Repurpose your old window blinds

After having put your blinds to good use for so many years, now you can see they are a bit skimpy and that they don't work as good as they did. Slats are broken, strings and cords are loose or torn, control mechanism doesn't operate smoothly...we think it's time to say goodbye to your faithful ones and say hello to new blinds !

As long as you think mending wouldn't do a whole lot to the window coverings you have had until this day and that they are truly beyond repair, you should think twice about how you can recycle and reuse them before kicking them to the curb.

Repurposing slatted, fabric or panel blinds around the house can be done by disassembling them into the component parts they are made out of and if needed, trimming them down to fit the part. Acting thrifty and crafty can really give your self-esteem a boost and be proud of your creative side.

It's always a good idea to think outside the box and this case makes no exception. With window shades being so versatile in general, as they play out their decorative and practical functions 'til the end, never ceasing to amaze, it's no wonder that you can pull it off when wanting to find them a use.

The sky is the limit with where and how an owner of some damaged window blinds can scrape up its elements and change them into completely different items, with a role of their own. So with this idea that blinds don't necessarily belong at the window out of the way, let's see what repurposing alternatives we've got.

If you have two rooms interconnected, like most studios are and want to create a sense of breach between them, using long enough venetian or vertical blinds as room dividers would make a unique and interesting solution. You can easily touch them up and give them a refreshed look by painting them or by tying up broken slats with ribbons, scarves, ruffles or whatever strips of cloth you have lying around.

In the bedroom old curtains can be transformed into beautiful looking canopies around the bed, behind or above the headboard.

Talking about creativity, you can put the decorative aspect of a window dressing into other words, meaning that it is not hard work to turn it into a stylish wall or room artwork, you just have to put your imagination to the test. As fabric from vertical or pleated blinds tends to be more flexible, your lamps can get a nice covering up done.

For the garden, you can write name of plants, dates or row numbers with a permanent marker on aluminium venetian slats, using them as tags to identify your plants. These can also be cut and translated into helpful bookmarks, so you know where you left off with your reading.

Perfect for doing some handy work around the home, you can spread out paint or glue with this type of slats, keeping your fingers far from stickiness. Get back toys or lost items from out of reach places like from under or behind the furniture by swiping them with a long aluminium slat.

You don't need to spend money on baskets, storage boxes or shopping bags, you can weave your own from vertical vanes. You can actually finish off and secure your desired piece at the top with the operating cord from the blinds. Incorporate some aforementioned ribbons or ruffles between the vanes when weaving, for a personalised effect. They could also be woven together to make a protective mat to put under your picnic blanket, that works almost as an interlining. Roman or roller blind fabric can contribute as well to a signature décor, working as place mats for the dinner table.

Wooden slats are just the thing if you want to make an individual picture frame or a lovely bird house. Go for cardboard, glue or nails to put it together.

Tension rods are also a host of various possible uses. You can fit one horizontally in a narrower area and turn unusable space into clever storage space for spray bottles, dust cloths, hangers or for oganizing your show collection. In cupboards, they help plates, cutting boards and lids sit upright.

You never know how objects that seem to die on you can be brought to life once again, so rather than throwing them away to the trash bin try to make something captivating, new and exciting out of them and enjoy the whole process.