How To Create A Pet-Friendly Home

If you’re planning to adopt a new pet, or you’ve recently welcomed a furry friend, ensure your home is pet-friendly to keep them comfortable and safe. Getting your home pet-proofed in advance is a smart way to make the transition smoother and less stressful for both you and your pet.

Key Takeaways:

• Take some of the stress out of dog-walking with a practical doormat and hallway storage like dual-purpose benches and wall hooks.
• Tightly woven rugs and solid wood furniture are capable of withstanding wear and tear from pets chewing and scratching.
• Keep open storage high up so nothing is knocked to the ground by your pets, and use closed cupboards and cabinets lower down.
• Non-toxic faux plants without berries or small, brittle parts are natural, pet-safe decor.

There’s so much to sort out before you bring a pet home for the first time, from stocking up on pet food to buying specific equipment like collars and leads. However, the transition can be less stressful if you make your home more pet-friendly in advance, or during the first few days.

As well as the essentials, like finding a comfy pet bed and practical food bowls, you can make some small adjustments to your home’s layout and furniture to better accommodate your new pet. 

For example, revamping your hallway is smart when you’re getting a new dog, as it’ll be the main hub where you prepare for going out on walks. Storage benches provide both a place to sit and get your shoes on, as well as storing your dog-walking supplies, and wall hooks are a space-saving option for coats.

We’ve collected some smart but simple pet-friendly home tips you can use to prepare for your new pet, including clever storage options and durable furniture and decor.

9 Pet-Friendly Home Hacks

1. Practical Doormat

While you might not be able to enforce your pets wiping their paws before they come into the house, a high-quality doormat can definitely help out with muddy shoes and boots from dog walks.

Look for a high-quality, heavy-duty doormat to efficiently remove dirt, with anti-slip backing to keep it in place while in use. Tough fibres like coir are excellent at scraping off debris.

Fun designs can add some playful charm to your entryway, especially if they’re related to your pets. Don’t feel like you have to get a plain mat - choose something that showcases some personality and brightens up the area around your front door.

2. Hallway Storage Bench

Excitable, high-energy dogs can make getting out of the front door for a walk stressful, so make sure your hallway is designed to streamline the process as much as possible.

A storage bench gives you somewhere to sit while you’re getting everything you need and putting your shoes on. Keeping all of your dog-walking gear inside the bench means it’s close by when you’re getting ready and also speeds up putting everything away once you return.

Hallways can be quite small, narrow spaces, so if you don’t have the room for a storage bench, try wall hooks for coats and dog leads combined with a compact accent table and shoe rack.

3. Practical Area Rug

If your home has wooden or tiled floors, make sure you’ve got a durable, non-slip rug or two. Hard flooring can be slippery for some pets, and dog claws in particular can scratch and damage some floor types.

Pet-friendly rugs are typically low-pile and tightly woven to minimise the risk of claws snagging on the fibres. For indoor rabbits, you’ll want an especially strong rug in case they try to scratch and dig through it. 100% cotton and natural fibres, like jute, are safest for rabbits, in case they nibble and eat the material.

Waterproof, machine-washable rugs are a smart choice for homes with pets, since they won’t absorb any accidents as quickly as typical rugs. You can clean everything up and then throw the rug in the washing machine with minimal risk of stains or lingering odours.

4. Tall Open Storage

Open storage isn’t always safe when you’ve got pets like cats, who could climb it and knock things off, or dogs, whose wagging tails could swipe anything that’s too low down.

Closed storage, like cupboards and cabinets, is a safer option for anything fragile or close to the ground. Try to limit open shelving to higher up in your home, such as wall-mounted shelves or tall cabinets.

A cupboard with closed storage lower down and open shelves higher up could be a great way to keep your belongings safe. Of course, you’ll have to consider your individual pet when deciding what’s suitable - a cat is a lot more likely to climb up a bookcase than a dog or rabbit!

5. Non-Toxic Faux Plants

Some real houseplants can be toxic for pets, so it’s important to carefully research any new plant you bring into your home. 

High-quality, non-toxic faux plants can be a safer option, especially if you’re putting them within potential chewing reach (such as on the floor).

Keep in mind that faux plants with small, fragile parts, like berries or brittle leaves, could be dangerous if swallowed. It’s best to look for plants with large, solid leaves or designs, and position them higher up if you’re especially worried about chewing.

6. Pet-Specific Storage

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by everything you need to get for your new pet, and it can quickly fill up your home’s existing storage. That’s why dedicating one piece of furniture, such as a cupboard or sideboard, to pet-related items can help to fight the clutter.

If you can dedicate a specific space to your pet, such as grouping bowls, beds and other items like litter boxes or scratching posts, then your pet-specific storage should be in that area.

This way, the rest of your home can remain mostly clear of pet-related clutter, and you won’t have to run through the entire house looking for the dog lead when it’s time for a walk!

7. Open-Plan Design

Entirely open-plan house layouts actually aren’t ideal for most pets, as they need quiet, separate areas they can retreat to if needed.

However, one room with plenty of open floor space can be beneficial, as there’s less chance of your pet bumping into furniture and plenty of room for playing. 

Try to keep your furniture around the edges of the room, and consider marking out a large, free space in the middle of the room with an area rug.

8. Multi-Purpose Decorative Storage

In a home with cats, decorative storage can be quite versatile, since it’s both a space to store toys and also a cosy spot for your pet to curl up in.

Linen-lined storage boxes and baskets are best for this, so you can avoid your cat’s claws getting stuck in the woven material while keeping the natural look.

Just make sure you don’t store food or treats inside these types of baskets, as they’re not secure and can easily be pilfered by hungry pets!

9. Durable Furniture

If you want to make sure your furniture can withstand scratches and chewing, especially from younger pets before they grow out of those habits, solid wood is the way to go. It’s durable while still looking cosy and inviting, letting you balance practicality and style.

Metal furniture is also an option, since it can dissuade chewing by simply being less appealing to pets than wood or other natural materials. It’s a stylish choice in modern homes as well as being practical!

Transform Your Home Into A Pet-Friendly Space

Making your home pet-friendly doesn’t have to mean redesigning everything from the ground up. A few smart storage options, decor swaps and flooring improvements can make all the difference.

If you’re getting a new puppy and need some more ideas for turning your hallway into a well-organised dog-walking hub, read through some more of our hallway storage ideas.

Worried about your pet-safe faux plants not looking quite as vibrant as the real thing? We also have a guide to making your fake plants look real, while remaining safe for your animals!