How can I reuse or recycle old window blinds?
We’ve had an email from Rich:
Any ideas about how to recycle faux wood blinds? They are white and made of plastic. There must be some craft to make with them.
I’m presuming Rich means Venetian/slat blinds – of the type being currently battered next to my head as cats fight behind them ;)
So what can be done with them? With plastic ones like Rich or the soft wood ones about to cause me imminent injury?
Since I’m obsessed with weaving odd things, I think I’d been tempted to give it a go with the slats – no idea what the resulting fabric could be used for though ;)
So any thoughts?
I’ve heard of cutting the narrow plastic & metal ones into lengths of about 8″ and using them for plant identification markers when you are planting in the spring. You would have to see if pencil or marker worked best to write on them.
yes but no m8 i dont think this would work i tryed it it is a disaser
I have never done it before and don’t know how it would turn out, but if you did weave them into “fabric” I think you could possibly use them as place mats for the dinner table. They may be to crinkly for it, or if they are too old they may be brittle and break into a gazillion pieces (which I have had happen to me).
If you do use them as place mats be sure to put something like felt on the back so that they don’t scratch the table.
hi josh :) i luv u m8
oh my gosh, with a single blind I could make an entire jewerly collection, cover lampshades in interesting woven textures, it is a great source for artists or crafters, thanks for opening the door!
Funny I should run across this post. I just posted a blog on using an old plastic blind to make garden markers with, and they came out pretty good. I plan to use a Sharpie marker to write with. No idea how long they’ll last with the UV rays of the sun, but I’m sure I’ll get one season out of them at the least.
I use them to make flower-garden markers every year. Since I’m not made of money and can’t afford potted perennials or flats of annuals, I start my own plants from seed every year.
I just cut the slats about every 5-inches, every other cut on an angle, so I get one blunt end and one sharp end to stick in the soil. I use a Sharpie to write on the markers, and I don’t worry about the markers becoming brittle or the writing fading as they only have to withstand one or two years at most. (The ones for annuals only have to last a few months.)
Being outside and exposed to the elements, the vinyl does become quite brittle. The following spring, I just crumble them up and leave them in the dirt. They act sort of like perlite as far as helping the soil stay fluffy.
I’m not sure I’d want to do that in a vegetable garden, however. Not sure what, if any, chemicals would leach out of the vinyl.
Makeover one of your lamps:
http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/creative-reuse/diy-idea-make-a-miniblind-lamp-077138
Thanks for these tips. I have not thought of these before. Got a couple of old window blinds stock inside my garage. Got some ideas too with the comments of your readers.
Thank you, great tips, I’m looking forward to a project I have in mind
The string that is used in most blinds is very sturdy and very long. I have pulled it out of several blinds and use the resulting ball all over the house and yard. As far as the vinyl slats go—I’ve beens saving mine to create some kind of wind sculpture, mobile, yard art, but haven’t done it yet! OUtside in the wind and sun, the vinyl may not last forever, but I was just hoping for something that moved with the breezes. I hope this triggers someone’s fancy to get started on theirs!
You can take the heavier plastic ones and the wooden ones off the broken perished strings and make frames to fit inside your windows of slightly heavier wood. Then tack the old slats on making lightweight indoor shutters. You can just put these up and down and store somewhere or place below the windows when not in use or you can hinge them and put them up and secure to the ceiling when not required on the windows. You could also arrange for them to slide away. If you hate fussy curtains as much as I do and hate dusty venetians even more, you will like this look. This idea can be used on glass doors too as the slats are quite light. Or if the windows open to a verandah you can put your shutters on the outside.
I am in home mom looking for ways to save! How about taking the blinds down and finishing them again with spray paint, a spray paint that wont finish shiny……
These were very good examples for crafts. I elieve I will try to make the placemats..
Thanks
I have re-used the fabric on vertical louvre blinds to make shopping bags by thoroughly washing them first to remove the stiffening, then weaving a few slats together until I get the desired size, machine sew the base and sides and add handles.
Also can be made into credit card holders/pockets.
The weights from the bottom of each slat can be strung around a plant pot, using the strong cord from the blind, and hung outside to make a windchime.
Cut out shapes for place mats, coasters, use for card making, scrapbooking etc……..
If you sew, the slats from mini blinds can be used when making Fabric Roman shades. One slipped into a long pocket at each fan fold where the loops go ensures that the shades will fold up perfectly.
This is the best idea in the bunch! Brilliant!
I also found a website where you can buy the elements to put old blinds back into action. It looks amazing. I’ve got 5 old wooden blinds that I would like to fix and give away. Since the old “cloth tape” is shredding, this seems like the best way to repair them.
http://www.fixmyblinds.com/
I’ve attempted to weave with two different types of old blinds- the standard white apartment type and the ones with thin, hollow plastic slats. No such luck with either of them, though they could have simply been too old and brittle.
They do work perfectly as garden markers, though! Simply make one end into an arrow, pull out your permanent marker, and you’re good to go!
I do have a couple of other ideas rolling around, we’ll see if they turn out!
I recycled my window blinds by weaving them into a metal deer fence.
It acts as a white backround and also creates privacy. Email me if you would like to see a pic came out great!!
I can keep phone numbers and other items on them. You could even put a Recipe on it and give it to a friend, it would always be handy. permanent markers come in all kinds of colors. Send A letter to a friend on your old blind, I sent a ball I wrote on ,and a sandal just make sure the postage is right. I didn’t even wrap the ball or sandal.
Balcony privacy
i would use them to make inlays on kitchen cabinet doors