Do you leave your curtains/blinds open or closed?

[SLCentral]

I live in a first floor apartment inside a courtyard, and I leave my curtains closed practically 24/7. While it'd be nice to have more natural light when I'm home during the day (like weekends), I really hate the idea of everyone walking by seeing what I'm up to and checking out my apartment - especially being in a major city.

What does everyone else do? Am I a recluse shut-in because I'm living in a natural-light free world in my apartment?

 

[Jeff7]

I live in a first floor apartment inside a courtyard, and I leave my curtains closed practically 24/7. While it'd be nice to have more natural light when I'm home during the day (like weekends), I really hate the idea of everyone walking by seeing what I'm up to and checking out my apartment - especially being in a major city.

What does everyone else do? Am I a recluse shut-in because I'm living in a natural-light free world in my apartment?

Same here. My apartment's right near a road, with a convenience store on the other side of the building. People will walk by or park and sit for awhile out there. Or on weekend evenings, people will just sit on the grass out there and babble partially drunk, and sometimes tap on the air conditioner just because they're bored idiots. I'd rather not have myself on display, not to mention various things that might give someone reason to break in to the place.

 

[sixone]

Single floor house. The front window blinds are all closed, unless I'm having company. The ones in the back are all wide open.

I needz my sunlight.

 

[nageov3t]

also living in a first floor apartment...

the blinds that face the street are closed 24/7 (outside of maybe opening the blinds + windows during an afternoon of spring cleaning)

the blinds that face my neighbors and the backyard are all open most of the time. my neighbor's windows and mine don't match up, so that gives me some privacy on the sides and my backyard is semi-private thanks to an overgrowth of ivy along the fence and a large tree in back.

 

[MontyAC]

You can try and tint your window. This way you can open your blinds without worry.

http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1307379&cp=2568443.2568448.2626372.2627470

 

[lxskllr]

I keep monitors in my windows facing out, and hooked to cameras all over the house. I don't have anything to hide, so I broadcast everything.

 

[MrColin]

I adjust the blinds to block the view from pedestrian angles but not all of the light. In the daytime, one has to look pretty hard to see into a window. One thing you can do is to have a bright directed type of light blasting out of the window at night. It not only makes it hard to see in but it will light up their nosey face outside.

 

[ElFenix]

closed

 

[Brainonska511]

I'm in a first-floor apartment of a house with my room being the one that faces the street. I keep the shades closed for the most part. Sometimes, I'll open the shade above my a/c, as the a/c will block the view into my room from the street.

What you could do is put up two shades: one at the midpoint of the window to provide privacy, and then a top shade that could be pulled down/up to block or let in light.

 

[SKORPI0]

Halfway tilted down outward. I can see out, but nobody can see in. :\

http://www.blindschalet.com/bna-1165-privacy-faux-wood-blinds.html

 

[Saint Nick]

Almost closed all the time. THe sun makes the house way too hot. However, that is soon changing because Fall is almost here

 

[nageov3t]

roman shades are a great solution for that, but expensive.

if I owned this place (instead of rented), I'd probably invest in them for all of my first-floor windows.

 

[TridenT]

Basement level. I have windows at ground level. You can view my apartment from the garden area (which is closed off to only people in my apartment building. Fenced in.) or from the second story in the apartments next to us.

I don't really give a fuck. If someone wants to watch me, whatever. I'll take that over no ambient light from outside at all. I already get barely any as it stands. The windows allow you to see me pretty well. You can see the whole thing if you're in the gardens, but if you're in those other apartments you'll likely only see me at the computer or pacing in my apartment at times.

Again, don't give a fuck. I doubt my neighbors give a fuck what I'm doing either. When I go to bed I put in soundboard inserts and pull over curtains over the windows. It's just so I can block out sound and night when I sleep. I do this sometimes during the day too when I want to nap or something.

 

[tboo]

I live on the first floor of an apartment & also keep my blinds closed 24/7. I dont like them open cause then I fell like Im in a zoo as one of the animals. Every person that walks by looks in.

 

[PhoenixEnigma]

First floor apartment here, too, and my windows face out to moderately busy street. There's evergreens and some other leafy things kind of in front of my windows, and the building is set reasonably far back, so I'll usually leave the blinds closed but with the slats partly open to let more light in.

Past month or two, though, they've been closed just to help keep the place cool. No AC for me

 

[boomhower]

When it's warm out everything is shut. In cooler weather the front stays shut but open in the back.

 

[mmntech]

Open during the day, closed at night. The first floor front and side windows have sheer drapes so during the day you can see out but nobody can see in. My bedroom has venetians plus a set of fabric drapes to block out all light. I need it to be dark to sleep. The mall behind my house has HID lights in the parking lot so it's almost like daylight coming in, even though they're on the other side of the road.

 

[RossMAN]

oldsmoboat's basement doesn't have any blinds.

 

[sdifox]

why don't you get sheer curtain? They let light in, but you keep your privacy.

 

[sixone]

why don't you get sheer curtain? They let light in, but you keep your privacy.

During the day, but not at night if you have any lights on

 

[sdifox]

During the day, but not at night if you have any lights on

he's talking about during the day. I have 2 curtains. sheer and blackout.

 

[SLCentral]

why don't you get sheer curtain? They let light in, but you keep your privacy.

I'm renting, and couldn't be bothered investing in a place I'll be in for likely less than a year.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Typically in summer they're closed to help keep the house cool, in winter I leave them all open to get more sun in the house. My bay window only has thin sheers that you can see right through, I eventually want to get some blinds or something.

 

[Oil]

Open when I'm home, closed when I'm out. I live on the third floor

 

[sdifox]

I'm renting, and couldn't be bothered investing in a place I'll be in for likely less than a year.

... Sheers are like 5 bux a panel at ikea...