Broken Blinds

Ever find yourself with blinds that look like this?  If you have children, the answer is probably yes.  Fear not!  You can probably repair them yourself and no one (including your landlord) will ever know!

I have done it many times with those cheap plastic blinds you find everywhere, but this was my first time trying it with thicker, faux wood 2" blinds.  It still worked!

1.  Remove the broken slat.  If you have cheap plastic/vinyl blinds it's as easy as cutting them out with scissors.  With thick wood or faux wood you will need an exacto knife or something similar.  Make sure you don't cut any cords!

2.  Carefully remove the replacement slat.  Most people are too lazy to take out the extra slats at the bottom when they hang window blinds, so you end up with tons of extra at the bottom.  Use one of these as your spare.  If your blinds are the exact size, you can trade the bad ones to a spot that is not as noticable.  In my case, I didn't have any extras so I moved the broken slats to the top where they are hidden behind the window valance.  Just find a suitable slat.  Using the same method as before, carefully cut a slit in the back of the slat, connecting to the hole that the cords go through.  DON'T CUT THE CORDS!  Wiggle it around and guide the cord through it until it comes out.  Slide it into the spot you want it in the same way, making sure the cut part is in the back, nearest the window.  VOILA!  Probably no one will ever know and your window will look so much better!  (Until the kids break it again.  Maybe you should just glue tin foil to the window until they're 18.)