How to Pet-Proof Your New Home

A home is a place where every family member should feel safe and happy. Since pets are considered a part of the family, you should take them into account as well when it comes to safety. This means you need to protect them from all things in your home that can harm them and protect the items in your home that your furry friends can destroy. The best way to do this is to pet-proof your new home.

If you’re moving into a new home or just need a simple reminder, sometimes, it is necessary to analyze your home from your pets’ perspective. Once you do that, you’ll see there are many things they can scratch, chew, or even ruin. That’s why pet-proofing every room in your home is practically a must, especially if you’re moving into your new home. So, let’s break it down to every room of your home and see what you can do to make it pet-resilient.

Bathroom & Laundry Room 

Hiding all the toxic chemicals is a must if you live with a pet.

Your bathroom and laundry room are the two places in your home you should keep an eye on. Your pet can find many things that can harm them here. For example, we store medicine and cleaning supplies in our bathrooms and all sorts of detergents in the laundry room. All these chemicals can be highly toxic to our furry friends. In addition, there are a few other things you should take care of if you want to properly pet-proof your new home. So, here is the list of the things you should do:

• Put all your pills in a medicine cabinet and keep it closed at all times
• Keep all cleaning supplies and laundry detergents locked in a cabinet
• Before starting your washing machine and dryer, make sure your pet isn’t snuggled in a load of laundry
• Keep the doors closed when you’re not using these appliances
• Shut the toilet lid – always
• Don’t leave hair accessories on the floor – they can be a choking hazard
• Store the paper roll in the cabinet instead of putting it on the roll
• Spray your bathroom cabinets with bitter spray

The Kitchen

Pets love kitchens not just because you spend a lot of your time there but because of all the smells and food. Unfortunately, the kitchen is not the safest place for your pet. Hot stoves, knives, toxic chemicals, and a bunch of food that’s not good for them are just some of the things that can be highly hazardous to your pet.

Fortunately, since you’re moving with a pet into a new home, you can create a place that’s safe for your furry friend from the very beginning. After you take necessary precautions when it comes to relocation itself, you can ask your moving crew to set up a few things in the kitchen for you so your pet can be safe in the new home as soon as you step into it.

So, let’s take a look at the following list of the precautions you should take in the kitchen to pet-proof your new home like a pro:

• Purchase garbage cans with secure lids and keep them closed at all times
• Store kitchen cleaning supplies in high cabinets and lock them, if possible
• Block access to smaller areas behind the refrigerator or other appliances
• Use covered food containers instead of leaving your food out in the open on your counter
• Store utensils in a locked drawer
• Push breakable china back in countertops where your pet can’t reach it
• To protect your cat from hopping on a hot surface, put up a stove cover
• If your pet gets curious, install childproof locks on all the cabinets

Living Room

The living room is the area where you spend most of your time, so make sure you pet-proof it properly.

Often, living rooms are overcrowded with all sorts of decorations, big and small. Additionally, big bulky furniture is not to play with. Not to mention all the beautiful plants you’re so proud of. Yes, they look gorgeous, but some of them are very toxic to your pet. And if they’re not careful, there is a pretty good chance your pet will ruin it. Unfortunately, this list doesn’t stop here. Therefore, here are other things you should take care of when pet-proofing your new home:

• To prevent scratching, cover the couch with an anti-scratch cloth
• To keep chewers at bay, cover electrical cables and cords
• Cover the vents of your HVAC system
• To avoid injuries, move or obstruct exercise equipment
• Place the remotes and all of your little decorations on a high shelf
• For accidents, lay down pee pads or water-resistant carpets
• To avoid choking dangers, put children’s toys away

Bedroom

Although our bedroom might seem like a cozy paradise for both us and our pets, there are still a few things to keep an eye on. It’s essential to pet-proof your bedroom if you spend a lot of time in it and your furry friends like to be close to you at all times. So, without further ado, let’s see what you should do to create a safe environment for your pet in your bedroom:

• Always keep your closet door closed
• Cover all the cords or charge your gadgets on a higher shelf
• If you have plants in your bedroom, make sure they are not toxic
• Don’t leave cushions, blankets, and clothes on the floor
• Make your bed every morning to keep diggers away
• Tuck the edges of your sheets beneath the mattress to keep chewers away
• Keep all your night creams and lotions on a high shelf
• Keep your windows closed and make sure the screen locks are working properly

Backyard 

Pets, especially dogs, love to play in the yard, so make sure you create a safe environment for them.

If you want to pet-proof your new home like a pro, you’ll have to think about your yard as well. We all know how much our pets enjoy playing outdoor. Therefore, it’s crucial to create a safe space for our furry friends in our backyards. This is what you need to do:

• Prevent access to electrical boxes, HVAC, and other house systems
• When applying weed or pest control treatments, keep pets indoors
• Repair any cracks in the fence to prevent pets from escaping
• Collect pet waste regularly
• Provide food and water for your pet if they love to be outside for a long time
• Lock away lawn and gardening equipment when not in use

How to pet-proof your new home – Final words

When moving into a new home, you have a chance to make it safe for both you and your pet from the very beginning. You’ll have to put yourself in their position and see the world from their perspective for a minute. Only this way will you know what can cause hazards to these precious little creatures. Well, that and this helpful list of things you have to keep in mind if you want to pet-proof your new home like a pro. So, don’t waste any time; start planning this proofing process now!