Step Six

Step 6: Child-Proof the Garage
Heavy tools, electric devices, and inflammable materials add up to one thing: children should be kept out of the garage.

Still, to be safe:

• Keep any dangerous items stashed inside a wire mesh pen. Depending on the amount of stuff you have, you can make this pen with a 10- to 15-foot section of wire mesh. Take the sharp edges and pull them into a cylinder shape to help you assess how large an area you need. Then staple (use a staplegun) those sharp edges to two three-foot sections of one by two inch wood. Staple each edge onto its own piece. Make sure to bend back any sharp edges that are exposed. To lock up the pen, screw two screw-eyes on the side edge of each wood piece-one towards the top, one towards the bottom. Place the screws close enough to the edge so that a padlock can be passed through the two screw-eyes. Lock it up and the tots are safe!
• Store garage door openers and buttons out of reach.

  Locking all car doors that are inside the garage is a good idea, too. Parking brakes, light and windshield wipers switches are problems waiting to happen.

• Test your automated garage door. Most recent models reverse direction when they come in contact with another object. Check that yours does also: place a cardboard box in the way of the door as it closes. If it crushes that, it can do the same to a child.
• A storage freezer or a cabinet can look like a playpen to a child. Be certain to lock these doors and hide the keys.

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