As you think about getting new window treatments, you might be wondering what to do with the old ones. At Windows, Walls & More here in West Bloomfield, we’re frequently asked about the best way to handle old treatments because many of our customers don’t want to just fill up the landfills. We have a few ideas you might be able to use—read on to learn more.

Fully Functional

Your old window treatments might still work just fine—you just decided to upgrade or change your look. If that’s the case, the old ones might just do the trick for someone else for a while. You can consider donating them to a place like Habitat for Humanity ReStore, the Salvation Army, or Goodwill.

Not at All Functional

If your old window treatments are broken or in bad shape, here are some tips on where to recycle or creative ideas of what to do with them.

• Aluminum/Metal Blinds. These are the easiest to recycle because all you have to do is take them to scrap yard. Just remove all the strings and release the slats from the headrail. Then give them a quick clean, and drop them off to be recycled.
• Wood, Faux Wood, or Woven Wood Blinds. Unfortunately, if your wood or woven wood blinds have been stained, painted, or treated or your faux wood blinds have PVC in them, they can’t be recycled. You can still recycle any metal hardware at the scrap yard. And you might be able to get some creative use out of the pieces—use them as shims or to create a cute planter, for example.
• Fabric Roman Shades and Draperies. Cut the fabric away from the hardware and donate it to the Salvation Army or a Goodwill store. Recycle the hardware at the scrap yard.
• Honeycomb or Cellular Shades. Honeycomb shades are typically made from polyester fabric, which is already made from recycled materials and can’t be recycled again. Cut away the hardware to be recycled, and try to come up with a creative way to use the fabric.

Recycling Ideas in West Bloomfield

Windows, Walls & More was established in 1977 and has become the leader in window treatments and window treatment motorization, as well as wallpaper, interior design and more. With a beautiful Hunter Douglas Gallery showroom in West Bloomfield, Windows, Walls & More serves West Bloomfield and the surrounding areas, including Franklin, Livonia, Birmingham, Farmington Hills, Bloomfield Hills, Commerce Township, Northville and Novi.

Stop by our Hunter Douglas Gallery to see our many functional window covering displays. For more information, or to schedule your free in-store consultation, give us a call today at 248-661-3840.