We rent a two-bedroom duplex in East Oakland, and our security deposit was a little over $2,600. That's a lot of money to me. It's also a number I thought about every single time I looked at a baby gate that said "hardware mounting required."
Now that Theo and June are two and climbing everything, childproofing isn't optional. So here's how we've done it over the last year without (hopefully) losing a cent of our deposit.
Step one: talk to your landlord first
This sounds obvious, but I almost skipped it because I didn't want to bother him. Our landlord is a retired guy who owns a few units and generally just wants things to not break. I sent him a short email explaining that we had twin toddlers, that I needed to anchor a couple of pieces of furniture to the wall, and asked whether he was okay with small screw holes that we'd patch when we move out.
His reply, in full: "Of course. Safety first. Just patch it when you leave."
I saved that email in a folder called "Deposit." Get anything like this in writing. If your landlord says no, you'll know where you stand and can look at other options, but in my experience most landlords would much rather have a few patched holes than a tipped-over dresser.
Furniture anchors: the one thing I wouldn't skip
Tip-overs are the thing that genuinely scares me. June once tried to climb a bookshelf using the drawers as steps, and I aged about five years. We anchored the dresser, both bookshelves and the TV stand. Each anchor kit cost around $10, and it took Dan about an hour on a Saturday. He found the studs, used the anchor straps, and we'll fill each small hole with spackle and a dab of paint when we leave.
For renters, small screw holes are often considered normal wear and tear, especially if you patch them well. But check your lease and ask.
Baby gates without drilling
We don't have stairs, thankfully, so we use gates to keep the twins out of the kitchen and to close off the hallway at night. Pressure-mounted gates work well for that, and they don't damage walls if you do it right.
A few things we learned:
- Put a small piece of felt or a rubber cup between the gate and the wall so it doesn't leave marks or dents.
- Pressure gates are not recommended for the top of stairs. For that, you really do need a hardware-mounted gate, which is another reason to talk to your landlord.
- Check the tension every few weeks. Toddlers love to shake gates like tiny prisoners.
Cabinets and drawers
We tried the kind of latch that screws inside the cabinet door first, in our old apartment. It left holes and I spent an evening filling them. This time we went with adhesive magnetic locks and strap-style locks that stick to the outside. They cost more, around $25 for a pack, but they come off with dental floss and a hair dryer (a trick from a fellow renter mom). The kitchen cabinets under the sink, where all the cleaners live, got the magnetic ones.
Honestly, we also just moved stuff. All the cleaning products now live on a high shelf in the laundry closet. It's free and it works.
The rest of our list
- Outlet covers. The cheap plug-in kind, about $5 for a pack. No damage.
- Window blind cords. Our blinds came with long looped cords. We asked the landlord, and he actually replaced them with cordless blinds in the kids' room. Couldn't hurt to ask.
- Window stops. Removable ones that limit how far the windows open. Ours clamp on without screws.
- Corner guards. The adhesive kind on the coffee table. They leave a little residue, but it comes off.
- Door knob covers. For the bathroom and the front door. The twins can't open them. Sometimes Dan can't either.
- Anti-scald. We asked our landlord to check the water heater temperature. He turned it down a notch.
What we spent
All in, about $180 over the year. Not bad, considering the deposit we're protecting and, more importantly, the two small people.
Keep a move-out kit
I have a small box in the closet with spackle, a putty knife, a tiny can of touch-up paint (the landlord told us the paint color), sandpaper and adhesive remover. When we move, and I'm hoping that's not for a while, the plan is to spend one afternoon undoing everything. I also took photos of every room when we moved in, which I highly recommend if you haven't done it already. I mentioned this in my renters insurance post, but it bears repeating: photos with dates are your best friend.
Childproofing a rental isn't about perfection. It's about the things that matter most (furniture, cleaners, windows) and being honest with your landlord. The rest can come off with a hair dryer.
