If you are planning on starting a family and are thinking about decorating your home, here are a few tips to help you out. If you think you have "child proofed" your home, you will learn there is something else to put away or protect your little one as he/she starts moving about. That's what we are finding out ourselves!

Thinking of using drapes or curtains to add colour or design to a room? As your infants learns to crawl, she'll want to pull down on the drapes and this could potentially become a safety hazard. Until it stops being a novelty, it might be worth it to wait to put up your curtains or else you'll be watching your infant like a hawk!

Are you considering new flooring in your home? Maybe you want to get rid of your carpet and put in hardwood or laminate flooring. Not that there's anything wrong with hardwood or laminate flooring, but you may want to keep the carpet for a bit longer. It's easier on a baby's hands and knees when learning to crawl and when she tumbles, it's softer on her and puts you more at ease. Cork is a great option if you plan on changing your flooring in the kitchen and play areas. It has some "spring" to it so it's more flexible than hardwood and laminate.

Do you have big plans for your living room with a nice coffee table and big TV? Does the table have sharp corners? Is it wobbly? We decided not to have a coffee table so that there would be more room for our child to move around. A round glass coffee table looks nice but you will constantly be wiping off little finger prints and you'll be wincing each time your child bangs something hard on the glass. Make sure the side tables you buy are sturdy and will stay in place when a child is learning to stand. Going out to buy a new TV? If you can, mount it on the wall, but if not, just remember, there will be lots of little finger prints on it if it's not high enough. I know what that's like!

Plants make a home look great, but while you have a little one moving around, you might want to move those plants up! I've heard stories of kids eating the dirt from the pots and getting sick. This also pertains to puppies as well, as they like to get into things!

These are just a few points to consider if you are planning on starting a family and decorating your home. If you have any suggestions or comments you'd like to share, we want to hear from you.

We specialize in helping young couples and growing families in buying and selling homes. If you have any questions or would like to contact us, please call 778.834.9929 or email info@holmesteam.ca. Thanks for reading!