My kid still managed to sneak in for like two seconds and came out looking like a little ghost.
That visual cracked me up. I swear, kids have some kind of sixth sense for finding the one spot you don’t want them in. I tried barricading with chairs and laundry baskets once—looked like a weird obstacle course, but my daughter just climbed right over. Honestly, scheduling demo when they’re not home is the only thing that’s actually worked for me too. Have you ever tried those magnetic child locks? I thought about it, but then realized my kid would probably just figure them out faster than I could.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve actually had decent luck with those magnetic locks—at least for a while. My son’s pretty determined, but the locks slowed him down enough that I could catch him before he got into trouble. Scheduling demo when the kids are out is ideal, but sometimes it’s just not possible. I also tried putting up temporary plywood barriers, screwed into the studs—takes a bit more effort, but it’s a lot harder for little ones to get past than chairs or baskets. Not exactly pretty, but it works in a pinch.
I also tried putting up temporary plywood barriers, screwed into the studs—takes a bit more effort, but it’s a lot harder for little ones to get past than chairs or baskets. Not exactly pretty, but it works in a pinch.
Plywood barriers are a classic move—ugly as sin, but hey, function over form when you’re trying to keep tiny humans from eating drywall dust, right? I’ve done the same, though I once used an old hollow-core door because it was what I had on hand. Not my proudest design moment, but it did the trick.
I hear you on the magnetic locks. They’re decent until your kid figures out the “magic key” and then suddenly you’re the one locked out of your own cabinets. Ever try those sliding bolt locks up high? Not exactly childproof, but unless your kid’s part monkey, they usually can’t reach.
Honestly, I’ve started treating demo days like a covert op—one parent on “kid patrol,” the other swinging the hammer. Not always possible, but it’s saved us from a few ER trips. Anyone else ever just stack up boxes of tile or flooring as a barricade? Not OSHA-approved, but desperate times...
I’ve definitely done the “wall of boxes” trick, and yeah, it’s not exactly what the safety inspector would recommend. But when you’re living in an old house mid-reno, you work with what you’ve got. I actually tried a baby gate once—let’s just say it lasted about ten minutes before my kid figured out how to climb it. Anyone else ever consider just hanging some heavy canvas or drop cloths as a barrier? Not sure if it’d slow them down, but at least it wouldn’t look quite so apocalyptic.