It happens overnight. For months your baby stays roughly where you put them. Then one morning they roll, shuffle or commando-crawl across the room, pull themselves up on the coffee table and look extremely pleased with themselves. The house you thought was perfectly safe suddenly looks like an obstacle course designed by someone who hates you.

Babyproofing is less about the obvious hazards and more about seeing the house the way your baby now does. Fred Safety, the UK home safety brand, puts it neatly: think about what they can now reach, pull, open, climb and grab. Get down on the floor (with a tea, placed well out of reach) and have a look around. It is surprisingly educational.

Where could they fall?

Stairs are the big one. The NHS advice on baby and toddler safety is to fit safety gates that meet British Standard BS EN 1930:2011, and to keep using them at the top and bottom of the stairs until your child is at least two. It also suggests holding the handrail whenever you carry your baby up or down, in case you trip.

Screw-fit or pressure-fit? Screw-fit gates are fixed into the wall and have no bar along the bottom, which is why they are the type to use at the top of the stairs. Pressure-fit gates are held in place without drilling, so they are handy for doorways and the bottom of the stairs. Fred Safety is clear about two rules for pressure-fit gates: they have a bar across the bottom that can be a trip hazard, so they should never go at the top of the stairs, and they should not be used on glass banisters, where they can easily slip.

What can they pull over?

Once babies can pull themselves up, every chest of drawers becomes a climbing frame and every bookcase looks like a ladder. Heavy furniture that is not fixed to the wall can tip. Anti-tip straps anchor the top of the unit to the wall, and the NHS also suggests keeping low furniture away from windows and fitting windows with locks or safety catches, because a sofa under a window is basically an invitation.

What can they reach (and burn)?

If they can reach it, they will grab it, lick it or post it into the DVD player. The NHS points out that a hot drink can still scald 15 minutes after it was made, so put your cup down well out of reach before you pick your baby up. In the kitchen, cook on the back rings where you can, turn pan handles towards the back of the hob, and use a cordless kettle or one with a short or curly flex so it cannot dangle over the edge.

Small things matter too. Buttons, coins and the tiny parts from older siblings' toys all need to live out of reach, as small objects are a choking risk for babies and toddlers.

What could trap little fingers?

Doors, drawers and cupboards are endlessly fascinating, right up until something slams. The NHS mentions devices that stop doors from closing fully so fingers do not get trapped. Cupboard locks and drawer catches keep the cleaning products and the good biscuits where they belong.

Babyproofing is not a weekend job. It is a subscription, renewed every time they learn something new.

It's never quite finished

The trickiest part is that your baby will not stay the same size for long. Crawling becomes cruising, cruising becomes climbing, and what was out of reach in September is fair game by Christmas. Do a quick floor-level check every few weeks and adjust as you go. Our guide to preventing the most common baby accidents is a good companion read, along with first aid: what you need to know, because no amount of gates replaces knowing what to do if something does happen.

Our picks from the Fred Safety range

Five pieces that cover the hazards above, from a starter kit for the little things to gates for the stairs. Details come from Fred Safety.