Pets play a large part in many families. While these furry friends can bring a lot of fun and companionship, keeping pets happy and healthy can take a lot of work as well. One way to keep this under control is to improve the overall pet-friendliness of your home. Much like babyproofing before bringing home a new child helps to prevent accidents and other problems, putting in some time to make your home more pet friendly now will save a lot of headaches and other issues down the line.
There are a few different concerns you should consider when trying to come up with ways to make your home more pet friendly. Think about whether there are any areas of the home that your pet might get hurt or sick if they get into. Do you have a pet that’s likely to chew on things? Stop to consider what those things it chews on are made of. Take an inventory of all the things that you don’t want your pet to damage or break; how many of them can’t be replaced?
A truly pet-friendly home is one that will keep your pet safe in many ways while also protecting important items from your pets. There are a few different ways to go about this, of course, and there is no one right answer when it comes to how you should approach making your home more pet friendly.
The way that you pet proofing will depend in large part on how your home is designed and decorated. Here are a few ideas to serve as starting points for your pet-friendly home revamp.
- Check the interior of your home for peeling paint or similar problems, especially if you have an older home. Some paints contain materials that could be toxic for pets, so removing peeling paint areas and giving everything a fresh coat of pet-safe paint can help to keep your companions safe.
- Secure potentially dangerous areas like stairwells, fireplaces, and crawlspace access points. Replace rusted or loose coverings to make sure that they can’t be pulled back or shaken free by a determined pet. Then install baby gates or other barriers as needed which will allow you to get through but prevent passage by those without opposable thumbs.
- Lock up cleaners and other chemicals where your pets can’t access them. If you have medications in the home, they should be locked up similarly.
- Get a trash can with a sturdy lid, preferably one that can be operated hands free. This will not only keep trash from being spread out in your home but can also keep pets from eating things that they really shouldn’t.
Of course, this is just the start of ways to secure your home and make it safe for your pets. The end goal is to make sure that there are fewer things within reach of your pets that could potentially cause them harm.
Keep in mind that whether you are interested in buying a home or selling a home, a Realtor should represent you– this person is working for your benefit and will help you navigate through the buying or selling process. I have thirteen years in New Home Sales and seventeen years in General Real Estate sales! We have celebrated selling both New and Resale Homes for over thirty years…..
I am here to answer any questions you might have – just email or call me.
Thanks and make it a terrific day…………Robin
