Making home improvements is a creative and fun process of designing your perfect living space, but it can be tricky when you have to think about your furry family members, too. When decorating, there are some crucial elements that you will need to improve for your home to be a pet-friendly environment. Here are some ideas.
Wrap Any Exposed Pipes or Drains
Exposed pipes can be a threat to your home as well as your pets. When they are young and teething, they often choose to chew on odd things, pipes included. To avoid any potential DIY’s that lower the value of your home, wrap the ducts and seal your drains to make sure that both your pets and home are safe.
Pet Furniture
We just don’t have the heart to keep our pets from sleeping on the furniture, but sometimes they are in the way. To avoid that, you can provide them with their furniture – nothing fancy, but simple cushions and scratching posts. Since animals are social beings too, it is helpful to keep their furniture next to yours.
Make a Pet Room Entryway
Most homes have mudrooms for dirty shoes and other outdoor things. But what most people forget is that your pets need that kind of space too. It doesn’t have to be anything luxurious, like an entire room. All you need to do is close off a part of your entryway, so when they come inside, you have a place where you can clean their paws off. It is also a great place to keep their leashes, treats, or any accessories they have.
A Drain Stopper Is a Must-Have
If you are bathing your pet in a bathtub or your shower, you can cause some severe clogs in your drain. Even if you don’t think that they shed that much, don’t be fooled. To prevent the hair from obstructing the drain, all you need to do is get a drain stopper. If your pipes get clogged, they will burst and you will have to call emergency plumbing services to save the day. That will not only keep your ducts clean, but it will make it much easier to clean the tub after their baths.
Make a Bathing Station
If you have a bath or shower that you don’t use in your home, you can replace it with a walk-in shower. That way, you will make it easier to get your pet in and out, and you will have a modern bathroom. It is also good to install the showerhead closer to the ground, so it’s easier to rinse their paws.
Design the Kitchen with Pets in Mind
Pets are curious and eager to explore. A well-designed kitchen can help keep them safe from everyday hazards. Most of the time, pets nap in the middle of some places where they continuously get underfoot. So, it would be wise to give them their spot in the kitchen that is not a high activity area. A built-in bed in kitchen cabinets allows your pet to be in the room without being in the way.
Put Up a Fence and a Ramp in Your Yard
When you have a lot and pets, the yard must be pet-friendly. Sometimes there is no need to fence your whole yard. You can build a safe space where they will be able to run around and have fun without any supervision. For young, small, or old pets, consider adding a ramp, so they don’t have to use the stairs and possibly get hurt. Pets are like kids: you mustn’t leave out anything that they can break, swallow, or chew. Therefore making your home a pet-friendly one is just as important as having your home safe for children.