I figured measuring windows for new blinds would be easy enough—grabbed my tape measure, scribbled down some numbers, and ordered online. Well, turns out "close enough" doesn't really cut it when you're dealing with window treatments. My blinds arrived, and let's just say they were...um, a bit snug. Had to reorder and learned my lesson the hard way.
So here's my tip: measure each window at least three times—top, middle, bottom—and use the smallest measurement. Windows are sneaky little devils and rarely perfectly square. Also, write down measurements clearly and label them right away (trust me, "living room left window" and "left living room window" aren't as clear as you'd think when you're staring at your notes two days later).
Anyone else have some handy tips or funny window-measuring fails? I'm all ears, because I've still got a few more rooms to tackle and I'd rather not repeat this fiasco...
"trust me, 'living room left window' and 'left living room window' aren't as clear as you'd think when you're staring at your notes two days later"
Been there, done that. My quick tip: always measure depth too—especially if you're going for inside mounts. Learned the hard way when my blinds stuck out awkwardly because I didn't check the window recess depth. Now I scribble depth measurements right next to width and height...saves a headache later.
Good point about depth—wish I'd thought of that sooner. A couple years back, I measured everything perfectly (or so I thought) but totally forgot to note down the window handles. Ended up with blinds that fit beautifully...until I tried opening the window. Now I always jot down handle clearance and any weird obstructions too. Live and learn, right?