So, I finally caved and decided to get some proper blackout curtains. For ages, man, I was struggling. My bedroom window faces east, and that morning sun? Brutal. Waking me up way before I needed to be. I tried all sorts of things before this, you know? Tacking up an old blanket – looked terrible. Then I got some of those flimsy paper blinds. Useless. It was a real mess, honestly, just a collection of failed attempts that made the room look junky and didn’t even do the job.
Getting Started: The Decision and the Hunt
I figured, enough is enough. I need actual darkness if I’m ever going to sleep in past sunrise. So, the mission for blackout curtains began. Went online, looked at a few stores. So many options! Different fabrics, different hanging styles. It was a bit much, not gonna lie. I just wanted something that worked and didn’t look like a science experiment gone wrong. I eventually settled on a pair that seemed thick enough and the color wasn’t too offensive. Measured my window like three times because I just knew I’d mess it up otherwise.
The Main Event: Installation Day
Alright, so the package arrived. First thing I noticed, these things were heavy! Way heavier than I expected. Good sign, I thought. Means they’ll actually block the light. I unrolled them, got out my trusty drill, the new curtain rod, all the bits and pieces. My old setup was just some thumbtacks and hope, so this was a proper upgrade.
The process itself, well, it wasn’t rocket science, but it wasn’t a walk in the park either.
- First, I had to take down all the old junk I had up there. That was satisfying, I tell ya.
- Then, marking the spots for the brackets. I used a level, trying to be all professional. Still managed to get one side a tiny bit higher, but shhh, don’t tell anyone.
- Drilling the holes was next. My walls are pretty solid, so it took a bit of oomph. Dust everywhere, of course.
- Got the brackets up, then slid the curtains onto the rod. That part was easy enough.
- Lifting the whole thing up and slotting it into the brackets – that took a bit of muscle, especially trying to keep it balanced.
Once they were up, I stood back. And wow.
The Sweet, Dark Result
The moment I drew them closed for the first time, even in the middle of the day, the room went dark. Like, properly dark. It was amazing. I couldn’t believe the difference. All those years of squinting at my alarm clock, feeling like a vampire caught in daylight, and the solution was this simple all along.
And it wasn’t just the darkness, though that was the main thing. The room actually felt a bit quieter too. Not soundproof, obviously, but it definitely dampened some of the outside noise. Plus, I’ve noticed it helps keep the room a bit cooler now that the summer sun isn’t just baking through the window all morning. So, bonus points for that.
Why did I finally get serious about this? Well, let me tell you. I’ve been a light sleeper my whole life. The slightest crack of dawn and I’m up. And if I ever had to work a weird shift and sleep during the day? Forget about it. It was a constant battle. I’d be tired, grumpy, just not myself. My old landlord, bless his heart, probably thought I was nuts with all the contraptions I’d try to rig up over the window. He’d see me taping up cardboard and just shake his head. It was a long road of trial and error, mostly error, before I just bit the bullet and did it properly.
So yeah, if you’re on the fence, just do it. Hanging them was a bit of a faff, sure, took an afternoon. But the sleep I’m getting now? Totally worth it. My bedroom is my sanctuary now, a proper cave when I need it to be. No more 5 AM sunrises unless I want them!
