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View Full Version : Cheapest place for baby proofing supplies?



MartiesMom2B
12-15-2003, 12:49 AM
Where's the best place that you've found to purchase baby proofing items. BRU? Baby Depot? I'm so confused about this. I wish they had a big combo box full of supplies at a store. They didn't really have a good selection of stuff at Wal-mart either.

Sonia
Proud Mommy to Martie 4/6/03

Momof3Labs
12-15-2003, 10:08 AM
I bought most of mine (the small stuff) at www.babycatalog.com.

It's actually better that you can't buy a combo box, because it would never have enough of the items that you need since everyone has a different number of cabinets, etc.

alaskadiver
12-15-2003, 01:16 PM
Here in Waco Texas I found the following:

First, the same brands and prices are at pretty much all the stores. The main difference is selection.

Babies R Us seems to have the most comprehensive selection of baby proofing supplies.

Home Depot and Lowe's both have a decent selection of baby proofing supplies but between the two, Lowe's seems to have the better selection, at least here in Waco.

Target and Walmart have poor selection.

Oh yes, all of these brick and mortar stores are CHEAPER than the One Step Ahead online store.

If you need a large assortment of things, I would go to either Babies R Us or Lowe's. There doesn't seem to be much difference in price. If you just need the odd thing like plastic receptical plugs, then Walmart will probably have them too.

amp
12-15-2003, 03:22 PM
I didn't post this originally, but wanted to say thanks AlaskaDiver. You're research is helpful and will save me a few trips to price stuff. We have a Lowes and a BRU that we can go right to for help. Thanks!

MartiesMom2B
12-15-2003, 03:26 PM
Thanks, I'm going to check out Lowes and BRU. I was dissapointed in the selection that was offered at my local Home Depot.

Sonia
Proud Mommy to Martie 4/6/03

alaskadiver
12-15-2003, 08:21 PM
A good part of my misspent youth was spent working in construction and carpentry so this sort of handyman stuff comes second nature to me. Especially if I can install stuff with a cordless drill.

Well, so far my daughter is only 8 months but crawling everywhere so my main priority has been the electrical wires and blinds.

First I went through and put the plastic plugs into all the recepticles. Then I realized that was a pain for the plugs that are used frequently and wasn't a real solution for the recepticles that are in use.

So second, I bought a bunch of the covers that snap on over a cord that is already on the recepticle so that it cannot be pulled out. These work good for cords that are permanently plugged in like a TV cord, but they don't work so well for cords that you only plug in sometimes like the vacuum cord.

So third, I took some of the covers off and installed the recepticle covers that rotate so that the plug holes are at an angle when the recepticle is not in use. To use the recepticle you insert the plug part way and then turn it clockwise then push the plug all the way in. These recepticles work great for cords that have a siple plug on the end, but they don't work very well for plugs that have transormer bricks on the end, like the ones on cordless phones or baby monitors. You can't get the plug inserted far enough because the recepticle is further recessed and the plug with the bricks are too fat to fit into the recessed recepticle.

So what to do for the recepticles that take transformer bricks? Tough question. Solution #2 and #3 don't work, so that brings us back to solution #1. Just insert a plastic plug in the recepticle when not in use and keep the kid away from the plug when it is in use. I haven't figured out a good way to protect a plug with a transformer brick when it is in use.

On the venetian blinds, I just installed metal cord ties on the walls next to each blind pull. Then I pulled up all the blinds so that they are out of Catalina's reach and then wound the extra cord onto the tie. It's not just the cords that are unsafe, the blinds themselves are a danger and they are a baby magnet.

I haven't started with the kitchen drawers and cabinet doors yet. The daughter hasn't discovered how to open them yet and probably won't until she starts walking because the knobs are too high. In my last house I had the kind of drawer and door catches that you open part way and slide with your finger to release and open the rest of the way. I'll probably buy a couple of different types and experiment with them to figure out which I like best.

I was going to put pads on the corners of the coffee table and on the edges of the fireplace hearth. But in the end I just put fences around the stereo and fireplace. I took apart a Superyard XT and used the pieces to block access to the stereo stand and the fireplace. The coffee table I took out of the room completely and replaced it with a leather ottoman.

Anyway, I'm sure there are things that I've missed but I think the house is fairly safe at this point.

-Kent-

MartiesMom2B
12-16-2003, 01:30 PM
Kent:

Please let us know what you think of the different drawer pulls. I'm renting right now so I can't decide what will put less damage on the kitchen cabinets - the adhesive kind (hoping that Gum out will work later to remove the pulls) or the tot lock type of devices that I'll have to fill the whole with wood putty or not. I'm going to go check out the plates for the electrical plugs.

We have a gas fireplace and I need to figure out something for that too. The superyard sounds like a good idea.

Sonia
Proud Mommy to Martie 4/6/03

alaskadiver
12-16-2003, 05:48 PM
Sonia:

Since the drawer latches mount on the inside they really don't show. I would go for the screw in kind as they are much more secure. If you pull them out later, I wouldn't bother to even fill in the holes on the indides of the drawer fronts. They won't show. Frankly if it were me, I'd just leave them in for the future renter who might have kids too.

The superyard makes a pretty nice fence but it is unstable if you turn it into a straight fence. Each section needs to be at an angle to the next. So if you want to put it in front of a gas fireplace you would need to make a half-hexagon shape to have it stand up in place. Then it works nicely.

Another consideration is heat. If your fireplace gets hot then you will not want to use a plastic fence too close to it.