Shades vs. Blinds: Which Is Right for Your Rental Property?

As a rental property owner, you make many decisions about how to furnish and equip your property. You want it to be on budget, but also functional for your tenants. You want it to look nice for prospective renters, but also stand up to many different users. When it comes to choosing which window treatments to use for your rental property, deciding between blinds and shades is a close call. Window blinds and shades can come in a variety of price points, materials and styles. Here are the factors to consider for each type of window treatment.

Blinds

When it comes to cost-effectiveness and practicality, blinds make the most sense for a rental property. Blinds are easier to clean, most are easy to replace, and they offer adequate privacy and light control for most places. Mini blinds are the most cost-effective for rental properties, but if you want to increase the aesthetic quality and durability for renter prospects, faux wood blinds are more stylish, more modern, and reasonably affordable.

Installing window blinds is a recommended route, depending on your rental property tenants. If you have college kids, young adults or a high lessee turnover rate, blinds are the best choice. If they get destroyed or dirty, or if they’re neglected, they’re easy and affordably replaced. However, if your property is a little higher end, and the tenants who typically occupy the rental property intend on living there for a while, shades could add some class.

Shades

Putting shades in your rental property can entice certain tenants, namely those who value quality and may be willing to pay for it. Faux wood blinds and certain types of treatments are perfectly acceptable window blinds, but shades allow for a little more privacy and light control, and they look a little nicer and more “high-end” when potential renters are making their decision. Roller shades, Roman shades, and solar shades each have their own merits when it comes to quality, privacy, and their ability to block light.

At the same time, shades are a bit more difficult to clean and replace. If they’re fabric shades, you might need a professional steam cleaner to come in and take care of them, depending on how dirty they have gotten. Most of them can’t simply be taken down and laundered. Roller shades are relatively cost effective, but in general shades can be a bit more expensive than most types of window blinds. If you decide to add shades to your rental property, make sure your renters are well vetted or that you have a sufficient security deposit.

Whichever route you choose, it’s important to keep an eye on your window treatments in between tenants, and perform any necessary cleaning and maintenance tasks. Taking care of your blinds or shades will help them last for many tenants to come.

Katie Laird is the Director of Social Marketing for Blinds.com and a frequent public speaker on Social Media Marketing, Social Customer Care and profitable company culture. An active blogger and early social technology adopter, you can find her online as ‘happykatie’ sharing home décor, yoga, parenting and vegetarian cooking tips. To see the window blinds and shades options for your rental property, visit the Blinds.com website.

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