Any ideas on how to make the bedrooms darker?

[samy23]

We have dark curtains, and they have a lining, but the room still isn't all that dark during the daytime. Which isn't ideal if we have the occasional daytime nap, or get sick and want to be in a dark room during the daytime to sleep.

Any ideas?

[blizzard_babe]

Cardboard cut out in the shape of the window, with aluminum foil on the outward-facing side.

[kdescalzi]

We just taped up some black garbage bags behind the curtains. Obviously very ugly, but the only way to get ds room dark enough.

[charleysmama23]

I bought two tension rods from Joann's, super cheap and put one at the top of the window and one at the bottom. Then used some dark navy, almost black, fleece cut it a little bigger than the window and sewed a seam at the top and the bottom to create a pocket which i could slide the rods through. Fits snugly inside the window (our windows are cut into the wall, like there's a good 4 inch ledge all the way around if that makes sense...) and blocks light perfectly.

[_betsy_]

We got actual room darkening shades and they totally do the job.

I have a crappy sleeper who NEEDS certain conditions before she'll even think about giving up and going to sleep, and a dark room even in the daytime is a must.

Is it your own house? Can you plat a tree that will eventually help offer shade?

[Sheryl1678]

I also have cardboard covered by foil and the whole thing is duct-taped to the frame and covered by a couple of blankets.

My DD can't sleep a wink if she can see an inch in front of her face. I have gotten used to sleeping in the same darkness and I love it.

[Ruthie's momma]

Garbage bags and cardboard boxes aside, we have room darkening horizontal blinds (a bit more attractive...). They work very well w/o any additional window treatments. If you already have lined curtains, the addition of some room darkening blinds or shades should do the trick.

[blizzard_babe]

Another thing some people do up here is take a piece of particle board and cut it into the exact shape of the window, minus a wee bit so you can take it out and put it in. Then, wrap it in batting (Polyfil or the like; staple it down), and sew/staple some cool fabric over it. Pops in and out of the window, and the polyfil helps insulate!

[samy23]

Originally Posted by kdescalzi

We just taped up some black garbage bags behind the curtains. Obviously very ugly, but the only way to get ds room dark enough.

Im going to try this! Cheap and simple! -I don't want to spend money on a blind or shades. One thing is you said its very ugly, but how? you can't even see the garbage bags because they are on the back on the curtains right? So how would anyone even know they are there?

[samy23]

Originally Posted by samy23

Im going to try this! Cheap and simple! -I don't want to spend money on a blind or shades. One thing is you said its very ugly, but how? you can't even see the garbage bags because they are on the back on the curtains right? So how would anyone even know they are there?

ETA I just tried this idea, but it failed. I couldn't get the garbage bags to stick onto the back of the curtains. Maybe the tape I used wasn't strong enough? Damn

[kdescalzi]

samy23... sorry if I wasn't clear. I used heavy duty tape to stick the garbage bags to the window trim. This way when you pull the curtains across you cannot see the garbage bags. I made sure that the bags fit inside the window so no light can seep through. Please let me know if this works for you.