Your Dresser Is a Serious Tipping Hazard

When it comes to household safety, we’re used to potentially hazardous items being clearly labeled. Hair dryers come with warnings not to use them in the shower; volatile cleaning products implore us not to drink them. But some of the most significant items that carry risks are largely ignored: common living room or bedroom furniture, like dressers.

Nearly 18,000 people have been hurt by furniture tipping over them, according to a 2024 report by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Beyond injuries, the agency revealed in 2021 that furniture and TV tip-overs also led to the deaths of 451 children under the age of 17 between 2000 and 2019 [PDF].

Children are at particular risk of being injured (or worse) when they attempt to climb a dresser or TV stand. As dressers are often in a child’s bedroom where they can play unsupervised, the potential for an accident is high if kids opt to tug on something or attempt to climb inside any drawers.

Fortunately, new safety regulations now in place are making it easier for parents and caretakers to keep loved ones out of harm’s way. On September 1, 2023, the STURDY Act went into effect across the U.S. The law requires furniture makers to test pieces over a specific size and weight range and provide wall anchoring kits. Below, you can find out more about how to use wall anchors to prevent furniture tip-overs.

How to Anchor Furniture

Child safety advocacy groups advise that adults use anchoring systems for furniture that might be at risk of tipping over. Though these kits should already come with furniture manufactured after September 1, 2023, you could still potentially end up with a dresser or night stand that doesn’t have an anchoring kit already included. This is because shoppers can still buy furniture online and in stores that was manufactured before the STURDY Act went into effect, even though the piece doesn’t fully comply with the new safety standards.

Kits typically include connecting straps, screws, and brackets, the latter of which can be metal or plastic. Depending on the assembly instructions, you may need to use multiple straps, too.

Advocacy groups have found that a lot of consumers are either unaware these kits exist (if they aren’t included already with the furniture), or they find them difficult to install. But it's a relatively easy procedure so long as you secure the anchor into a wall stud and not into drywall, where it will be too loose to stand up to a weight-bearing load. For brick or masonry walls, it’s best to hire a professional. If you’re renting and have been told not to drill into the wall, consult your landlord—it’s likely they’ll agree to waive any restrictions to make for a safer living space.

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A version of this story was originally published in 2018 and has been updated for 2024.