Teach or baby proof?

Many friends of mine with children have their homes super super baby proof... baby gates on every door, and at both the top and bottom of the stairs, locks on the fridge, oven, cupboards, drawers. The list goes on. With cheeky however i have chosen not to baby proof the house, but instead teach him the dangers, and teach him that certain things are not allowed. This has worked for cheeky and i, he has been able to climb up and down the stairs since about 11 months, i wanted to make sure he had the ability to do so, i think this decreases the danger of falling down, however i was always in front or behind him. Until quite recently he knew that he wasn't to use the stairs unless mama was with him, it only posed a problem when friends came to play. Now however i allow him to use the stairs, and play upstairs in his bedroom, most of his toys are now in his bedroom... he is a confident stair user. I have also taught him the dangers of things in the home. He frequently reminds me that my cup of tea is hot, the radiators are hot, the oven is hot and dangerous, that it is naughty to open the drawers and cupboards in the kitchen. Obviously sometimes i do have to remind him, but he fully understands and confirms that he knows why. He he cheeky always frequently lets me know that the toilet is dirty, especially if mama is using the the toilet, he says bleuh dirty, bleuh bleuh, ha ha such a character. It would be interesting to know how other parents approach the dangers in the home... i think making your home too baby proof, actually puts them in danger out of the home... x