Blackout curtains or blinds in bedroom

Ella_fella

So I'm going to be working nights in a few weeks time with my new job, main bedroom where I sleep in let's in lots of light through the curtains. Was looking for suggestions please to eliminate as much as this light as possible.
Initial thoughts were:-
Blackout curtains though there would still be considerable amount of light at the sides and top of the curtains and at the bottom as the windowsill juts out by about an inch and there is a radiator immediately below the window frame. 
Roman blinds - window is constructed into 3 portions each about 2 foot wide which open at the left and right hand sections so not sure if need blinds to fit entire window frame or 3 lots of separate blinds.
Any thoughts please?

[Deleted User]

Hi,

that all sounds too much effort, what about this,

FreeBear

Got roller blinds on one window here. It lets quite a bit of light through round the edges & top.

If you want full on black out without any light leaks, taping a sheet of blackout material (or heavy guage black polythene) over the window is a quick & temporary solution - One I have used in the past.

Belenus

Our guest bedroom faces east and is very bright in the morning even with the curtains closed.

We fitted a blackout roller blind in the window recess and that solved the problem.

Some light does get in around the blind  but the combination of the blind in the recess and the curtains outside and overlapping the recess is very effective.

Soot2006

Blackout roller blinds in the window recess + some nice curtains in case your schedule changes ...

Or, you can get "wraparound" curtain poles so there's no gaps on the side. They look quite nice, I find!

kasqueak

I think it’s a personal thing. Personally I like total blackness when I sleep so I have both a roller black out blind and black out curtains! I got the blind from argos and it was reasonable price and easy to put up with a choice of colours. 

MovingForwards

I had floor to ceiling blackout curtains in the last flat, tucked them in front of the radiator as it wasn't left on overnight. They were great.

In this flat I've blackout blinds which let light in around the edges, not something I would recommend. 

Haven't got round to putting up a track to hang the blackout curtains up.

twopenny

I got my own black out linings from a fabric shop. They are brilliant and much better than the ready made. Just tack them on the back of your existing curtains or use iron on tape.

Push the curtains to sit on the windowsill including the sides. That makes a difference.

I'm also making a simple pelmet with fabric and the blackout material (you can use fabric spray glue or iron on stuff) which I'll tuck into the top of the curtain rail. It may not be the look I want but easily changed later.

In mid summer I use those foil backed foam sheets you use in car windows to stop the heat. £1 each. Put those up against the windows. They work brilliantly. I don't care if someone looks as long as I get my sleep.

I've tried blinds, ready made curtains, heavy duty ones and the proper lining + a pelmet/vallance seems to be the only way to deal with it if like me, sunrise is directly in my window.

flea72

Shutters are the only thing that will give total blackout.  Ive tried curtains,
 and blinds, but in rooms without shutters, I find a mask with eye cups works best

MX5huggy

I’ve got blackout material with Velcro stitched to the top edge then stick on Velcro on the widow frame, blocks out almost all light.

goldfinches

I've also got a Heath Robinson style arrangement of roller blind and then a foil sheet combined with velcro that goes over the whole window aperture to block the rising sun from a Velux window for some of the year. This works incredibly well, was very cheap and has vastly improved the heat loss from the window. I used stick on velcro that matches the paint on that section of the ceiling too, which I got from a dressmaking supplies warehouse.