I finally found the baby gate that’s easy to use and isn’t an eyesore.
Sometimes I didn’t need one. Like in my two-bedroom apartment with my first babies—twins. Sometimes I just didn’t get one. Like with my third baby. In a short-term house, I just hoped for the best and tried to keep a watchful eye until we moved. Sometimes I made do with a bad one. Like with my fourth baby where it was so annoying I took it down as soon as I possibly could.
The dreaded baby gate situation.
I recently moved into a new house, our forever house, and am finally doing things right. With my fifth baby, I am also finally getting the baby gate situation right! I wanted something that was not going to be a total eyesore and was also not such a nuisance to have up that I was going to want to rip it down soon after putting it up. I had tried the pressurized metal gates. I had tried those plastic gates. I experience the annoyance of having to step over and through a narrow passage each time I needed to get through.
I knew exactly what I wasn’t looking for.
My friend Penina has a great baby gate that she has kept up permanently through multiple children. So, I called her for advice.
A few days later, I had this retractable gate. It’s under $40 on Amazon and my handyman had it up in minutes.
As per Penina’s instructions, I used zip ties to connect one end to my wooden banister. No way was I having anything drilled into my brand new banister! The retractable gate then closes and clicks into two small wall-mounted brackets. My handyman easily mounted the top one into my wall and the bottom one into the molding and assured me we could just patch them up when we were ready to remove them.
The best part is that when the gate is open it disappears. There’s nothing to step over or squeeze through. It even comes in black (also white and grey) to match my black metal railings.
This gate I won’t mind having up for a good long time.
Check out some of Deena’s other posts.
I need a gate that can go on glass railing!
Can you show us how you connected it with zip ties?
Is this good to keep a few toddlers in my playroom? Will the mesh hold up if they push on it?
I got the gate after I read this post, it was exactly what I was looking for. I attached with zip ties to my railing (thanks for the brilliant suggestion!) It has a lock that makes the mesh stay in place so it should hold up for a playroom entrance
This idea is genius! since I do not want to drill holes in my wall. However, I do not have a banister on both sides of the stairs.
Any suggestions?
Hi, thanks for the helpful info. I know you didn’t mean it this way, but as a nation that awaits Moshiach every day, we probably shouldn’t refer to our houses as “forever” houses…
I have seen a lot on your site, Joy, you have a very good quality baby gate. I am reading your post which is very good, I have the gate gula on our site and your gula gula. You can come to our site and you will come. I am inviting you. Thanks
Can you explain how you mounted this with zip ties? I bought this based on your recommendation t cannot figure it out. Thanks
Any recommendations for a gate that can be opened and closed easily by a toddler, but protect baby from going up/down