Child hanging on white chest of drawers with TV on top.

Image Credit: anchorit.gov

There are so many considerations to ensure you find the perfect piece of furniture for your home. From style, to budget, to scale, to color, once you welcome a new piece of furniture home, you’re ready to sit back, relax, and enjoy it, right?

If it’s a freestanding piece that has the potential to tip over, you’ll need to ensure you take one small—but crucial—final step for the safety of you and your loved ones.

Furniture tip-overs are said to injure or kill 40,000 people annually, 25,000 of which are children, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The good news? Furniture tip-overs can easily be prevented if the proper steps are taken.

Birds eye view of man sitting on sofa holding furniture restraint hardware

Image Credit: anchorit.gov

So which types of furniture are most likely to tip over if improperly installed or are on uneven ground?

  • Chests
  • Dressers
  • Media stands and TV consoles (and televisions)
  • Bookcases
  • Cabinets

Many accidental tip-overs occur when young children play near, or climb, the furniture. This is why taking the appropriate steps to secure your freestanding furniture is so important to your family’s safety.

Wood dresser secured to wall in child's bedroom

Image Credit: anchorit.gov

Safety Measures to Prevent Furniture Tip-overs

  1. Securely attach your furniture to the wall as soon as it’s in your home.

  2. Use the included tip-over restraint that comes with your furniture, along with the appropriate hardware for the furniture’s size, weight, and anchoring wall. You can also purchase a kit separately from several retailers.

  3. Adjust the anti-tip anchor and hardware as needed to ensure a firm attachment against the wall stud or a sturdy base.

  4. Always double-check your work!

  5. If your furniture is going to be used for display or storage purposes, place the heaviest objects in the lowest drawers or shelves.

  6. If your piece has drawers, never leave all upper drawers open at the same time.

  7. Never let children play, climb, or hang on drawers, doors, or shelves.

For more information and educational resources on the importance of securing your furniture, visit anchorit.gov.