kitchen cabinet questions

[Meatball Mommie]

Although my DS is nowhere near this stage yet, I was curious as to what everyone does about their kitchen cabinets. Do you put door "locks" on all doors/drawers or just ones where there is hazardous stuff (chemicals) or dangerous stuff (knives)? MY DH thinks it is totally overboard to put them on all doors/drawers, but I really don't want DS to get into everything.

Also, we are building a new house with (obviously) new kitchen cabinets. These are custom cabinets and I really am hesitant to do anything that would ruin them, but at the same time I am concerned with safety. The door/drawer locks seem like they either use an adhesive or screws. What are your opinions on whether they damage the cabinets? My SIL (who is expecting) and my MIL (who babysits and lives just down the road from me) will also need to do this kind of babyproofing and both have new kitchens as well so all 3 of us were wondering about this.

Finally, what are your opinions about appliance "locks". My oven and warming drawer have no way to lock (again MIL and SIL have the same problem); is this something to be concerned about? I can't gate off the kitchen since the floorplan is open so that isn't an option.

Any info would be appreciated! Thanks!

[egoldber]

When DD became mobile, I reorganized all of my kitchen cabinets. I have half cabinets that she is allowed in and half cabinets that she is not. I don't let her in the cabinets with: heavy cookware that could hurt her, expensive things that would break my heart if they were damaged, glass dishes and Corning ware, small appliances, chemicals of all sorts.

The rest is fair game for her: Rubbermaid, Tupperware, aluminum pans, bowls of all sorts, etc. She will spend ages emptying "her" cabinets. Do the things get dirty (yes), is it annoying (sometimes), but it is also cheap entertainment (priceless).

I am fortunate to not need appliance locks. I have a double wall oven and my solution is that I just never use the bottom oven. She can't reach the upper oven, so I just only use the upper oven. Just FYI, my DD can definitely open the lower oven door and has on occasion. But if you expect to bake when your child is awake, then you will have to find a lock or NEVER leave the oven unattended.

We have the Totloks in our kitchen and I think they are the best locks. They are invisible from the outside and really work.

HTH,

[August Mom]

I have a similar setup as Beth. DS is allowed in most of the cabinets. And, yes, it is annoying sometimes to have 50 pieces of Tupperware all over the kitchen, but he loves emptying his cabinets and drawers. I have latches on the cabinets with adjoining doors (the ones that go on the outside around/through the handles or knobs). I also didn't want to drill into my new cabinets. One problem with this solution, though, the latches have rubbed the outside of the cabinet doors and have taken the finish off the front of the doors in a few spots. I haven't had an issue with any appliances, so I can't really help on that front.

[etwahl]

Beth, do you do your top cabinets? Also, we have our knives in a block currently sitting on the counter. Do all the appliances and knives need to be removed from atop the counter?

Where do you buy your totloks?

Tammy,
Mom to Lauren Genevieve
03/12/2003
www.evantammy.com

[egoldber]

We were very fortunate that the previous homeowner had alread installed Totloks on all the lower cabinets. We have bought more and I have seen them at Zany Brainy/Right Start and also BRU and TRU.

I have all my stuff (knives and appliances) still on the counter, but everything is pushed back so that she can't reach a hand up and grab something.

HTH,