Curtains in a Rental House?

[Tricky Grama]

We are renovating our rental house, used to live there, an old frame farm house. The miniblinds are trashed-old-bent-etc. the question is: should we provide curtains?

I'm thinking if anything, maybe the pull-down roller shades? We're spending a fortune b/c of former renter & cats...2K for refinishing floors. Put in new windows-nearly 5K. Bathroom is gutted...so can't spend like drunken sailors-already have!

Ideas are appreciated!

Patty

[Cliff]

If anything I would just stick up the cheap mini-blinds from Walmart. The renters will likely just take whatever curtains you put up down anyway.

[puddlejumper007]

yep cliff has the right idea.....

[54BelAir]

I would say it depends on where the house is. If it's way out in the country, far back from the road, and nobody can see in, then leave the windows bare. If it's in town close to the street, or if it's someplace where you personally would be able to see in, then cover the windows.

If it matters to you what it looks like from the outside, you will probably want miniblinds. Pull down rollers are too easy to pull loose from the roller, and bare windows + renters usually means sheets strung on clothesline over the window if the renter has to come up with something. There are exceptions ( I put up nice curtains in my windows, and I rent), but don't count on it.

[clovis]

Patty-

I have been away from HT for a short while. Have you gotten the cat smell gone? What did you use? I would love to hear successes and failures on what worked, and what didn't.

As for curtains...I think I would consider pull up cheap venetian mini-blinds. Do you have to offer any type of window treatments?

Clove

[amelia]

Roman shades are a great option if you're handy with a sewing machine. Your cost would be limited to the cost of the fabric, a scrap 1x2 (for the mounting bar), a wooden dowel (for weighting the bottom) a package of little plastic rings, and some cord. I'd bet you could find a set of instructions on the internet. Here's the first one I came across:

http://www.denverfabrics.com/pages/s...man-shades.htm

[Windy_jem]

I would put up cheap mini blinds or nothing.....

[Lilandra]

I'd leave curtain rods but no curtains. that way their own personal tastes will be respected at the same time saving you money. when you have them sign the lease, let them know that blankets and such are not appropriate curtains and you will charge extra rent if you have to supply the curtains... but it is ok not to have curtains.

sorry you have had problems in the past with renters, hope this go around is better

[soulsurvivor]

If it were me and trying to save money, I'd buy the cheapest round curtain rods I could find and then try to find fabric shower curtains on clearance. At least they'd be easy to throw in the wash and reused.

The fabric shower curtains can sometimes be found in the dollar type stores for $5. These are usually large enough and long enough to cover about any window. I use them in my own home because the fabric is so pretty and matches the decor.

I didn't use the shower hanging clips though. I cut out the buttonholes at the top and restitched these to stay open so I could push the curtain rod through. Once bunched up on the rod, the holes don't show.

These would be tough enough to stand up to about any abuse I could imagine. I've had mine for about 10 yrs now, and they have been washed many many times. The fabric is wrinkle-free and they dry quickly.

[norcalfarm]

At our rental, I hung curtain rods and my wife found fabric to my make the curtains. You probably couldn't go wrong with mini blinds though either.

[Yvonne's hubby]

I have several houses that I either rent, or have sold on a rent to own basis. Its been my experience that every time some one moves out I have a clean up/repair project on my hands. This includes replacing any window treatments that I have put up, light bulbs throughout the house, new carpets, and any appliances that were in the house when folks moved in. I wouldnt put anything expensive in a rental, coz yer about 90 percent sure that it will be gone or trashed when the good folks move out. These days I replace window treatments with the simple pull down rollers before rerenting.

[chickenista]

I would skip the mini blinds and just go with a curtain rod and fabric glued white sheets or thrift store curtains. Mini blinds get broken adn they have the strangly cords..and you know that the people would sue you if their kid got hurt. etc...

[Tricky Grama]

"I have been away from HT for a short while. Have you gotten the cat smell gone? What did you use? I would love to hear successes and failures on what worked, and what didn't.

As for curtains...I think I would consider pull up cheap venetian mini-blinds. Do you have to offer any type of window treatments?"

Clove

Thanks for remembering! We THINK we got out most of the smell. Used SCOE 10X. THis was after using Nature's Miracle from Petco-had to do something quick. Of course, all the other methods said that if something else was used 1st, theirs may not work. I think you said "Active Plus"? Prolly should have tried to find that...
Anyway, guy comes this week to refinish the floors & says that will do it "for sure". The smell is only detectable in 2 corners & near one wall. We treated these areas over & over. Last resort-we spread 10 lbs of baking soda & a can of baby powder!

"Roman shades are a great option if you're handy with a sewing machine."
Amelia-would LOVE to do this but have NO sewing machine & prolly couldn't do anything w/it if I did! I could sew a hem tho & may just get burlap type material?? All new windows w/frames in a 'bisque' color-look great. They should, for the fortune we paid.

The house is in a small town, elem. school across the street so do need something. However, the liv windows aren't visible directly from the front...bdrms in the back & on one side...might just cover bdrms...

Patty

[clovis]

Patty-

Sorry to thread drift....

If you still have the smell "against one wall" and in 2 corners, you might consider pulling up the baseboard molding.

My aunt's rehab had the problem of the cat urine that ran into the bottom plate of the wall. When she removed the baseboard trim, and treated the bottom plate, it solved the problem.

Clove

[Common Tator]

I would put inexpensive curtains in the bedroom, bathroom and livingroom. Any other windows they want covered, they can do on their dime.

If I were looking to rent a house, I wouldn't want one where I would have to spend for curtains, that almost certainly wouldn't fit my next house. If I had to cough up first and last month's rent, and damage deposit (standard here) I wouldn't have enough money for curtains.

[Tricky Grama]

Originally Posted by clovis

Patty-

Sorry to thread drift....

If you still have the smell "against one wall" and in 2 corners, you might consider pulling up the baseboard molding.

My aunt's rehab had the problem of the cat urine that ran into the bottom plate of the wall. When she removed the baseboard trim, and treated the bottom plate, it solved the problem.

Clove

Hopefully after the floors are done we won't have to-the 'baseboards' are 6" & old ones. There's no quarter round in place right now. We've used 'Zinser BIN' on walls & baseboards, so we'll see! Thanks tho-I remembered you'd said that & we'll do it as a last resort.

Patty

[Tricky Grama]

Originally Posted by Common Tator

I would put inexpensive curtains in the bedroom, bathroom and livingroom. Any other windows they want covered, they can do on their dime.

If I were looking to rent a house, I wouldn't want one where I would have to spend for curtains, that almost certainly wouldn't fit my next house. If I had to cough up first and last month's rent, and damage deposit (standard here) I wouldn't have enough money for curtains.

You're right-I think we'll do the 'expand' rods in the windows & perhaps cover just the bdrms-bthroom has a high window.
Patty

[plowjockey]

I'm with the cheap mini-blind crowd.

They are probably less than $5 each, have warning labels attached to the cords and will give athe house a uniform look, from the outside.

Expensive ones will probably be trashed, when the tenants move anyway and you don't want blankets, sheets or ugly curtains hung, plus a bunch of extra drilling in the woodwork.

[Shygal]

Speaking AS one of those "good folks" that rent a house, I resent the implication that all tenants trash everything.
I for one appreciated having mini blinds in all the windows in my last house, and the two that did get broken , I replaced before we left.

This house has shades in it, and while they are nice, I did like having the mini blinds.

I cant afford much and it was nice to not have to worry about buying shades or blinds for all the windows in a house when I moved in. I probably would NOT like the landlord putting curtains in, because I prefer to have those be of my choice, since I have to look at them on a daily basis, and my tastes do not run the same as someone elses.

[Ken Scharabok]

I once saw very nice curtains made out of large bath or beach towels. Top was just folded over and sewn to create curtain rod area.