how to babyproof a beach house??

[Anonymous]

We're going to the Outer Banks next week and am wondering how you have handled babyproofing vacation homes? I have a very active, curious 2 year old and we have gates at the tops and bottoms of our stairs in our home. We are planning on renting baby gates but not sure how that will work since the gates are just pressure mounted, whereas we use gates that open at home (and I'm short so not sure i can climb over the gates). I'd appreciate hearing from others how they've handled stairs at rental homes.
thank you!!!

[Anonymous]

We take a gate or two with us and a few of the "baby locks" that go around handles of door cabinets for under sinks and dangerous cabinets. Other than that we, um, keep an eye on our children.

[Anonymous]

And also bring masking tape if they are still into sticking things in sockets. We always put the tape over sockets and it works like a champ.

[Anonymous]

Rubber bands for putting over the cabinet knobs to prevent them from opening them. Duct tape for taping cabinet doors. Works at my parents beach house!

[Anonymous]

We co-opt a lot of furniture when visiting strange houses. Two bar stools laid across the steps or the opening to the kitchen make a barrier that's effective enough to slow a curious kid, and noisy enough that an adult will hear them being moved. End tables can block bathrooms or laundry rooms, etc. All cleaning products are removed from below the sinks and accessible pantries and put up out of reach. If you're staying with friends/relatives, remind them to keep razors and Tylenol bottles out of reach. (The edge of the bathtub, for example, is not out of reach.)

Bring outlet plugs and maybe a couple doorknob covers, then just watch where your son/daughter goes. Chances are there will be enough fascinating new things in the house's green zone that s/he will forget about the forbidden areas, at least for ten whole minutes at a time.

[Anonymous]

If it's a rental, you may want to ask the person/company you are renting from if they can provide any babyproofing materials. My father in law has a beach house rental and is very responsive to special requests since he knows others will take advantage of similar equipment in the future.