Home Safety Tips for the Holidays – Outdoors

Checklist for Making a House & Yard Safe for Holiday Guests

Nov 19, 2009 Mary King

Entertain the safe way during the holidays by first performing a safety check outdoors. Make repairs, lock up tools, and add light to dark walkways to prevent falls.

Make sure family members and holiday guests stay safe when they arrive for the annual Christmas party or extended visit. Conduct an inspection of the exterior home and property, and fix any problems that might cause injury to visitors. Consider the mobility problems of elderly persons when scouring the yard and walkways for repairs. Remember the curiosity of children when storing tools and yard maintenance items.

Make Home Property Safe for Holiday Visitors

Plan an outdoor property inspection before the holiday visitors arrive. What should homeowners do to make outdoor property safe for family members and anyone else staying for an extended visit? Here is a checklist for holiday home improvements for the outdoors.

Remove dangerous and/or poisonous plants. Lock up potted varieties so children can't get to them. For plants in the ground, barricade the area and warn parents of the danger.
Lock up mowers, yard tools and power tools. A wheelbarrow is fun to play with for children, but it can also be dangerous. Keep outdoor equipment safely locked away.
Safely store automotive items. Antifreeze, motor oil and other automotive fluids are dangerous to children and pets, so lock items in a cabinet or storage shed.
Lock up fertilizers, pesticides, rodent killers and other dangerous chemicals that may look attractive to curious kids.
Safely stack fireplace wood piles so the logs won't fall.

Inspect the Home Exterior and Yard for the Holidays

It's not just icy walkways and steps that cause serious falls and injuries during the cold winter months. There are plenty of other home hazards that can cause accidents indoors and outside. Be sure to make a thorough check of places outside the home that could cause holiday visitors to get hurt.

In the yard:

Repair a broken fence or entry gate if it might pose a hazard to guests.
Replace loose stones in walkways. Make sure stepping stones are level.
Add solar lights to walkways so guests can see where they're stepping.
Chop away tree roots in the yard where guests may accidentally stumble. If removing the root(s) is not an option, then block off the area so no one gets hurt.
Fill in holes or depressions in the yard where guests are apt to walk.
Remove small yard ornaments that cannot easily be seen at night.
Roll up the garden hose and store safely so no one trips over it.
Clean the yard of rocks, tree limbs, and debris that might cause falls.
Place small potted plants where no one will step back and fall over them.
Make certain that holiday decorations and cords do not block walkways.

The home exterior, patios, decks, and porches:

Repair loose boards or broken steps and banisters at the front door entry.
Check porch and deck railings, and flooring. Loose boards and gaps between planks could pose a problem for ladies wearing high heels. Sand wood that could cause splinters. Repair nails/screws that have worked out of the wood.
Make sure the porch light, flood lights, or other exterior lighting works.
Make sure barbecue tools and equipment, propane gas, and other outdoor cooking items are stored safely – locked away where children can't get to them.
When using an outdoor fryer, smoker, pit fire, or fireplace, make absolutely certain a responsible adult is watching the children.
Clear walkways and steps of snow and ice before party guests arrive.
Check to see that decorations and lighting are firmly attached. Wires should not be dangling or dragging where a child or visiting pet might pull on them.

A Responsible Homeowner Takes Holiday Safety Precautions

Avoid the risk of injury and accidents this holiday season by taking the time to inspect places outside the home that may pose a danger for guests and visiting family members. Remember to light dark walkways and remove yard ornaments that might cause someone to trip. Lock up dangerous chemicals, fertilizers, and auto fluids that could fatally harm a curious child. Be aware of plants on the property that might poison a child if ingested. Guests will appreciate the care a host has taken to ensure a safe and happy visit.

Share Article |

The copyright of the article Home Safety Tips for the Holidays – Outdoors in Home Management is owned by Mary King. Permission to republish Home Safety Tips for the Holidays – Outdoors in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Provide Outdoor Lighting for Home Safety	Safely Store Tools to Prevent Injury at Home	Clear Walkways for Holiday Visitor's Safety
Make Home Repairs before Holiday Guests Arrive	Make Holiday Home Safety Preparations