How to Shorten Blinds
You bought a set of horizontal blinds, but after putting them on your windows, you realize they’re too long, and are dragging on the floor. Before you get the urge to return them to the store or throw them out, don’t because there’s an easy solution to this. It’s not difficult to shorten blinds, and here’s how to do it.
What You’ll Need:
Horizontal blinds
Scissors
Screwdriver
Tweezers
Procedure:
Install the blinds, according to the instructions given. Once it’s up, release its pull cords, allowing the blinds to extend fully, as long as it really is.
blinds
Check bar at the bottom of the blind; this will have three caps or more, if the blind is wider than usual. These caps match the place where the vertical strings are. These strings support the blind slats, while the cords lift them. Carefully pop out all the caps. You can do this with your bare fingers, but if not, use a screwdriver to pry them up. Set these aside.
Look at the openings on the far left and the far right of the bottom bar. These have a knotted cord, used to lift the blind slats. Get a pair of tweezers and pull the knot out. Snip it off with scissors. The cord should be able to be pulled free from the bottom bar.
From the openings, pull loose the “ladder” strings, the ones that separate the bottom bar from the slats. These will be in each opening, when the caps are removed.
Get one end of the bottom bar, then pull it out from the strings, either to the right or left. Pull out slats, until one slat is above the window sill. Allow the ladder strings and pull cords to dangle.
Reinsert the bottom bar through the ladder-like strings, just below the final slat. The larger openings of the bar should be facing downwards, towards the floor.
Cut off the extra ladder strings, leaving just a “square”. This will be tucked in the bar’s opening.
Restring the pull cords again, from the last slat and going through the small hole at the bottom bar’s top. Pull the cord out through the big opening on the bottom bar’s base. Tie a knot in the cord.
Tug on the pull cords at the same time, enough to draw the loose cords. This will make cause the knots to be pulled in the openings at the bar’s bottom. Tuck the strings into the openings. Recap the openings by lining the slits at the caps’ rim, matching the strings’ location. Press firmly.
Finally, adjust the pull cord’s length. This will allow you to cut off the surplus length of the cord which came when you pulled out the slats. Afterward, slip the pull cord’s plastic sleeve upward, going to a comfortable, reachable height. Tie a new knot at a new location, for the pull cord end. Cut the extra cord under the knot, then let the sleeve cover the new knot.
Keep the excess slats. You can use them as replacements.
Blinds that are too long don’t have to be a big problem. Try this do-it-yourself tactic, and get the blinds to the proper length, without spending anything or doing anything special.