet and drawers with an adhesive sticker. Then you use a magnetic key on the outside (we store ours on the fridge) to unlock the magnetic closure. It’s a simple easy fix that places nothing on the outside of the cabinet door so your outer cabinets and drawers still look nice as well. it’s nice that the main components are inside of the cabinet for aesthetic and safety purposes.

The main thing to keep in mind with this one is that the magnet definitely needs to stay out of your child’s reach as magnets are extremely dangerous if swallowed. Also as they get older they may learn how to use the magnets to unlock the doors and drawers so keep that in mind as well.

For drawers specifically, these are my top pick. It’s the best way in my opinion to baby proof drawers. We use ones from the safety 1st brand.

Here are some options you can purchase on Amazon:

2. Adhesive Locks

This is another method we personally use in our home. These adhesive locks connect on the outside of your drawers and cabinets. They require a good amount of finger strength to unlock so your baby won’t be able to just open them and get into locked cabinets and drawers.

Each side has adhesive pads made of high-quality materials that adheres them to the inside of cabinet or drawer.

We use these on several cabinets in our home, like the one our trash can is in. We do this because we need to be able to access the trash can easily. We use the magnetic locks mentioned above for cabinets we do not need to get into all that often because it’s more of a hassle to get the magnet from the fridge and open the lock.

Here are some adhesive lock options you can purchase on Amazon:

3. Cord Cabinet Locks

If you’re looking for another low profile way to baby proof your drawers and cabinets, you can use cord locks. These are nice because they involve no drilling or adhesive. They do work best on things like cabinet doors though, instead of drawers. But they can be something worth looking into if your drawer knobs are close together. They are used by linked the cabinet handles together.

While these are handy, I would also consider potential safety concerns with dangling cords. You want to be very mindful of cords because they can be a choking hazard (like with window blinds) if they get wrapped around the baby’s neck.

Here are some cord cabinet locks available on Amazon:

4. U-Shaped Locks

This is another very low profile method that many parents find useful. They are also called slide locks. These require no tools or special equipment to install. They work by latching around two cabinet knobs that prevent doors and drawers from being opened. They work on all kinds of handles from round knobs to long ones.

What’s to like about these is that they are easy to be opened with one hand by an adult. You can still easily get in and out of your cabinets throughout the day if you are using these. The locking mechanism makes childproof cabinets easy! And the best part is that you don’t need to drill or use adhesive tape at all.

I don’t think they would work that well on drawers because they need two handles to be wrapped around. And if you attach one drawer to another, once one drawer is open the other can open too. You need to attach a closed drawer to something that doesn’t move, like the cabinet.

Here are some U-Shaped Lock picks from Amazon:

5. Spring Locks

This is a great option for drawers. You can attach one piece to the drawer and the other to the cabinet using an adhesive – no drilling required! They allow you to pull the drawer out slightly and then push down on the lock to open the drawer.

I think a savvy toddler could likely figure out how to use these but the other major concern for me would be kids shutting their little fingers in the drawer since they are able to pull it open slightly.

If you weren’t going to pick magnetic locks or adhesive locks, though, I think this is probably the third best option. I like that nothing appears on the outside of the drawer and cabinet so you can still maintain a clean look in your home without baby-proofing devices everywhere.

Here are some spring lock options from Amazon:

6. Flexilocks

These are a newer and innovative style for a child proof lock. They are good to use with mushroom, D-shaped handles and drawer pulls. The flexible strap is probably one of the best options to baby proof cabinets. I would consider using these if you have older children for peace of mind.

They have multi-touch release system which needs an adult to open them because of the process involved. Because of this, they’re great at keeping kids and toddlers out of drawers and cabinets.

They don’t have the best appearance and are quite bulky-looking in my opinion but I do think they are an option worth considering!

Here are some Flexilock options from Amazon:

7. DIY Options

I’ve known some people to do DIY baby proofing methods like using a rubber band, hair tie, tension rod, rulers, and tape to keep their kids out. You could also use string, ribbon, or a nail if you think that will be a strong enough deterrent.

You could also use things like zip ties (there are releasable options) or pipe cleaners to keep kids out. However, young children are attracted to these kinds of items so in reality it might be best to stick to stronger options like previously mentioned.

Why do you need to baby proof?

During the baby and toddler years, it’s incredibly important to child proof your home. This is the time when they’re starting to explore their surroundings and can easily get into things that could be harmful.

Baby proofing also prevents tiny fingers from getting squished in drawers and doors until they are more adept at opening them. It also protects things you don’t want to get broken, like glass bowls for example. It is all around for safety reasons and is something all parents and caregivers should consider doing.

A good rule of thumb is that if there’s something in your home that a baby or toddler could potentially get into and hurt themselves with, it’s best to child proof it. This includes things like outlets, medications, poisonous cleaning supplies, toilet seats, and any sharp objects.

You can use baby gates to keep your children in safe rooms as well.

How Many Locks Will I Need?

This really depends on your home and how many cabinets, drawers, windows, etc. you want to baby proof.

You will need at least one lock for every two doors and one for every drawer.

You may not need as many locks if you have a smaller home or fewer rooms. You can always start with the most important areas and add more as needed.

Poison Control

If you every have to call Poison Control, you will want their number handy. The number for Poison Control is (800) 222-1222 and the line is available 24/7.

When my son was younger, my doctor advised us to head to the hospital if we ever thought our son ingested something dangerous and to call poison control on the way. That way you are already in the car and moving in case you’ll need medical intervention and aren’t wasting time waiting on Poison Control

It’s always best to err on the side of caution and head to the hospital when it comes to your child’s safety. It’s always better to be safe than sorry!

What Other Baby Proofing Items Do I Need?

If you are baby proofing your home, consider outlet covers and a baby gate. Get down on your baby’s level and see what pops out at you as a potential hazard. A little bit of prep goes a long way when it comes to safety!

Create a “Yes” Space

While we have many drawers and cabinets in our home that are off-limits to our children, they also have their own drawers and cabinets which we have designated to them as their own “yes” spaces.

“Yes” as in “yes you are free to explore and play here!” Having these spaces is critical for them to be more independent and feel like they are truly part of your home.

In Summary: How To Baby Proof Drawers Without Drilling

Whether you are baby proofing dresser drawers or kitchen cabinets, there is potential danger everywhere when it comes to our kids.

There are several ways that you can baby proof your drawers and cabinets without having to drill any holes. These include:

• Magnetic Locks
• Adhesive Locks
• U-Shaped Locks
• Spring Locks
• Flexilocks

By taking some time to child proof your home, you can rest assured knowing that your little ones are safe and sound.

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