Just Right

Right now I have all the time in the world to do projects around our new condo. Unfortunately, most of those projects involve some type of materials or supplies. I would have to go to the hardware store for them, and I'm choosing not to do that.

One project that could be done, though, is shortening the too-long blinds that cover every window. The blinds are nice faux wood with two-inch slats. The first time I opened the windows, which required me to raise and lower the blinds, it was obvious how unattractively bunched up they were when they rested on the sill. (I'm guessing the previous owner purchased standard sizes based on just the window's width.) The extra length also made them heavier and harder to raise. Two good reasons to get rid of the excess.

From doing the same job at our previous house I knew it was an easy fix, so I gathered my supplies and got started. Our apartment-style unit only has two exterior walls, and six windows. The procedure was the same on each window.

Too long!

The first step was to figure out just how long I wanted the blind to be, and slide the extra slats out. Blinds are pretty basic. There's a pull cord to raise and lower them, and ladder cords to hold each slat in place. Unlike the previous blinds I had worked with, this time the pull cords did not go through the slats, but rather were combined with the ladder cords which cradled the slats on both sides. All I had to do was wiggle each unwanted slat out, avoiding indentations for the cords (three of four on each slat, depending on its width).

Halfway done

Next, I removed the plugs underneath the bottom rail, untied the knotted cords inside it, then pulled out the cords from the holes on the sides of the bottom rail and removed it. I slid the bottom rail onto the ladder just above the windowsill, then cut off the cords two rungs down from there.

The last step was to thread the cords back through the holes in the rail. (I found that brushing a little fingernail polish on the ends of the cords kept them from fraying and made it easier to thread them back in.) When they were all in place I tied each set into a knot, making sure the bottom rail hung straight. Finally, I stuffed the excess ladder and lift cords back into the bottom rail plug holes and replaced the plugs.

Just right!