File this under “a lazy mom’s trick to get more sleep.” I made no-sew, extremely easy blackout curtain liners as a quick DIY. This isn’t a professional solution — it’s the cheater’s version — but it works, and that’s what matters when you’re trying to extend naptime.
Why blackouts? Although the faux wood blinds in Clara’s room already blocked a fair amount of light, I suspected a proper blackout fabric would make the room completely dark during the day. That darker environment would encourage longer naps—something we desperately needed. I bought 5.5 yards of blackout fabric at JoAnn Fabrics; it felt similar to the white fabric used on roller blinds. With a coupon, the whole project cost me about $15.
How I Made Blackout Curtains
- I measured Clara’s existing curtains ahead of time so I knew how much fabric I would need, then bought 5.5 yards.
- I washed the fabric. The label recommended dry cleaning, but the store associate advised washing on cold and air drying; it came out fine.
- I took down Clara’s two curtain panels and laid one panel on the blackout fabric to use as a template.
- I cut two blackout panels to match the size of the existing curtains.
- I briefly considered sewing the blackout fabric to the back of the curtains on three sides, turning them right-side-out, and hand-sewing the top closed to create a finished panel.
- But with only a few minutes before nap time, I skipped sewing and used ring clips to hang the blackout fabric directly in front of the existing curtains. The weight of both materials allowed them to hang smoothly and appear finished without any stitching.
The result is a simple, temporary liner that blends in with the original curtains while adding substantial light blockage. It looks nearly identical to the room’s appearance without the liner, but with one important difference: the room gets significantly darker.
I do plan to go back and sew a few sides together to make a neater, more permanent panel when I have time. I’m not an expert at sewing, but a few simple seams would finish the panels so they look more polished. For now, though, the clipped liners are doing the job.
Since adding the blackout liners, Clara’s naps have improved noticeably. Instead of the usual 45 minutes, she’s been napping around 90 minutes for the past two days, and her morning wake-up has slid from about 7:30 to 8:00. Overnight she continues to sleep about 12 hours straight, which is a wonderful bonus. The blackout curtains were intended to encourage longer daytime sleep, and they appear to be helping.
All told, the DIY blackout liners were a quick and inexpensive update—about fifteen dollars and fifteen minutes—and they’ve made a tangible difference in our household routine. Better naps mean more productive afternoons, and a small change like this can buy a surprising amount of sanity for parents juggling work and home projects.
Have you taken any similar shortcuts recently? It’s always surprising how a minor adjustment can impact daily life. We’ve learned over time that small changes—like making a room darker for naps—can have outsized benefits, whether that’s carving out a few uninterrupted hours for a project or simply getting a little extra rest.
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