There is no amount of time or effort I wouldn’t give to protect my child, especially from life-threatening situations. Although anchoring furniture definitely qualifies as a pretty significant time and energy investment, I know I will never regret knowing my child is safe from the tragedy of a tip over.

Here is a guide to help you learn more about furniture safety and how to protect your children from the dangers of tip-overs.

1. ANCHOR, ANCHOR, ANCHOR!

Don’t skip this step for any piece of furniture you assemble, buy, or even for existing furniture in your home. Use earthquake anchoring products or tethers, 2 on each piece of furniture, to make sure that it’s strapped against the wall and that no pull or downward force will tip it over.

2. NO PIECE OF FURNITURE IT TOO HEAVY TO ANCHOR

Don’t convince yourself that a heavy piece of furniture can’t tip over and doesn’t need to be anchored. When the drawers are out or someone is climbing on them and changes the center of gravity, you don’t want to see the devastating consequences of underestimating the effect.

3. ANCHOR STACKING FURNITURE TO EACH OTHER, THEN TO THE WALL

If you have a stacking bookcase, hutch, cabinet, or other type of furniture that has stacked pieces, use straps or anchoring hardware to each other, and then anchor the top piece to the wall.

4. DON’T SKIP FURNITURE YOU THINK IS OUT OF REACH

Tip-overs occur in the blink of an eye, usually when our eyes are focused elsewhere, so it’s normally the places we think we need them the least that we really need anchors. Your own bedroom furniture, office furniture, etc. are all prime suspects for tip-overs.

5. ONLY ANCHOR FURNITURE INTO STUDS

Drywall will not reliably hold up, even with the use of anchors. Find the studs and secure your furniture there. Make sure you attach the anchors to a solid wood piece on the furniture itself. Remember, even short dressers can fall onto a child and cause serious injury. 

You can never be too safe or cautious when it comes to protecting your children from the dangers of heavy furniture. Decide today to set time aside to secure all of your furniture, and breathe a little easier knowing your baby is growing and exploring in safety.