Favorite things.

It has been a while since I have told you about my favorite products. 


This is a good one!  Baby gates!


It is called a Retract-a-Gate and it is A-W-E-SOME!  We got ours when our son (now 3) was about 6 months old.  It has stood up to the test of time, and toddlers.  Hands down I would recommend this to anybody looking for a gate.

Top Advantages                   JPMA certified for top or bottom of stairs iParenting Media Award Winner Parent Tested Parent Approved Award Winner Automatically and quietly rewinds to a small roll Engineered for high traffic areas Locks open or closed with childproof lock Two models to choose: cover up to 52 or 72 inches 34 inch tall mesh Easy, one-hand operation Allows you to walk through without completely opening

How does it work? Stylish and compact, Retract-A-Gate is a safety gate which winds up automatically into a small roll when you don't need it - no manual winding. Then, to block an area, the gate easily unrolls by pulling the mesh across the opening to cover any width up to its maximum, and locks securely in place. Two low-profile brackets, which the baby gate hooks into, are attached to both sides of the opening. The reel side of the gate snaps into one pair of brackets. Then the handle side - the side you pull out - hooks into the brackets across the opening. The lock is a simple push-and-turn mechanism; easy for adults to use, but safe for small children. Retract-A-Gate is the only baby gate in its class which offers one hand operation as easy as 1...2...3...             1) Pull the handle across, hooking it into the brackets.             2) Lock the gate to secure it in place.             3) Throw out every other baby gate you own.

Simple Installation The Retract-A-Gate retractable baby gate was designed to be easy to install, as well as use. Retract-A-Gate can be installed inside a walk-way, around the corner of a walk-way, at the top of stairs, the bottom of stairs, or even on an angle. No other safety gate in its class offers the same durability, simplicity, and ease of installation. For installation, there are four identical brackets you will install; two on either side of the opening. The brackets mount at 3 and 31 inches off the floor and need about 2.5 inches of flat surface to attach to. When done, the horizontal distance (across the opening) between upper and lower brackets must be identical. This keeps the baby gate square and properly fit. All that's left is to snap the gate into the brackets and that's it!...the safety gate is ready to use. See below for the full Users Guide.   Retract-A-Gate Users Guides (opens a new window)          Retract-A-Gate Users Guide (English)           Retract-A-Gate Users Guide (French)

Basic Dimensions • Brackets: 2.5 inches wide; 1.25 inches high • Gate Retracted: About 3 inches in diameter • Standard Length: 52 or 72 inches (includes the brackets) • Mesh: 34 inches tall • Height to the top of the lock: 38 inches • Brackets mount at 3 and 31 inches off the floor               Items you may need               (For more information, or to purchase, click here)               • Wall Spacers: Used under brackets to keep them                  spaced equally across the opening, or to avoid                  interference of the gate with a baseboard molding               • Banister Adapter Kit: To attach the gate to a stair                  post or spindle without drilling holes               • Additional Wall Bracket Kit: If you want to move                  one gate to an additional location               • Drywall Anchor Kit: To install the brackets over drywall