- Swapped to cordless wood blinds last fall—way easier to wipe down than honeycomb shades, especially with muddy paw prints everywhere.
- Didn’t notice any real difference in room temp, but at least the blinds don’t trap as much dog hair.
- Only downside: if you’ve got chewers, the bottom slats can get nicked up fast.
- Honestly, I’d take quick dusting over dragging out the vacuum every week.
Honestly, I’d take quick dusting over dragging out the vacuum every week.
I hear you on that. When we moved into our current place (built in the late 80s, so not exactly airtight), we inherited a mix of old-school aluminum blinds and a couple of those honeycomb shades. With two labs and a cat who thinks every window is his personal lookout, I was constantly battling fur and muddy streaks. The honeycomb shades were cozy in theory, but cleaning them? Total pain. I tried vacuuming with the little brush attachment, but it never felt like I got all the gunk out.
A couple years ago, after one too many muddy dog prints, I swapped everything to cordless faux wood blinds. They’re not perfect—my youngest managed to snap a slat within a week by “helping” open them—but wiping them down is way less hassle than trying to deep clean fabric. Plus, they don’t seem to hold onto that musty smell the shades sometimes got after a wet spring.
I get what you’re saying about chewers. Our older dog isn’t interested, but the puppy gnawed the bottom rail of the blinds in the den. Not pretty, but at least it’s just cosmetic. If you’ve got a determined chewer, maybe go with something without a dangling bottom rail... if that even exists.
Temperature-wise, I didn’t notice much difference either. Maybe if your windows are drafty it matters more, but for us it’s more about easy cleaning and not having to fuss with cords around kids.
Honestly, anything that cuts down on cleaning time is a win in my book. The cordless aspect is also huge for peace of mind with little ones running around—no tangled cords to worry about. Only thing I miss from the shades is how dark they made the room for movie nights, but I’ll take a little extra light over fighting with the vacuum any day.
I get where you’re coming from with the faux wood blinds—definitely easier to wipe down than trying to suck pet hair out of shades. But I’ll admit, after a few years of living with blinds (also with kids and a dog who’s convinced the world outside is his TV), I started to get pretty tired of the snapped slats and the way dust just seems to cling to every edge. Even with regular dusting, they never really look “clean” for long in our place.
I actually went back to blackout roller shades in the bedrooms. Not the honeycomb kind, but the smooth vinyl ones. They’re not as cozy looking, but I can just run a damp cloth over them and call it good. Plus, they’re a lot harder for little hands (or teeth) to damage, and they do a better job keeping out the early morning sun—my kids are up early enough as is.
Guess it really depends on what bugs you more: visible dust or the hassle of deep cleaning. For me, not having to stare at fur stuck to every slat is worth giving up a bit of that “classic” look.
- Makes sense—blinds are classic, but yeah, they’re dust magnets and the slats never seem to survive long with kids or pets around.
- Roller shades are a solid call. I’ve installed a bunch for families and they hold up way better, especially the vinyl ones.
- You’re right about the cleaning—quick wipe and done. Plus, no cords hanging down for little ones to yank on or chew.
- Sometimes you gotta trade “look” for sanity. No shame in that.
Sometimes you gotta trade “look” for sanity. No shame in that.
Ain’t that the truth. I swapped out all the old-school mini blinds in my place after my dog managed to snap three sets just by sticking his head through them. Switched to cordless roller shades—seriously, life-changing. They’re not as “fancy” as some wood blinds, but I’ll take easy cleaning and zero broken slats over style any day. Only downside is my cat still tries to climb them... but at least they survive the attack.
I hear you on the sanity trade-off. After my twins figured out how to yank cords and the dog made confetti out of our old blinds, I went with cordless shades too. Not as “wow” as wood, but honestly, wiping them down is a breeze and I don’t worry about strangling hazards or snapped slats. The cat still tries his luck sometimes, but they bounce back better than anything else I’ve tried. Sometimes you just gotta pick what survives the chaos, you know?
Yeah, I get it—sometimes “kid-proof” and “pet-proof” just trumps aesthetics. I switched out the old-school blinds for cordless a few years ago after my youngest got tangled up trying to “help” open them. The safety thing is real, but I’ll admit, I still kind of miss the look of wood slats. Cordless shades aren’t exactly a design statement, but at least they don’t snap if someone (or something with whiskers) climbs them.
One thing I’ve noticed—some of the cheaper cordless shades can be a pain if they get off track. Mine in the kitchen sticks every now and then, so it’s not all smooth sailing. But like you said, at least I’m not picking up broken pieces every week or worrying about cords around the kids.
Honestly, it’s a trade-off. You lose some style points, but gain a little peace of mind and way less cleaning. At this point, I’ll take what I can get...
Honestly, it’s a trade-off. You lose some style points, but gain a little peace of mind and way less cleaning. At this point, I’ll take what I can get...
I get the peace of mind angle, but I’m not totally sold on giving up all the style just for safety. We went with faux wood cordless blinds in our living room—honestly, they look pretty close to real wood (at least from a few feet away) and the cordless mechanism is solid, not flimsy like the cheap shades I tried in the bedrooms. The trick seems to be spending just a bit more upfront, which kind of stings, but at least they don’t stick or go crooked every week.
I also wonder if it’s really an either/or situation. Like, why not mix it up? Cordless honeycomb shades for the kids’ rooms (super safe, easy to clean), but something with more character in the main spaces. I know it’s not the “designer” way, but honestly, most people don’t notice unless everything clashes.
I do miss the old-school wood slats sometimes too, but after pulling a plastic slat out of the dog’s mouth for the third time, I just couldn’t do it anymore...
I also wonder if it’s really an either/or situation. Like, why not mix it up? Cordless honeycomb shades for the kids’ rooms (super safe, easy to clean), but something with more character in the main spaces.
That’s exactly what we did after my youngest managed to turn the old blinds into a chew toy. I used to care a lot about having everything match, but honestly, after the third sticky handprint in a week, practicality won out. Our kitchen’s got those cordless cellular shades—wipeable and surprisingly sturdy. But in the den, I kept the wood blinds because they just feel right with the old brick fireplace. Sometimes I catch myself missing the days when my main concern was whether the color palette “flowed,” but now I’m just happy nobody’s dangling from the cords.
Funny, I used to be all about “cohesion” too—then my dog got the zoomies and took out half a set of vertical blinds. Now it’s more like, what survives the chaos? Cordless shades in the kids’ rooms have been a lifesaver (and they’re so much easier to clean than I expected). But I totally get wanting something with a bit more style for the main rooms. Sometimes you just have to pick your battles... and your windows.