Ever wonder what to do with those old window treatments? So do the customers at Perfect Fit Window Fashions serving Estero, FL. Given the current environmental concerns, people are not willing to fill up the landfills with their old window treatments when they update their home. The customers at Perfect Fit Window Fashions often ask what they can do with their old window treatments instead of throwing them out. Read on for some tips on what might work for your old coverings.
You had to Replace your Window Treatments, What Now?
You just moved into a new house where the window treatments are worn and out of date. The dog chewed up your blinds or shades and you had to replace them. Life happens, and you had to replace your window treatments. What do you do with those old ones? If you want to be responsible and recycle your old window treatments the folks at Perfect Fit Window Fashions can point you in the right direction.
Donate. If your blinds or shades are in working order, the best thing is to donate them. Remember, what is old to you, is new to someone else. Here are some popular donation options:
- Habitat For Humanity Restore
- Salvation Army or Goodwill Stores
- Friends or Students
Recycle or Repurpose. If your blinds and shades are broken or in bad shape and cannot be donated intact, creatively repurpose them using the ideas below depending on the type of window treatment. You can recycle the hardware from all window treatments.
Aluminum Blinds. Aluminum or metal blinds are the easiest window treatment to recycle because the infrastructure to recycle metals such as copper and steel is already in place. Remove all strings freeing the slats from the headrail before taking your aluminum blinds to the recycling center or scrap yard. You may also want to give them a quick cleaning.
Wood, Faux Wood, or Woven Wood Blinds. If your wood or woven wood blinds have been stained, painted, or treated or your faux wood blinds have PVC in them, they cannot be recycled. If they are damaged, find a school or after-school program that might be able to use them for art projects. Or, creatively use them in your own home. For example, you can cut the slats into small pieces and use them to level furniture or use full slats line shelves.
Fabric Roman Shades and Draperies. Donate the fabric from your ripped or torn fabric Roman Shades or Draperies. Use scissors to cut the fabric away from the hardware and then take the fabric to a clothing donation center, like the Salvation Army or Goodwill. You could also take the fabric to a school or after-school program for craft projects.
Honeycomb or Cellular Shades. Donate the fabric from your Honeycomb or Cellular Shades. These shades are typically made from polyester fabric, which is already a recycled material and cannot be recycled again. The best thing to do is to cut the fabric off the headrail and take it to a school or after-school program for craft projects or try reuse the fabric in your own home.
Online Resources. If all else fails and you find yourself running into walls on what do to with your old blinds and shades, use online resources, such as Earth 9ll, to find a recycling center near you.
Donating, Recycling, and Repurposing your Window Treatments in Estero, FL
Visit our showroom in Estero, FL, serving the areas of Estero, Bonita Springs, Naples and Ft. Myers. Contact us today for a design consultation – we’re looking forward to serving you!
