Room-by-Room Safety Guide

Identify safer and higher-risk areas in a home using a simple, room-based checklist.

Room-by-Room Safety Guide

How to Use This Guide

This guide lists options to review in each area of a home. Not all suggestions will fit every space. You can choose what feels practical for your situation.

General Home-Wide Considerations

• Identify at least two ways to leave the home, if possible.
• Notice where phones, chargers, and electrical outlets are located.
• Consider where you could go nearby if you needed to leave quickly.
• Keep keys, important documents, and essential items in one consistent place if you can.
• Review which rooms have doors that lock and how the locks work.
• Think about which rooms feel safer (fewer hard or sharp objects, a clear exit).
• Decide if there are safe people you could contact from inside or just outside the home.
• Review any children’s routines and where they usually are in the home.

Kitchen

The kitchen often contains many hard, sharp, or heavy objects. This section focuses on positioning, exits, and options for safer movement.

Layout and Positioning

• Notice where the exits are (doors, sliding doors, back doors) and how quickly they open.
• Identify any paths that allow you to move from the kitchen to another room or outside without getting blocked into a corner.
• Observe where knives, glass, heavy pans, and small appliances are stored.
• Consider whether frequently used sharp objects can be stored out of immediate reach or in drawers rather than on counters.
• Check whether there is space to stand closer to an exit than to cabinets holding heavy or sharp items.

Items to Organize or Move

• Group knives and sharp tools in one drawer or block rather than loose on counters, if practical.
• Store heavy pans and glassware lower rather than overhead to reduce fall risk.
• Consider moving cleaning chemicals to a cabinet with a latch, especially if children are present.
• Keep a phone or charging cable in a neutral, consistent place that you can reach without crossing the whole room.
• If possible, keep a spare set of keys outside the kitchen (for example, near an exit or in another room).

Movement and Exit Planning

• Note where you could stand or sit that keeps you closer to an exit than to the stove or knife area.
• Check that doorways are not blocked by furniture, boxes, or trash cans.
• Review whether any window can be opened easily if the door is blocked.
• If there is a sliding door, test the lock and handle so you know how it functions.
• Plan a simple route from the kitchen to outside or a safer room.

Bathroom

Bathrooms are small, can be slippery, and often have limited exits. This section focuses on doors, communication options, and simple adjustments.

Door, Locks, and Windows

• Identify whether the bathroom door locks from the inside, outside, or both.
• Check if the lock can be opened with a coin or small tool from the hallway.
• Notice whether the door opens inward or outward and whether it could be blocked.
• Check if there is a window and whether it can be opened or used for calling out.

Slips, Trips, and Falls

• Use non-slip mats or towels on wet floors if available.
• Keep pathways around the toilet, sink, and tub clear of clutter.
• Store glass bottles or heavy items on stable surfaces rather than on the edge of the tub or sink.
• If possible, secure loose rugs with non-slip backing or remove them.

Communication and Essentials

• Decide if you want a phone or charged device within reach outside the bathroom (for example, in the hall) to reduce water damage risk.
• Consider keeping a small bag of medications and personal essentials in a separate room so they can be taken quickly if you leave.
• If children use the bathroom, review with them (in age-appropriate ways) how to open the door and call for help if they feel unsafe.

Bedroom

Bedrooms often store personal documents, electronics, and clothing. This section focuses on exits, storage, and items you might want quickly accessible.

Exits and Furniture

• Identify the main door and any additional exits (windows, balcony doors).
• Check whether furniture blocks the door or could make it difficult to leave quickly.
• Consider arranging the bed and main sitting area so you are not fully blocked from the door.
• Test windows to see if they open easily and whether screens can be removed in an emergency.

Important Items and Documents

• Gather copies (physical or digital) of identification, important numbers, and key documents.
• Consider storing a small set of essentials in an easy-to-grab location:
  • ID or copies
  • Bank or benefit cards (or copies)
  • Basic medications
  • Change of clothes
  • Spare keys if available
  • List of important phone numbers
• If you prefer not to keep these in the bedroom, choose another consistent, known spot.

Technology and Charging

• Keep at least one phone charger in the bedroom if possible.
• Decide whether you want location services turned on or off for your devices, based on your privacy preferences.
• Review which apps or contacts you might use to reach support, and ensure they are easy to find in your phone.

Sleep and Waking Routines

• Notice if you feel more comfortable sleeping closer to the door, window, or another exit.
• Keep footwear in a predictable place near the bed in case you need to move quickly.
• Ensure paths from the bed to the door and window are clear of cords, bags, or low furniture.

Living Areas (Living Room, Dining Room, Shared Spaces)

Living areas are often where other people spend time together. This section looks at furniture, visibility, and nearby exits.

Furniture and Layout

• Note where people usually sit and how that affects access to doors and hallways.
• Adjust furniture, if possible, so that seating does not fully block pathways to exits.
• Identify heavy objects or items that could easily fall if bumped.
• Keep walkways between rooms clear of clutter, cords, and low tables.

Exits and Visibility

• Locate all doors leading outside (front door, back door, patio) and check how they open and lock.
• Identify any windows that open easily and can be used to call out or signal to neighbors.
• Observe which areas of the living room are visible from the street or neighboring homes.
• Consider whether curtains or blinds can be adjusted to allow someone outside to see if you need help, if that feels safer to you.

Technology and Devices

• Know where the main internet router and power strips are located.
• Check which outlets you use most often to charge phones, tablets, or laptops.
• Consider whether you want a device routinely charged and ready in a specific spot (for example, side table or bookshelf).
• Review which smart devices (cameras, speakers, TVs) might record or share information, and adjust settings as you prefer.

Children and Other Household Members

• Consider a simple plan for where children might go in the home if they sense tension (for example, to their room, another trusted adult, or a designated neighbor).
• Review quiet activities or distractions that can be used in living areas if needed (books, toys, headphones).
• Ensure that children know any safety rules you use in these rooms in a calm, age-appropriate way.

Entrances and Exits (Doors, Hallways, Stairs)

Entrances affect how easily you can leave and who can come in. This section focuses on locks, keys, lighting, and simple preparedness.

Front Door and Main Entrance

• Review how the locks work (deadbolt, chain, keypad, smart lock).
• Check if you have your own copy of the key or access code.
• Identify a consistent place for keeping keys that you can reach quickly.
• Make sure shoes and coats or outerwear are easy to access near the door, if climate requires it.
• Check whether there is a peephole or way to see who is outside before opening the door.

Secondary Exits (Back Door, Patio, Garage)

• Locate all secondary exits and test how easily they open.
• Check if any are routinely blocked by furniture, tools, or storage items.
• Note whether you can unlock these doors from the inside without a key.
• Consider whether you want a spare key hidden outside or with a trusted person (weighing privacy and safety).
• Review lighting in these areas (porch lights, motion lights, hallway lights).

Hallways and Stairs

• Keep hallways clear of boxes, shoes, and small furniture that could trip someone.
• Check that stair handrails are secure.
• Use night lights or low-level lighting, if available, to keep routes visible at night.
• Identify alternate routes between rooms that avoid tight or enclosed spaces if possible.

Vehicles and Leaving the Property

• Know where vehicle keys are stored and whether you have reliable access to them.
• Consider keeping at least a quarter tank of fuel in your vehicle when practical.
• Check that you know how to manually unlock the car doors and trunk, if applicable.
• Decide on one or two safe places you could drive or walk to if you leave (friend, public place, or other location that feels appropriate).

Putting It All Together

You can combine these room-by-room observations into a simple personal safety plan:

• Note your main and backup exits from the home.
• Choose one or two rooms you consider relatively safer (clear exits, fewer sharp objects).
• Decide where to keep essentials you might want to take with you.
• Review any specific needs of children, older adults, or others in the home.
• Update your plan if your living space or routines change.

Recommended Articles

• Safety Planning Checklist
• Technology and Digital Safety Basics
• Gathering and Storing Evidence Safely
• Preparing to Leave: Practical Steps
• Safety Planning with Children in the Home