How We Finally Stopped Our Toddler From Getting Into Drawers

Toddler Getting Into Drawers? Welcome to the Club

If your toddler recently discovered how to open every dresser drawer like it’s a personal treasure chest, you’re not alone. Trust me—I’ve been there. Today was round two of what I can only describe as the great clothing explosion of 2024.

We walked into our toddler’s room after “naptime” (I use that term loosely now), and found a mountain of pajamas, socks, shirts, and pants—every single drawer pulled open and dumped. Again.

This time I didn’t laugh. I just took a breath and thought, Parenting really is just one long game of “What now?”

I already had a toddler-proof doorknob cover on the outside of his room for safety. I already anchored the dresser to the wall the moment we moved it in. And we only just made the switch from crib to toddler bed a week ago because he started climbing out—because of course he did.

This drawer thing? It felt like the next “you didn’t see this coming, did you?” moment. And it was one I knew I had to solve—fast.

How Our Nap Time Turned Into Full-On Drawer Destruction

When our son was in his crib, we never had this issue. He’d nap (sometimes), play a little, then call for us when he was ready to get up. But once we made the switch to a toddler bed at 2.5 years old, the game changed. Suddenly he had the freedom to roam, and boy did he use it.

That first drawer dump felt kind of funny—like, wow, he really went for it.
The second one? Not so funny.

It became clear that this was his new nap time activity, and unless I wanted to refold his entire wardrobe daily or start locking up every piece of furniture, something had to change.

We already had the dresser safely anchored to the wall (a must for climbing toddlers), but he wasn’t climbing it. He was simply opening every drawer, one by one, and pulling everything out. It was like watching a raccoon methodically destroy a campsite.

That’s when I started looking into other toddler-proofing options—because honestly, being a parent means constantly adapting to whatever today’s chaos looks like.

And we found a fix that actually worked. One simple thing that kept the drawers shut and the mess at bay—without making us feel like we were turning his room into Fort Knox.
We’ll get into that next.

What’s Actually Going On: Why Toddlers Do This

At first, I thought he was just being defiant—like, “You want me to nap? Cool, I’ll redecorate instead.” But the more I thought about it, the more I realized this drawer obsession wasn’t really about us at all. It was about his growing independence and curiosity.

Toddlers at this age are in full-blown “explorer” mode. They’re figuring out what’s in the world, how things work, and what happens when they do something… like pull out a drawer full of socks and launch them like confetti.

This behavior is super common when toddlers:

• Transition to a toddler bed and gain room freedom
• Are overtired or overstimulated and need a release
• Are looking for sensory feedback (hello, soft clothes!)
• Want attention—even negative attention
• Are simply… bored

In our case, it all happened right after switching to a toddler bed. He suddenly had access to things he couldn’t reach before. And once he figured out how to open those drawers? Game over.

He wasn’t trying to be “bad.” He was just being a very curious 2.5-year-old with too much freedom and not enough boundaries.

That realization helped me shift my response from frustration to strategy. I didn’t want to punish curiosity—I just needed to protect his space and set a limit.

The Safety Risks That Made Us Take It Seriously

At first, the mess was the most frustrating part. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized this wasn’t just about folded shirts and dumped pajamas.

There are real safety concerns when toddlers get into drawers:

• They can use drawers as steps to try and climb—especially if they’re adventurous or copy older siblings.
• Fingers can get pinched (or smashed) in heavy wood drawers.
• Cabinets or other furniture without wall anchors could tip if climbed.
• Pulling everything out creates tripping hazards—imagine a full meltdown in a room covered in clothing piles.

And honestly, once he started doing this during nap time, I couldn’t supervise it. He was alone in his room, which meant I needed to create an environment that was truly toddler-proof, not just wishful thinking.

We had already done some of the basics, like anchoring the dresser and adding a toddler door knob cover, but clearly… it wasn’t enough.

That’s when I found the product that finally stopped this whole drawer disaster in its tracks—and gave us one less daily mess to clean up.

How We Anchored the Dresser (And Why That Wasn’t Enough)

Before the drawer chaos even started, we’d already anchored the dresser to the wall—which is honestly something every parent should do the moment furniture enters a toddler’s room. It was one of the first things I worried about once our son started pulling up and climbing.

And while that wall anchor gave me peace of mind about the dresser tipping over, it didn’t stop him from:

• Opening every single drawer
• Using them like shelves for toys
• Wadding up every piece of clothing and scattering it like toddler confetti
• Sitting in the bottom drawer like it was his personal reading nook (yes, really)

Even though it was secure, it wasn’t secure enough. That’s when we realized: anchoring helps with climbing risk, but not with access. And our toddler didn’t need height to make a mess—he just needed time and motivation.

That’s why we added one more layer to our toddler-proofing plan—and this one finally did the trick.

What Finally Worked: The Dresser Lock That Changed Everything

I didn’t want something complicated, bulky, or that would damage furniture. We just needed something simple that would keep our toddler out of the drawers during naps, at bedtime, or any unsupervised moments when the curiosity kicked in hard.

That’s when I found these:
Child Safety Strap Locks (8-Pack)

And let me tell you… I wish we’d used them sooner.

They stick on with strong 3M adhesive, so no screws or tools needed. They fit easily across the side of a dresser or between cabinet doors. And best of all—he couldn’t figure them out. No amount of tugging or tiny hands could break through them. Total win.

We added them to:

• The top two dresser drawers (his favorites to raid)
• A small toy cabinet with doors
• A bathroom drawer he kept opening even though it was empty
• The kitchen drawer that holds foil and plastic wrap (because… why not?)

And just like that, the chaos during nap time disappeared. No more tossed clothes. No more climbing attempts. Just a toddler with a room full of what he could use, and locks on what he couldn’t.

Simple fix. Big relief.

Other Toddler-Proofing Tricks We Added in His Room

Once we saw how well the drawer locks worked, it inspired a little wave of “let’s toddler-proof this better” energy. Because honestly? Parenting a curious 2.5-year-old feels like one long episode of Survivor: Household Edition—and we were losing.

So, along with the drawer and cabinet locks, here’s what else helped us keep his room safe, calm, and slightly less chaotic:

1. Lowered stimulation before naps

Before the drawer dumping started, he was usually bouncing off the walls at nap time. So we started dimming the lights, playing soft music, and cutting back on big distractions. It helped a little—especially once his room was free of temptation like open drawers.

2. Rotated toys to reduce boredom

We noticed he was getting into trouble mostly when he was bored. So we started rotating which toys were in his room and made sure everything was in easy reach (but not the drawers full of clothes!). That kept his space feeling fresh without overwhelming him.

3. Reinforced dresser safety

Even though we had already anchored it, we double-checked the wall mount and kept heavier items in the bottom drawers just in case. We’d seen stories about toddlers climbing dressers, and even though ours wasn’t climbing yet, we weren’t taking chances.

If your toddler is already climbing furniture? Definitely give this article a read:
Why toddlers climb everything (and how we redirected it)

4. Gave him more control—just in safe ways

We let him help pick his pajamas, choose a book for rest time, or decide which quiet toy stayed in the room. That little bit of control helped ease the urge to “control” his surroundings by destroying the dresser.

Every small step we took helped chip away at the chaos. Together, it turned his room from a nap-time disaster zone into a place where he could rest, play, and explore—without me silently screaming into my hoodie.

Making Peace With the Toddler Curiosity Phase

I’ll be honest—there were moments I wanted to cry, laugh, and scream all at once. Walking into a room that looked like a clothing tornado hit it again can be the breaking point after a long day. But once I took a step back, I realized what was happening wasn’t personal—it was developmental.

Toddlers are naturally wired to explore. That means:

• Opening, climbing, dumping, stacking
• Testing every boundary they find (especially when they’re supposed to be napping)
• Getting curious about the “forbidden” stuff
• Doing the same thing over and over just to see what happens

What helped me cope was reminding myself this phase is normal, healthy, and—yes—temporary.
Even if it makes your house look like a “before” photo on a reality show.

So instead of fighting the curiosity, I worked with it.
We gave him a few “safe” places to explore freely in his room—like bins with soft toys and books—and locked down the places we didn’t want turned into chaos zones.

Now, I won’t pretend every day is smooth. Sometimes nap time still turns into a mini circus. But since adding these child safety drawer locks, I don’t walk into total disaster anymore. And that feels like a win.

Plus, I’ve learned that when toddlers are getting into everything, they’re not trying to ruin our day—they’re showing us they’re growing. They’re learning. They’re testing their environment so they can make sense of it.

It’s messy, it’s exhausting, and it’s real.
But it’s also a sign that your toddler is doing exactly what they’re supposed to.

Encouragement for Parents Who Are Just Trying to Keep Up

If you’re knee-deep in toddler chaos right now—maybe literally because your kid dumped an entire drawer of socks—let me just say: you’re not alone, and you’re not doing it wrong.

This stage is wild. One day they’re sweetly hugging their stuffed animals, and the next they’re launching shirts like frisbees across the room while you’re praying they fall asleep soon. It’s not just your toddler. It’s the age. It’s the growth. And it’s so normal.

What I’ve learned through all this:

• You can’t prevent everything—but you can redirect a lot
• Some days will feel like nothing is working, and then one little fix (like a simple drawer lock) changes the whole game
• Toddlers aren’t trying to be difficult—they’re just trying to understand the world with very few tools
• You’re allowed to feel frustrated and still be an amazing parent

It’s okay to be tired. It’s okay to feel like all you do is troubleshoot new toddler behaviors. Because that’s parenting. It’s one long series of adaptations and quick fixes—like moving from crib to toddler bed, or going from soft toys to “what else can he climb today?”

And the thing is, you’re doing it. You’re figuring it out.
You’re adding the lock. You’re folding the clothes (again).
You’re giving your toddler love and structure in a world that’s brand new to them.

So if no one’s told you lately—you’re crushing it.
One drawer disaster at a time.