Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
Blackout Curtains That Actually Fixed My Bright Apartment Sleep Problem
36
items Street lights, neon signs, and that one neighbor who leaves their porch light on all night. If you live in an apartment and wake up at 4am because the sun treats your bedroom like a spotlight, I spent six months testing curtains so you can just skip ...
Sections
6
Bedroom Blackout Curtains That Block Real City Light
Living Room Curtains That Don't Look Like a Dorm Room
No-Drill Solutions for Renters Who Can't Put Holes in Walls
Curtains That Help With Apartment Noise and Temperature
Short and Small Window Curtains for Tiny Apartments
Curtain Hardware and Accessories That Actually Stay Up
Bedroom Blackout Curtains That Block Real City Light
Sleeping in a ground-floor apartment next to a parking lot with floodlights taught me that not all blackout curtains are created equal. These ones actually made my room dark enough to sleep past sunrise.
Grab these first if your bedroom faces a street. I went from waking up at 5am with light streaking across my face to sleeping until my alarm actually went off. They block about 95% of light when you overlap them right.
NICETOWN White 100% Blackout Curtains 84 inch Long
Try these if you rent and don't want to spend a fortune. My partner was skeptical but admitted the bedroom felt like a cave within five minutes of hanging them. The thermal layer also cut our AC bill in July.
Deconovo Living Room Curtains 84 Inches Long
Keep these on your radar if you need something budget-friendly for a spare room. My guest room went from unusable during daytime naps to pitch dark. Visitors actually started asking to stay over more.
BGment Navy Blue Blackout Curtains 63 Inch
Switch to these if your current curtains let light leak around the edges. The double-layer fabric is noticeably thicker than most. I held them up to my window at noon and couldn't see my hand through them.
H.VERSAILTEX 100% Blackout Window Curtain Panels
Snag a pair for a smaller bedroom window. They run a little narrow, so measure first. I made that mistake once and had to exchange. Once I got the right size, total darkness, even during a full moon.
MIULEE Blackout Curtains 2 Panels 40x63
Use these if you work night shifts and need to trick your brain into thinking it's midnight at 2pm. A nurse friend recommended them and she was right. They hang heavy and flat against the wall.
RYB HOME 2 Panels Blackout French Door Curtains
Living Room Curtains That Don't Look Like a Dorm Room
My first blackout curtains made my living room look like I was hiding from the FBI. These actually look like normal curtains while still blocking glare and keeping the room cool.
Pair these with a simple rod and your living room looks like you hired a decorator. I had three friends ask where I got them before they believed me when I said they were blackout curtains.
Vintage Floral Sheer Linen Curtains 84in, 2 Panels
Grab one of these for the window that gets direct afternoon sun. I used to sweat through every movie I tried to watch on my couch. Now I can actually see my TV screen without squinting at 3pm.
Sun Zero Oslo Theater Grade Blackout Rod
Try this if you want something that looks like a regular linen curtain but actually works. The weave hides the blackout layer inside so guests never know. Kept my living room 6 degrees cooler last August.
ECLIPSE Darrell Thermaweave Blackout Curtain
Toss these up if you want velvet-look without paying velvet prices. They drape nicely and don't wrinkle out of the package. I ironed my first pair for nothing, they would have relaxed on their own overnight.
Yakamok Grey Blackout Curtain Panels 84in
Use these for wide living room windows. I needed 100-inch width and most brands only go to 52. These covered my sliding door without looking like two separate panels awkwardly pushed together.
Dreaming Casa 100% Blackout Curtains 84in
Swap your old sheers for these if glare on your laptop screen is ruining your work-from-home setup. I stopped getting headaches around 2pm once I blocked that western sun. The linen texture keeps things casual.
Rutterllow 100% Blackout Curtains for Bedroom
No-Drill Solutions for Renters Who Can't Put Holes in Walls
My lease literally says no drilling, no screwing, no modifications. I panicked until I found curtain options that don't require a single tool or landlord negotiation.
Peel, stick, done. I put these up in my kitchen in about four minutes and they've held through two Texas summers. For anyone whose landlord checks walls with a flashlight during move-out inspection.
Blackout Shades No Drill Cordless Stick on Roll Up
Bring this along if you travel or move apartments a lot. I stuck it to three different windows in two apartments without leaving a single mark. Suction cups hold surprisingly well on clean glass.
VICASKY Portable Blackout Curtains w/ Suction Cups
Use this as a quick fix while you figure out a permanent solution. I slapped it on my bathroom window the day I moved in and it's still there eight months later. Cuts like paper with scissors.
6 Pack Blackout Paper Shades 36x72, Adhesive
Snag this rod if you have existing brackets but they're the wrong size. It wraps around without screws and holds heavier curtains without sagging. Took me longer to open the packaging than to install it.
Wrap Around Curtain Rod Blackout
Try these if you're tired of curtain rods that droop in the middle. They hook into the window frame with no tools. My roommate installed ours while eating a sandwich with the other hand, not joking.
Center Support Bracket for Single Curtain Rods
Keep a few of these stashed for when you move into a new place. They fit inside the window frame and hold with clips. I used them for two months before committing to real curtains and honestly almost kept them.
Redi Shade No Tools Blackout Pleated Paper
Curtains That Help With Apartment Noise and Temperature
Thin walls, loud neighbors, and a thermostat I can't control. I started looking for curtains that pull double duty, blocking light AND helping with sound and temperature swings.
Grab these if your apartment sits right on a busy road. They won't silence a fire truck, but the constant hum of traffic dropped noticeably. My white noise machine works half as hard now.
NICETOWN Noise Reducing Blackout Curtains 84" Long
Use these in whatever room faces south. My electricity bill dropped about $15 a month after I hung them in the living room. For anyone tired of their AC running nonstop from May through September.
DWCN Blackout Curtains for Bedroom 42 x
Pair these with draft stoppers under your door and your heating bill will thank you. Last winter I stopped wearing a hoodie indoors for the first time since moving into my drafty 1920s apartment.
WONTEX 100% Blackout Curtains for Bedroom, Navy
Try the white-backed version if your apartment complex requires white-facing-out windows. Keeps you compliant with HOA rules while your side can be whatever color you want. I went with navy.
Flamingo P Tricia Blackout Curtain for French Door
Toss these up in a room where you need basic thermal help without spending much. They're thinner than premium options but still knocked a few degrees off my bedroom temp. Good starter set for a first apartment.
Utopia Bedding Blackout Curtains for Bedroom
Switch to these if you want the thermal benefits but also need something that looks polished for a studio apartment where your bedroom IS your living room. Heavy enough to block drafts from old windows.
Modern Blackout Thermal Grommet Window Curtains
Short and Small Window Curtains for Tiny Apartments
Not every apartment has floor-to-ceiling windows. My bathroom window is 36 inches wide and my kitchen window sits above the sink. Finding blackout curtains in non-standard sizes was its own project.
Grab these for that awkward half-window in your bathroom. I measured three times because I didn't believe they made blackout curtains this small. They fit perfectly and my bathroom finally has privacy.
NICETOWN Short Kitchen Window Blackout Curtains
Use these for kitchen windows above the sink. The 45-inch length keeps them out of the splash zone while still blocking the neighbor's view. I cook in peace now without feeling like I'm on display.
Deconovo Short Blackout Curtains for Bathroom
Try a pair for a basement apartment window. My friend's below-grade bedroom had those narrow horizontal windows and regular curtains just bunched up. These fit like they were custom made.
RYB HOME Short Grey Blackout Curtains for Small
Snag these in white if your kitchen is small and you don't want dark fabric making it feel even smaller. They block light while keeping the room from looking like a cave. Smart design choice.
PONY DANCE Black Short Blackout Curtains
Pair this with a blackout liner if you want some daytime glow but full darkness at night. I layer them in my studio so I'm not living in a bunker during the day. Best of both worlds.
Cream 100% Blackout Curtains 84 Inch
Keep these as a daytime layer behind your blackout curtains. Tie back the blackout panels during the day, let these filter the light softly. My 400 sq ft studio stopped feeling like a storage unit once I started layering.
MRTREES Short Sheer Curtains 36in Kitchen
Curtain Hardware and Accessories That Actually Stay Up
Nothing kills the blackout curtain dream faster than a rod that falls at 3am and scares you awake. I went through four rods before finding hardware that holds heavy curtains in apartment walls.
Start here if you need a reliable rod that doesn't cost much. It held my heaviest curtains through a full year without bowing. The matte black finish looks clean in any apartment decor situation.
Amazon Basics Adjustable 1-Inch Heavy Duty Rod
Swap to this if your current rod sags in the middle. The 1-inch diameter handles triple-layer curtains without flexing. I hung thermal blackout panels on it and the thing didn't budge.
Ivilon Drapery Window Curtain Rod
Grab extra brackets if your window span is wider than 60 inches. Center support makes all the difference. My curtains stopped doing that sad droopy thing in the middle and finally hung flat.
NICETOWN Curtain Rods 2-Pack 72-144 Inch
Use these to hold tiebacks without putting holes in your rental walls. I loop my curtain ties over them during the day and they peel off clean when I move. Tested across three apartments now.
Command Large Utility Hooks, 7-Hooks
Try magnetic tiebacks if you're lazy about pulling curtains open every morning. One hand, half a second, done. I clip them to the side and the curtains stay put all day without sliding back.
NICEEC 4 Pack Strong Magnetic Curtain Tiebacks
Toss this up if you hate measuring and leveling. It tension-mounts inside the frame and adjusts itself. I installed mine slightly crooked on purpose to test it and the spring mechanism self-corrected. Saved me 20 minutes of frustration.
MAYTEX Smart Rods No Measuring Easy Install 1"