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Property/DIY

Should all tall furniture be tethered to wall when you have a toddler?

21 replies

stella1w · 15/07/2013 04:59

I do this with bookcases but have just bought a cabinet with doors. Should i attach it to the wall and if so, how. I have a 2yo climber

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dyslexicdespot · 15/07/2013 12:55

Yes, everything and anything that might tip over should be attached to the walls.

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peggyundercrackers · 15/07/2013 13:51

ive only done it with a bookcase/storage unit thing as its not that heavy and can be pulled over quite easily however wardrobe is not tethered nor is the drawers in the room - both are way too heavy for a little one to pull over.

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LadyKooKoo · 15/07/2013 14:10

I am sorry to link to something so sad but after reading this story several years ago, I am of the opinion that everything should be tethered to the walls.

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CockyFox · 15/07/2013 14:22

All furniture except the dining room table is secured to the walls or floor in our house. I consider the chance if them being hurt or worse too much of a risk not to.

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LunaticFringe · 15/07/2013 14:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

NotGoodNotBad · 15/07/2013 15:26

Very little of ours is. And then a friend of DD's pulled a heavy chest of drawers over in our house by pulling the drawers out and climbing up them. She was about 6. Hmm

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RobotBananas · 15/07/2013 15:34

Yes, chests of drawers too as they can pull out the drawers and the whole thing can fall on them. You can get plastic brackets that you attach to the back of the furniture and the wall, then a sort of cable tie thing that attaches then together. Ikea do them, and B&Q (and prob most DIY shops and amazon)

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RobotBananas · 15/07/2013 15:38

With bigger furniture we use two of the clips just to be extra safe.

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dueanamechange · 15/07/2013 16:06

Look at the size of this dresser that killed a little girl...
lovelightlaughterandchocolate.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/be-with-me-just-for-today.html

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GladbagsGold · 15/07/2013 16:11

Yes.

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MrsMangoBiscuit · 15/07/2013 16:21

When I was young, maybe 5, I almost pulled my wardrobe over onto me. I can still remember it vividly. I was trying to reach a toy at the top. It wasn't even a big wardrobe, just a childs one. When it started tipping over, I managed to catch it by the shelf and scream while all the boxes and toys at the top slid off and crashed onto me. My mum came rushing in and saved me. My parents changed it for fitted wardrobes straight away.

The only 2 pieces of furniture that aren't attached here are pinned in by alcove walls, so they can't tip more than a few degrees, and my flimsy computer desk.

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IcingTheCake · 15/07/2013 16:24

When I was about 7 i pulled a full size triple adults wardrobe down onto me, it bruised my legs which got caught under the side but luckily i was unharmed, unfortunately it hit my cousin on the face and broke her jaw, thinking back, it could've been so much worse Sad

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Betty5313 · 15/07/2013 17:22

I had,never considered the possibility. Eek. have just ordered enough straps to do all our furniture. thank you for posting this.

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SunnyUpNorth · 15/07/2013 17:36

God how scary, this has never occurred to me either, nothing in our house is secured. I shall have to review that.

Thanks for raising awareness.

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Pidgy · 15/07/2013 18:02

I've not heard of this but will do it now!
Thanks.

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CointreauVersial · 15/07/2013 18:27

Ladykookoo, my mum knows the grandmother of those twins. Sad It still makes me feel sick to think about it.

Definitely secure tall furniture.

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DoodleAlley · 15/07/2013 19:30

Not done this and thought we were past the risky stage now DS in 4.5 but reading about that six year old and how small the drawers are is making me think again.

Will at least be doing stuff in his room and some things downstairs too.

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RobotBananas · 15/07/2013 20:31

Everybody abound tether flat screen TVs as well, lots of horrible accidents every year caused by screens toppling down on little ones.

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RobotBananas · 15/07/2013 20:38

Argh, random words at the start of that that make no sense! You get the idea :)

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stella1w · 15/07/2013 21:06

.Thanks all. Having read the thread reminded me a son of a friend of a friend was killed by tipping drawers. So i will now get devices for everything.

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