What To Do With Old Blinds And Curtains

By Ana Zuravliova

Trend Specialist at Blinds Direct

Tue 22 Feb 2022

Refreshing our space with new blinds and curtains is always an exciting decision as it instantly changes the dynamic of the space. But the question stands… ‘What do we do with our old ones?’. Whether we decide to upcycle them, donate them to charity or a new home, or reuse parts of them, we have some fun, creative tips on how to rehash our old, loved drapes and blinds.

Ideas for sustainable upcycling of blinds and curtains

With sustainability at the forefront of our minds, throwing away fabric when we remove tired curtains or blinds can seem a little wasteful. With a variety of options to choose from, in today’s blog we’ll go through some fun creative ideas you can do with your old blinds and curtains!

How to repurpose old roman blinds and curtains

Fabric based window dressings are the best for getting creative with. With a large selection of uses for the fabric, used Roman blinds and curtains can easily become an artistic person’s treasure trove. From adapting into new soft furnishings or products, to putting to use in a different area, there is a large variety of sewing and non-sewing ideas which we will discuss later, to make sure those old blinds and curtains don’t go to waste.

image of woman showing how to recycle old curtains

No sewing involved

Sewing machines can be, for many, a steep learning curve. However, we do have some creative ideas that don’t involve the use of a sewing machine, so you can transform old window furnishings into something new with minimal hassle!

Repurpose sheer curtains

Turn sheer voile curtains into a bed canopy by simply hanging them from the ceiling over the bed to create a draped, elegant look. Already have a four poster bed? Just wrap the voile around the upper framework and swag back the remaining draping fabric to create an enchanting sanctuary.

Using your old curtains to entertain the children

If you have young children in the house, creating forts is always a great way to keep them entertained. We often find that when building a fort, every blanket ends up getting used in the creation, yet when it comes to snuggling inside, there are none left. That’s where the use of old curtains come in handy! Keep old curtains for building the walls, the dense fabric will sit better and enclose around the space. From there, fill the fort with blankets and cushions, creating a soft, playing area for your children.

Minimal sewing involved

Another creative way to upcycle old Roman blinds and curtains is to adapt them into napkins. Simply cut the desirable size, create a hem, and run them through a sewing machine. The patterns and colourways will help create fun, unique table dressings. Perfect for dinner parties, festive holidays, and special occasions.

Turn your old drapes into new scatter cushions. A simple yet effective way to upcycle the old fabric while remaining environmentally friendly. Have a beloved furry friend? Why not create a bed or outfit for them out of the same material to help in keeping with the interior décor.

Upcycling roller blinds

A fabulous way to upcycle old roller blinds is to turn them into lampshades since the denser material will hold a better structure than that of a Roman blind. Another creative way to repurpose roller blinds is to use the fabric for present wrapping. When used for wrapping, the fabric wont tear at the corners and its pliability means it will cover odd-shaped items with ease – no more stress when wrapping circular shaped items, how amazing! Moreover, once the gift has been unwrapped, you take it home for the next special occasion – its neat and good for the environment.

Roller blinds are also great for arts and crafts projects in households with young children. From turning them into painting canvas’s or cutting into strips and using for artistic projects. They are a nifty trick to keeping the young ones entertained.

Repurpose your old wooden blinds

Real wooden Venetian blinds are a great environmentally friendly aspect to reuse. If you are someone who is into gardening, then dis-assembling the slats allows them to double up as growing supports for plants. As well as becoming flower identifiers. The string used to raise the blinds can also be reused for tying the plants to the slats, getting full use out of the old blinds.

For metal venetian blinds, the aluminium used in them can be remoulded to create jewellery or ornaments. Providing us with the opportunity to pick up new skills and hobbies, while getting the most out of our old blinds.

image to show example of how to repurpose old wooden blinds

image of curtains that have been repurposed to make a den

Donate to charity

The most obvious thing to do with old blinds and curtains is to give them to charity – depending on the condition of them. Giving to charity is a wonderful way of letting many items find a new home, plus it’s for a good cause and will bring someone else joy. Charities are able to either re-use of recycle more than 90% of donated clothing and fabric. By boosting the use of reuse and recycling, charity retail helps to reduce waste that ends up in landfill. Resulting in a cleaner, healthier planet.

There are many wonderful things to do with old blinds and curtains. The creativity aspect is a wonderful way for us all to express ourselves, learn new skills and be introduced to new hobbies. At Blinds Direct we have a wonderful array of blinds and curtains that can be loved and in years to come, reused – it just depends on how creative we want to be with them…