Anchor the TV and the dresser: a strap into a stud, heavy things low, then a hard tug

Why it’s worth a few minutes

CPSC’s latest tip-over report, published in February 2024, breaks down who gets hurt and by what. [S2]

• Small children most. About 7,800 of the 17,800 yearly injuries, or 44%, were children. Among children, 1- and 2-year-olds had the highest injury rates. [S2]
• Older adults too. About 4,200 injuries a year, or 24%, were adults 60 and older, and they were 56 of the 217 deaths. [S2]
• Furniture more than TVs. Furniture was involved in 82% of injuries. For children hurt by furniture, tables came first at 38%, then dressers at 28% and shelves or bookcases at 16%. [S2]
• TVs in the deaths. Of the 217 deaths, 46% involved furniture alone, 23% a TV alone and 25% a TV and furniture falling together. [S2]
• Bedrooms. 44% of the deaths happened in a bedroom and 15% in a living or family room. In half of them, the person was crushed under the product. [S2]

It can be fixed. CPSC says its Anchor It campaign, started in 2015, contributed to a nearly 50% drop in tip-over injuries and deaths. [S11]

Pick a kit

Anchor kits are sold as tip-over restraints, anti-tip kits or furniture straps. Before you buy one, check whether your furniture or TV came with its own. [S5]

• Sturdy parts. AnchorIt.gov says to look for brackets of metal or thick plastic and straps of heavy nylon or braided steel. If a kit feels flimsy, pick another. [S5]
• Rated for the weight. A furniture kit lists how many pounds it can hold. That number should be more than the furniture weighs. [S5]
• Usually two straps. Most furniture takes two. Follow the count in the kit’s instructions. [S5]
• Tools for drywall or plaster. The kit, a stud finder, a pencil, a drill with bits, drywall screws and a screwdriver. [S4] [S5]
• Tools for brick. A masonry bit, a hammer drill, concrete screw anchors and an impact driver. AnchorIt.gov notes many stores rent drills. [S5]

Install it

AnchorIt.gov’s steps, condensed. The instructions in your kit come first. [S4] [S6]

1. Find a stud. Use a stud finder and mark it. In modern homes studs are usually 16 or 24 inches apart. If the furniture doesn’t line up with one, move the furniture, not the bracket. [S6]
2. Fix the wall bracket. As you drill, you should feel resistance the whole way. If you don’t, you’ve missed the stud. In brick, drill into the face of a brick, not the mortar; AnchorIt.gov suggests calling a contractor or your building’s superintendent for brick. [S6]
3. Fix the furniture bracket. Pick a thick, solid wood spot. Skip the thin back panel that’s stapled on and any veneered edges. Drill a pilot hole smaller than the screw first. On a TV, use the standard mounting holes on the back. [S6]
4. Connect and tighten. Move the furniture close to the wall, connect the strap and tighten it. [S4] [S6]

The tug test

When the straps are on, pull on each one, at the wall end and at the furniture or TV end. AnchorIt.gov says that if there’s no slack and nothing moves, you’re done. [S4] [S6]

If a bracket shifts, give each screw another half or full turn. Don’t force it. [S6]

TVs

• The right stand. CPSC says a TV belongs only on furniture designed to hold one, like a TV stand or media center. [S3]
• On the wall. AnchorIt.gov calls mounting a flat-screen to the wall a great way to cut the tip-over risk, and says a standard wall mount needs no anti-tip kit. [S5]
• On a stand. A TV that isn’t wall mounted should still be anchored. AnchorIt.gov says it can be strapped to the wall or to the furniture, using the threaded holes on the back of the TV. [S3] [S5]
• Old and deep TVs. CPSC says to recycle older CRT TVs. A deeper TV with no mounting holes may need a different strap; AnchorIt.gov suggests asking a hardware store. [S3] [S5]
• Can’t anchor it? CPSC says to put the TV on a sturdy, low base, push it as far back as it goes, and keep the cords out of reach. [S1] [S11]
• Nothing to climb for. Keep toys and remotes off the top of the TV and the furniture under it. [S1] [S3]

Setting up a new streaming stick at the same time? Our Roku Streaming Stick Plus guide covers that side.

Dressers and the 2023 rule

Dressers, chests and armoires made after September 1, 2023 have to meet a federal stability rule under the STURDY law. It covers free-standing units at least 27 inches tall, weighing at least 30 pounds, with at least 3.2 cubic feet of drawer or door storage. Fabric dressers count if they meet those numbers. The rule is meant to protect children up to 72 months old. [S8] [S11]

• Tested without the strap. A covered unit must pass three stability tests, including one with drawers open and loaded with clothes and one with 60 pounds hung on the front while the back legs sit on a block that mimics carpet. It has to pass without its anti-tip kit installed. [S8]
• The kit still comes in the box. The rule also requires an anti-tip device and a warning label. Install the device right away, per CPSC. [S3] [S8]
• Bookcases aren’t covered. Bookcases, entertainment furniture and office furniture are outside the rule, so the rule says nothing about how stable they are. AnchorIt.gov’s advice covers all furniture with drawers, doors and shelves. [S4] [S8]
• Older furniture. Furniture you already own can be anchored with anti-tip brackets. Heavier things go on lower shelves. [S1] [S3]

The range can tip too

Kitchen ranges have anti-tip brackets for the same reason: CPSC says voluntary standards require makers to supply one with new ranges. CPSC’s report counts 9 stove or oven deaths and 6 refrigerator deaths in its 2013 to mid-2023 tip-over data. [S2] [S10]

• Check the bracket. CPSC says the anti-tip bracket should be firmly attached to the wall or floor, and the range should be held securely in it. [S10]
• Missing one? Ask the range maker whether your model should have one. CPSC notes some makers send a replacement at no charge. [S10]
• The oven door isn’t a shelf or a step. Don’t put heavy food or other things on an open oven door, don’t push down on it, and don’t use it to help stand up. Move cookie jars and other tempting things away from the range. [S10]

Renting or planning to move

An anchor doesn’t have to be permanent. AnchorIt.gov says taking one out and patching the wall takes a few minutes: pull the anchor with pliers, fill the hole with spackle, sand it smooth and touch up the paint. In brick, fill it with caulk or masonry filler, with brick dust in the caulk to match the color. [S7]

If you rent, ask your landlord before drilling. That’s our suggestion, not an agency rule.

Check an item

Pick what you want to secure and the wall behind it. The check puts the CPSC and AnchorIt.gov points from this page in one place. Your kit’s instructions still come first. [S3] [S5] [S6] [S10]

Not sure what the wall is made of? AnchorIt.gov’s quick test: if a thumbtack won’t break the surface, it’s probably plaster. [S6]

Room by room

Doing the nursery while you’re at it? Our baby sleep guide covers a safe crib on cold nights.

Quick answers