Top tips for a happy, accident-free move

Housebuilders Barratt Homes and David Wil son Homes are offering - homebuyers its five top tips for moving home safely with young children.

Jason Hearn, Sales Director at David Wilson Homes East Midlands, said: “It’s commonly known that the most frequently-occurring accidents happen in the home, and the last thing we want is for them to happen part-way through your move.

“We’ve decided to put together the following top tips to help you and your children have a safer, accident-free move.”

If you have a child aged under two, it is recommended that you install safety gates on the stairs as soon as you can, even before the child enters the house.

This sounds drastic, but they will be very excited and keen to explore and you may be busy with the move and easily distracted from supervising them as closely as you would normally. One thing worth considering is asking a grandparent or family friend to mind your child while you move in all of your essentials.

Next, keep windows and doors secure - while moving; doors and windows are often open as people come in and out the house with boxes. While you’re busy sorting out the new house, ensure your child can’t run or climb out while you’re pre-occupied with unboxing. Keep furniture at a safe distance.

We all know toddlers love to climb, so when it comes to moving day, although you may not have decided where you want your furniture to be positioned, they recommend you keep it away from windows until you are sure.

Once you do settle on a final position, it is advisable to secure furniture in place, particularly if it’s a heavy cabinet or table. Gardens are a great place for children to play, but it’s a good idea to have a walk around your new garden to check whether your children might be able to find their way into neighbouring gardens or out on to the street, and secure the area if necessary.

As babies and young children can drown in as little as 5cm of water, if your garden has a pond or water butt, it is recommended that you install appropriate safety measures as soon as possible.

If you’ve moved to a new area or even just a new street, it is likely that the roads, as well as the volume and speed of traffic, will be unfamiliar.

Practise the new school run if you can, even with older children to help them get used to the area. Jason concluded: “It’s likely to be stressful, but a few checks will make sure your move is a happy one.”