We put cheap blinds throughout our rentals - better a cheap blind than a towel tacked up with screws and tenants almost never add or ask to add curtains...but per Jeffrey's damage question, it IS true that the one constant we see in almost ALL our units at move-out: at least one damaged blind usually three or four.

BUT if they stay awhile though, even if they don't get damaged they get dusty and dirty and life is way too short to worry about washing blinds.

Curtains are cheap these days and EASY to wash - and I can get heavy, washable black-out curtains on Amazon for not much more than a blind. But then you have the rods too and I suspect they are subject to damage?

I personally HATE blinds ... probably left over "trauma" from scrubbing my grandma's metal venetian blinds when I was young.

I've not had a lot of experience with curtains. The first time, the tenants didn't like the curtains and took them down and stored them in the garage. They didn't fold them or protect them and they were wadded up and had motor oil stains on them.

The second house had really cute side panels plus miniblinds and all the tenants liked those and left them up. They had to be washed and ironed between tenants. I'm not a big fan of ironing.

My third curtain experience, the curtains were missing when I got the house back. They had come with the house when I bought it and were really expensive curtains. Maybe they fit into the tenant's new place?

To each his own. I've had blinds get destroyed, but the tenant pays for new ones and installation. Most of the time, tenants haven't damaged them (knock on wood).

When I could do the $3-$4/window corded blinds, I could treat them as disposable.

When those were no longer available, I pivoted to $10-for-2-panels blackout curtains plus a $3.50 tension rod, and try to get my windows covered for $15/window.

Excellent topic, one of the best for all landlords!

We all know that the cheap big box store purchased vinyl and metal mini-blinds never holdup in the hands of a tenant! And the larger 1-1/2 inch wooden blind are so heavy, that the pull cords break within a couple years.

So what's the answer? I have a few ideas to consider:

(1) Pull down shades. You can order them cut to any size of have the people at Home Depot or Lowe's cut them in the store for you. The material have different sun blocking levels to allow light without having to open them.

(2) Zebra Blinds. Also a style of pull down, but they also have a duel setting. A) all the way up. B) Partially down Closed or 50% open Box 0r C) all the way closed.

(3) Redi-Shade. They come in paper, with a glue strip for the top to attach. Cheaper than a mini-blind, around $6.

(4) When replacing window, get them with a build in shade/blind between the duel glass sheets. They last forever.

I have been buying 2” faux wood blinds for the past 4 years. They hold up well. While they are not indestructible, they don’t get brittle and self destruct either.

They cost $40-$80 each with most of my windows being $40.

Labor is more expensive, the cheapest blinds are not the lowest cost when they need to be replaced annually.

I have gone from replacing every blind at every turnover to replacing 1 blind every 4 turnovers.

If you don't have a sand blasting technique like ROBERT J, I buy a plastic covering with a design that sticks right onto the window. Amazon sells them with various designs to choose from. Saw it on a show where they were selling houses. The view from one of the windows was awful, so the homeowner put one of these in and depending on what you choose, you can't see inside or out, but light is able to shine through.

Roy, if we don't supply window coverings, the tenant will, as you noted - and they will NOT install them properly and there goes the wall all around the windows. DH can hang a blind in a minute or two, assuming the old hardware is not damaged, so he prefers to hang them himself.

We do charge for damage but not dust or dirt on the blinds after a few years of occupancy. And it is hard to clean cheap blinds without damaging them.

How many windows do you guys have that you can spend time washing and waiting for them to dry? A typical unit for us will be anywhere from 5 - 10 or so. And doing 24-hour turnovers doesn't allow for cleaning & drying time. Plus, as Roy said, life's too short to wash blinds :)

I like the idea of moving to vertical blinds - I hate them, but I don't have to live with them. Maybe we'll check into that for the next turnover.

When the tenants leave, if the blinds are broken, they pay for them.

What retailer you use for your curtains doesn't matter as much as creating that system of using that same set of curtains repeatedly on your units.

I put mini blinds up in the first rental. Tenant didn't like them, took them down and they were all destroyed.

Next tenant we put up curtains. That tenant didn't like them, took them down and that was that.

Have never supplied blinds per my lease. I have bought a lot of them lately from auctions. Mostly for my kid's places. But I put them up in the last two empties I had to keep nosey people from seeing all my stuff inside.

I just let a lot of them pass me by because I didn't want to travel just for blinds at the latest auction.

To make one of our empty units a more appealing I put some very expensive lace curtain toppers from my house in, just for a showing. The ladies all fell in love with them and asked if they went with the apartment. I ended up having to say yes. That was more than 10 years ago. The curtain toppers are still in there; every showing since the ladies always ask, so I leave them in. They really make the room. I've never been able to find those toppers or anything as nice. A mere pittance to get good tenants.

Biggest issue is the new blinds (no cords) always look crooked when hanging and lift crookedly, etc. I hate them. Crooked blinds drive me nuts (a little too nuts.)

If I were more handy-capable, I'm thinking the self-stick window film might actually be the way to go. I've seen a few tenants add it for privacy and it really works and doesn't damage the window or frame at all.

It doesn't add room-darkening but that's usually only needed in one bedroom...

Just put in 8 Walmart-LT$10 each - 1 inch vinyl cordless light filtering - standard size no special cut to length or width - Attached Holding clips to the window casing not the window frame. I Leveled the clips - install was easy .

Problem was determining a standard width that covered the window panes and looked good. Note-I did not put the blinds inside the casing. This allowed me to use a cheaper standard width. Most of my tenants stay a few years - good choice for my B unit.

W,

We've been thru every iteration of window coverings.

I like the 2" Plantation blinds but they are expensive.

I stick with mini blinds on EVERY window. Disposable. Easy. We usually only replace 1 or 2 per turnover, usually broken because they are flimsy. Once the new style brackets are installed they just snap in.

Just did clean up from a horrible eviction. Only replaced 2 blinds in kids' rooms. (next to beds)

We use only white. Less likely to show dust. Turn them flat and vac with a brush attachment.

We used to wash them in the tub but no more. Easier replace.

I want the home looking good from the street and crisp and clean when toured.

Vertical blinds make prospects under 45 gag. The attachment point is flimsy and cracks, the holders crack, and the tracks are trouble. I won't allow them for patio doors, etc.

My prospects don't like drapes. They held odor, wrong colors, perceived as germy, and cost more than minis.

BRAD