What to Do With Your Window Treatments When You Move
Wondering if curtains stay when you sell a house is a question we are commonly asked! Knowing your options before you decide to leave them for the next owner is extremely important – especially since you have so many!
Are Blinds and Curtains Considered a Fixture When Selling a House?
To better understand your options, it’s important to know whether blinds and curtains are considered a “fixture” when selling a house. We reached out to local Nashville Realtor, Kristine Donahue, who gave us this advice:
“The Tennessee Association of Realtors states that all window treatments (shutters, blinds, shades, curtains, draperies) and hardware are INCLUDED as part of the property. This means that if Mr. and Mrs. Seller want to take their window treatments when they move, it must be written into the contract as a stipulation of sale. If it is NOT specifically written in the contract then they must stay.
My personal opinion and advice to my sellers is always to remove the window treatments and hardware before the house is listed. Unfortunately, without proper guidance from a Realtor, sellers will take their window treatments and then are sued by the buyers. It is shocking how many times a sale doesn’t go through because of window treatments!
Therefore, if they are expensive, important to you, family heirlooms, etc. I suggest removing them before listing so the buyer doesn’t even know they were in there in the first place!”
If we could add one thing to Kristine’s wonderful advice, it would be to take down any old or out-dated curtains before listing the home. Just as fantastic window treatments can help sell a home more quickly, old or outdated curtains can hinder a sale.
Do Blinds and Curtains Stay When You Sell a House?
Now that you know you have a choice whether or not to leave your window treatments when selling your house, it’s up to you to decide. Oftentimes, homeowners choose to leave their curtains behind as there is no standard size or shape for windows, which makes the odds of them fitting your new ones very slim. However, because you’re working with fabric you always have options if you decide to take them to your new home.
Alter your window treatments when you move
Hemming your curtains or hanging them at a different height are two possible solutions to reusing your window curtains in your new home. If your curtains were professionally made, there is also a possibility you can lengthen them.
Change the Design
If you are in love with the fabric of your curtains but they just won’t fit your new windows, you can always make them into something else! The large amount of fabric used to create curtains means there is plenty to go around. Reusing the fabric to make roman shades is one of our favorites (check out this project we completed). It is also possible to turn your old curtains into a shower curtain or pillows! Repurposing your curtains by giving them new life as a different decor element is a fabulous way to make the most out of your purchase!
Although there are many options when it comes to moving or repurposing your curtains, your hardware is a different story. If you’ve had something custom created for your windows (like this) it might make more sense to leave the curtain hardware when moving. Custom curtain rods are built to measure and again, the odds of them fitting your new space perfectly are very slim. However, if your curtain rods are adjustable, they are yours for the taking! Just remember the tips Kristine shared when planning to take your curtain rods with you when you move.
Do Custom Curtains Increase the Value of Your Home?
What happens when you’ve decided to leave your curtains and blinds when you move? Once again, we asked Nashville Realtor, Kristine Donahue for her expertise.
She says, “Window treatments 100% add value and make a house look like a home. The amount you spent on your custom window treatments will help your house sell faster and for more money!”
How to Clean Your Curtains When Taking Them Down
If you do make the decision to leave your curtains when you move, it is always a good idea to give them a good cleaning before leaving. Taking the curtains down to wash them is oftentimes not an option, luckily there are plenty of ways to clean them without removing them. We’ve found the best way to clean curtains is to start by vacuuming them. Sucking up all the dust, dirt, and grime that has accumulated on them over the years will leave them looking and smelling fresh for the new homeowners.
If you notice the curtains have attracted things like fibers, hair, or lint that wasn’t removed with the vacuum cleaner, a lint roller or brush will remove them in no time. To ensure you’re able to remove everything, we suggest having someone pull the curtains outward while you roll or brush them.
If the vacuum cleaner nor the lint roller seemed to do the trick, it might be time to harness the power of steam. A handheld steamer – similar to what you might use to remove wrinkles from your clothes – can dislodge stains and dirt from the curtains without having to actually wash them. Be careful when steaming the fabric – work in small sections and even strokes to ensure you don’t drench the fabric. Always test an inconspicuous spot before moving on to the full panel as some fabrics should not be steamed. I would not suggest this option for anything with linen in the content or velvet – you will stretch and damage the fabric.
Finally, if the curtains have a musty or dirty smell to them that was not removed by the vacuum or the steam, a good upholstery deodorizer could come in handy.
Overall, there isn’t a simple yes or no answer to whether you should take or leave window treatments when moving. You have to think of the pros and cons of both and what will work best in your new home. The choice is yours!
