Moving Tips
Moving into a new home can be thrilling and challenging, especially if you have a curious canine companion. Pets have a knack for exploring every nook and cranny, making it essential to pet-proof your new abode. Amidst the excitement of the move and dealing with the affairs of moving companies in Frederick Maryland, taking time to protect your furry friend might seem like an added burden.
However, fret not, as we have got you covered with simple yet effective strategies to keep your pets safe and your home intact. From prioritizing hazard-prone areas to safeguarding them from packing supplies, we’ll guide you through pet-proofing your new home.
Why Should You Pet Proof in The First Place?
Pet-proofing is crucial to keep your furry friends safe and sound in your homes. By modifying your living spaces minorly, you can prevent them from accessing harmful substances and dangerous areas. Even seemingly harmless items can pose risks, like loose wires, adhesive materials, household medications, etc. [1]. Therefore, tailoring your pet-proofing efforts to each pet’s behavior is vital.
For instance, kittens may climb while teething puppies chew on everything. Understanding these traits helps create a pet-friendly environment. A pet-proofed home provides peace of mind, letting your beloved furry companions explore, play, and adjust to their new home without unnecessary risks.
A Walk-Through to Pet-Proofing Your New Home
Countless moving companies in Frederick Maryland, offer pet relocation services. However, the story doesn’t end there. Since new places intrigue pets to nose around, ensuring that nothing hazardous lies about their access is vital. Here is a comprehensive room-by-room guide to help you pet-proof your home effectively.
1. Living Room
Living rooms are the most crowded place when you relocate. So naturally, more safeguarding is necessary. A good approach is to keep the packed boxes in a store or less used room to save some effort.
Secure Loose Wires: Switches are pretty attractive for pets, and they often chew on wires. So, use cord covers or tape away any exposed electric outlet.
Protect Furniture: Furniture items always have sharp edges or easily scratchable surfaces. You can cover furniture with pet-friendly materials to prevent damage and potentially ingesting harmful materials.
Stabilize Decorations: Shiny decorations make good attractions for many curious canines. Hence, support and anchor tall decor or low-hanging items to avoid accidental tipping, leading to pet injury.
2. Kitchen
The kitchen is one of the top places to secure as your pet can easily follow the delicious smell of a freshly cooked lunch. Hence, it is necessary to keep these items out of their reach.
Store Hazardous Items: Be mindful to Keep cleaning agents, chemicals, and sharp objects in locked cabinets, away from your pet’s reach. Ensure the connection pipes are inaccessible to your pets and children for gas operating appliances.
Trash Can Safety: Trash bags serve ideally but can’t hold up against sharp claws. Use trash cans with secure lids or store them in cabinets to prevent your pet from scavenging harmful items.
Pet-Friendly Counter Arrangements: Most pets can jump up to kitchen counters easily. So, ensure curiosity-triggering or shiny/sharp items aren’t lying there [2].
3. Bedroom
Most homeowners think bedrooms are the safest areas and don’t require pet-proofing. However, it is not so. And you’ll agree with this fact when your pet finds an interesting object to chew on after you have relocated with moving companies in Frederick Maryland.
Secure Small Items: Dresser tables are the blackholes of curiosity for pets, and they will most try to reach things like jewelry, hair ties, or toys.
Fix exposed wires: TVs and other electronics are installed in bedrooms due to space constraints. So if your new apartment or house has a bedroom with such arrangements, tape and cover all exposed wires.
Be mindful of house plants: Successfully relocating your plants to your new bedroom feels like an ultimate win. However, it is critical to ensure that they are pet-friendly. Common pet-safe plants include African Violets and Orchids [3]. If you have any other, cross-check them before setting your furry one free.
4. Bathroom
Bathrooms are your second most critical region to secure after kitchens. However, you might not have adequate time to secure everything when Frederick Movers professionals are in your home. So the last-minute hack is to shut the bathroom doors and advise other family members to do the same. Later on, secure the following.
Toilet Lid Locks: Pets are naturally curious and may be attracted to the water in the toilet. Use toilet lid locks to prevent them from drinking harmful chemicals or falling into the toilet.
Store Bathroom Accessories Safely: Small bottles filled with colored liquid are super-attractive for your furry companion. So, keep all medications, cleaning, and personal care products in secure cabinets to avoid accidental ingestion.
Secure Trash Cans: Dispose of used bathroom products, such as dental floss, cotton swabs, and other small items, in a trash can with a secure lid to prevent your pet from rummaging through and ingesting harmful materials.
5. Outdoor Spaces
If your pet sees a wide green lawn spreading before the window, they’ll start looking at you with big soulful eyes, and eventually, you’ll have to let them take a run or two. However, before that, ensure:
Secure Fencing: Most neighborhoods in Frederick have strong-fenced lawns, so there are fewer chances of escape. But during the initial days of relocation, you might have an unorganized lawn which can harm the little ones. Temporary fences are a great solution here. You can quickly put them in place when your pets want to enjoy an open sky.
Clean Driveways: In snowy weather, you’ll need antifreeze sprays to keep the driveway from freezing. Since these chemicals harm animals, clean them if you let your pet out.
Check Your Car: Sometimes cats can hide in the engine compartment for warmth. So bang on your car’s hood to scurry them away. [4]
The Bottom Line
Relocating pets is the most critical step for all pet owners, especially if they have furry buddies. Although, the pet relocation services of moving companies in Frederick Maryland, take away the transportation worries. But pet-proofing remains hanging on the red-alert to-do list.
This compilation will help you secure the places pets usually poke around in. However, to effectively pet-proof your new home, it is vital to consider your pet’s unique needs and behavior.
FAQs
- Should you let your pet out after moving to Frederick, Maryland?
The initial days of the relocation are all about unpacking and organizing the new home. So you should keep your pet indoors as you may forget to let them in. Also, it is unwise to let them roam unsupervised as they may get lost.
- How to stop my cat from clawing at the sofa or any other cushioned thing?
Consider providing your cat with a scratching post or mat, and use deterrent sprays or double-sided tape on the furniture to discourage clawing.
- How to pet-proof an apartment after moving to Frederick, MD?
Secure chemicals, electric cords, and other hazardous stuff like toys, jewelry, etc. However, if your apartment is not on the ground level, be mindful to keep the windows closed all the time.
- How to pet-proof your garden if the new neighbors pay an unannounced visit?
The best way is to hang a caution sign and use temporary fences to pet-proof your lawn. You can also place a bell for the callers to ring so you can know about their arrival and make arrangements accordingly.
References:
[3] https://www.thespruce.com/safe-houseplants-for-pets-4588752
[4] https://www.assureshift.in/blog/pet-proofing-guide
