How to Shorten Cordless Blinds

Best cordless blinds units give you the flexibility to control the lighting in your room and provide an effortless way of deciding how much light comes through your windows.

Regardless of the name “cordless,” it still has cords that go through the slats for smooth operation. They are easy to operate. For instance, if you want to lower them, pull down the rail at the bottom and angle the bottom rail backward and forward so that the slats tilt.

However, sometimes, you may want to shorten your blinds to fit into your project, especially if you did not make the measurements before purchase. If you move, you may also want to use them in your new buildings, as the cordless blinds are long-lasting and will serve you for years with good maintenance. Since this is a DIY project, you may need some knowledge to execute it accurately and precisely.

You do not need to worry if you encounter this for the first time. We have provided an elaborate guide on how to shorten cordless blinds in this guide. Read on!

Also Read:

Best Cordless Blinds

What is Cordless Blind?

A cordless blind mechanism is a spring-loaded system that permits an individual to lower and raise the window blinds without utilizing traditional cords or chains or adjusting the slats. Instead, the cordless blinds use alternative, safer, and more convenient, often aesthetically appealing control mechanisms.

Cordless blinds are ideal for improving your children’s and pets’ safety. Unlike traditional blinds with cords that would cause strangulation hazards to animals and young children, cordless blinds eliminate the cords and the risks of getting entangled in the cords. As a result, the cordless blinds create a safe environment.

Types of Cordless Blinds

Cordless blinds are available in different types, and their operating mechanism may vary based on the style and manufacturer.

Mechanisms of Operating Cordless Blinds

The different mechanisms of cordless blinds operation include:

Motorized Operation

The motorized cordless blinds allow you to control them using a remote or smartphone app. You do not need to walk to the window but can operate them at your convenience, lowering or raising them to the level that suits your need. Thus, the motorized cordless blinds add comfort, especially if your building has hard-to-reach windows or if you live in a larger apartment with several windows.

Spring Loaded -Mechanism

In this system, springs are fitted inside the headrail of the blinds. Your window blind will lower if you pull down on the bottom rail. On the contrary, if you raise the window blinds by pushing up on the bottom rail, the blinds will lock into place at your desired height.

Wand Tilt Control

The cordless blinds, especially those with adjustable slats like Venetian ones, use the wand as a control mechanism to rotate the slats to close and open. The wand tilt is attached to the headrail and eliminates the need for a tilt cord.

Push -and pull-rod.

The push-and-pull rod attached to the bottom rail is the last mechanism to control the raising and lowering of the cordless blinds. It is perhaps the easiest of the steps, as you only need to push or pull the rod rails to raise or lower the blinds. The mechanism is ideal if you have vertical blinds.

Types of Cordless Blinds

The various types of cordless blinds include:

Cordless Cellular Shades

The cordless Cellular shades or honeycomb shades are designed with air pockets that trap air to provide insulation and increase energy efficiency. The shades come in single or double-cell designs. Besides, depending on your preference and style, you can get them in different colors and light-filtering options.

However, the primary reason you might want to consider these blind types is their enhanced energy efficiency and insulation. The honeycomb blinds are even more crucial when you live in areas that experience long winters to keep your house warm.

Cordless Roman Shades

Choose cordless Roman shades if you want blinds that will give your room a more elegant and classic appearance. When raised, the blinds fold neatly and stack evenly when you lower them. Besides, their operating mechanism is also simple. The units use a continuous loop system or a rear-mounted lifting mechanism.

Cordless Roller Shades

The roller shades are made from a single fabric that rolls up and down through a push-and-pull rod mechanism. However, some roller shades use a spring mechanism to produce a smooth operation, while some utilize motorized options for convenience, especially those with hard-to-reach windows.

Venetian Blinds

Venetian cordless blinds are your go-to choice if you want more control of your privacy and light getting into your room. The blinds are operated through the wand tilt mechanism built into their headrails and controlled by hand.

Cordless Pleated Shades

The pleated shades have folded or pleated fabric designs like cordless cellular shades. These shades are available in numerous colors, styles, and textures, offering a softer look than other blinds, such as Venetian.

Cordless Mini Blinds

The mini blinds are the smaller versions of the Venetian blinds featuring narrow slats. These units have a simple tilting mechanism to adjust privacy and light.

Cordless Vertical Blinds

The type of cordless blinds has vertical slats rotated to control light and privacy. This version has a wand or chain mechanism for tilting the slats. Top of Form

How to Shorten Cordless Blinds

Tools Needed

Fortunately, shortening cordless blinds does not require power tools. All the tools you will need for this project are staples in many homes. If you are new to DIYs, you will need the following tools for your quest.

A pair of Scissors
Pliers
A flat-head screwdriver
Sticky tape or push pins.

With all the tools in place, you can comfortably move to shorten the cordless blinds.

Step 1: Assemble the Tools

Have all the tools you need for this exercise within arm’s reach.

Step 2: Install the blinds

Fasten the brackets to each corner of your window by drilling two tiny holes into each corner, and then insert the provided screws into the wall’s holes using a flat-head screwdriver. If you have extra brackets, insert them along the top window sill between the two corner brackets.
Install the trim brackets to the blinds by snapping them on.
Fit the trim brackets to the brackets inserted on the wall. They should click into position with little force.
Push the trim piece onto the brackets.

If you prefer, you can refer to the user manual provided by the manufacturer.

Step 3: Lower the blinds

Lower the blinds to full length and rotate the slats to open them. Lowering and opening the blinds will help you establish the ideal length of blinds to complement your window.

The ideal length should be even with one slat below your window sill. Make a mark on the new last slat to indicate the slats to be removed and those that remain.

Step 4: Take off the end caps/bottom rail buttons

There are two designs for the bottom part of cordless blinds.

The blinds can have the bottom rail housing the last slat and covered with caps on each end. Alternatively, they can have a thinner bottom rail in direct contact with the last slat and rail buttons on the rail’s bottom side.

At this point, the end caps and the bottom rails are removed. There are different ways to remove each of them.

End caps: If the end caps are installed, remove them by twisting them off.
Rail buttons: Remove the rail buttons by popping them out using a flat-head screwdriver.

Be careful not to break the slate in the process.

Step 5: Take out the bottom slat.

If your cordless blinds have a design that includes end caps, slide out the slat from the bottom rail after removing the end caps.

Step 6: Remove the connector cords.

You must be very careful at this point because snapping the wrong cord might cost you the whole blind.

Below the designated last slat, cut all the horizontal connector cords. Do not cut vertical connector cords; otherwise, you will ruin the blinds.

Step 7: Remove all the excess slats.

Once you cut the horizontal cords, you can quickly and safely remove all the slats below the designated last slat.

Note that some people interchange step six above with this step. They remove the excess slats by cutting them and then cut the horizontal connector cords immediately afterward. Feel free to do so if you find it easier to reverse the steps.

Step 8: Raise the bottom rail to the new slat

Depress the lift button and slowly raise the bottom rail until it touches the new last slat. With dangling cords everywhere, you should take your time doing this to avoid any damage.

Step 9: Insert the ladder cords into the bottom rail

Insert the ladder cords into the top side of the bottom rail. Pull the ladder cords from the open bottom side of the rail as far as possible. Be gentle with the tagging, though.

Step 10: Check the desired length of the blind and Trim the Ladder Cords

Inspect the newly shortened blinds by double-checking to ensure that the desired length has been achieved. If satisfied with the new blind length, trim all the ladder cords to four inches below the bottom rail.

Step 11: Threat the ladder cords through the eyelets

The eyelets should be in the parts bag. From the underside of the bottom rail, thread both ends of the ladder cords through the eyelets. Repeat for all the ladder cords.

Step 12: Slide the eyelets into the bottom rail and Trim excess ladder cords

To keep the chords firm, slide the eyelets into the bottom rail, then crimp the eyelets tightly using pliers. Trim the ladder cords by another two inches. To further reinforce the eyelets, tie double knots with the remaining cord below the eyelets.

Step 13: Slide the bottom slat into the bottom rail

Ensure all the cords are appropriately tucked inside the bottom rail before sliding the bottom slat into position. Install the end caps.

Note:

You can buy the best cordless blind units at amazon.com. One of the most sought-after models is Redi Shade 3511069 Trim-at-Home Light Filtering Fabric White.

This unit has a cordless lift mechanism for easy operation and a clean appearance. The fact that it is cordless makes it safer for your crawling children and pets, another reason to fancy having this exemplary unit for your window covering.

Notice:

If your blinds have the design with the button rails at the bottom, you can pop the button rails right back in after step 11 above. Steps 12 to 16 only apply for blinds with end caps on the bottom rail.

The below video describes how to shorten cordless blinds.

Warnings on shortening cordless blinds

While shortening cordless blinds to suit your window is quite simple, there are a few things to consider before embarking on the project:

For most manufacturers, any alteration on the blinds voids the warranty. If you would like to utilize your cordless blind warranty in the future, perhaps shortening your blinds is not the best option.
Removing more slats than necessary could also interfere with the cordless blind’s lift mechanism. Before starting your project, Research the maximum number of slats that can be removed from the specific type of cordless blinds.

Another sought-after cordless blind unit you can buy at Amazon is Achim Home Furnishings Cordless Morningstar 1″ Light Filtering Mini Blind. Click the link below to purchase.

Cordless Mini Blinds

Cordless mini blinds are typically designed to fit standard-size windows. If you buy one for a smaller residential or garage window, you may have a significant amount of extra length.

While getting that additional length from the manufacturer may seem like good value for money, it can make the blinds look a poor fit for the window. Thankfully, you can always shorten cordless mini blinds with reasonably little effort.

How to shorten cordless mini blinds remains the same regardless of your type. But knowing how these blinds work may be a perfect starting point.

What are cordless mini blinds?

While the blinds are cordless, they still have cords going through the slats to operate them.

However, they are called cordless because they do not include the string typically used to operate standard blinds that usually dangle from the top rail.

Cordless mini blinds do not have a string to pull when you want to lower or raise the blinds; this is where the name comes from. The blinds have strings interlaced inside the blind slats instead of exposed ones running alongside them.

Instead of exposed cords that raise and lower the blinds, this system features an adjustable tension string with multiple spool drums to do the job.

To operate the blinds, you must grasp the bottom rail in the middle and pull it up or down with a gentle, even force.

The blinds in this cordless system will stay wherever you place them. One main advantage of this operation is creating a clean look across the window treatments. They are also safer for children and pets playing with dangling cords.

On the downside, the height of the blinds may be limited to the height of the person operating them. You can only raise them as high since your hand must grasp the bottom rail.

How to Shorten Cordless Mini Blinds

Shortening the cordless mini blinds is the same regardless of the material.

Here are the steps to follow to complete the task by yourself.

The supplies you will need to complete the task.

Shortening cordless mini blinds requires only a few essential tools you likely already have at home. Here is the list:

Pliers
Scissors
Measuring tape
Flat-head screwdriver
Pushpins or a sticky tape

Once you have all the tools, you can begin shortening the cordless blinds by following these steps.

Preliminary step: measure your window’s height.

If you fit the slats to the size of your window, you need to know the measurements to target. Use a tape measure to determine the exact length of the window the mini-blinds will cover.

Notice that you will mount the blinds at the top of the window casing. So, measure the distance between this part to the windowsill below. Then, note down the measurement somewhere.

Step 1: Install the blinds

Once you have your window measurements noted, install the mini blinds by following the instructions in the user manual.

The manual typically features a step-by-step installation procedure with pictures to make the entire process intuitive and straightforward.

In any case, here is a summary of the steps:

Start by fastening the brackets to each window corner or at intervals along the top window sill depending on the system. Some systems may require drilling screw holes beforehand, while others may involve sticking the stainless steel brackets on the top window sill and fastening each with screws to secure them.

So, the idea is to follow your user manual to get the correct outcome.

Next, install the small brackets. This should involve snapping them on.
Fit your small brackets to the wall brackets by gently applying force until they click into position.
Once they are in position, push the trim onto the wall brackets.

Step 2: Test the blinds by lowering and opening them.

You need to get a picture of the entire length of the blinds to determine how much size you must remove to fit the length of the window. So start by lowering the blinds to their full length.

Once you have opened the blinds, identify the slat immediately below the window sill. This slat should be the last one when creating the new length. So make a mark on it to know which slats you will remove and which ones will remain.

Step 3: Remove the bottom rail plugs

Mini-blinds usually have a bottom rail encasing the last slat. This rail features plastic plugs on its underside. Your mini blinds are likely to have three of these plugs, the standard number for most designs.

These end caps are likely to be distributed at intervals along the length of the rail. They can also appear on both ends of the bottom rail, housing the last slat.

Regardless of the design, you must release the plugs to allow access to the string ladders (often three in number) and the lift cord on the mini-blinds.

Some plugs require pulling to remove them from the rail. Others are threaded and therefore require twisting to remove.

If the plugs are in the form of buttons, you may remove them by popping them out of the sockets using a flat-head screwdriver.

If you must use a screwdriver, watch out for the amount of pressure, you apply to avoid breaking the slate.

Step 4: Remove the bottom rail.

You may have to untie the knot on the lift cords before you can remove the bottom slat. Most designs feature the knot to lock the lift cords in the plugs.

Whatever the case, your user guide should indicate how to proceed. If your design features this knot, untie it and pull the string upward.

By so doing, you will slide the lift cords through the tiny openings in the bottom rail and the slats immediately above it.

Stop pulling the cords upward once you reach the marked slat. Next, slide the bottom rail out of the string ladders to access the blind slats attached to it.

Step 5: Remove the excess horizontal connector cords.

Now, you have determined the length to retain and the slats to remove. The next step is to cut all the horizontal connector cords below your newly selected last slat.

Ensure you are very careful when cutting these cords. You do not want to snap the wrong cord as so doing might damage your entire mini blind setup.

So take care not to tamper with any vertical connector cords. These must remain uncut.

Step 6: Remove the excess slats.

Cutting the horizontal connector cords allows the associated slats to come free. These are the unneeded slats below the designated last one.

Once that happens, the cords will no longer be threaded through these slats, so you can effortlessly and safely remove them to remain with your required number of slats.

To remove the excess slats, slide each out of the three string ladders to remain at your desired length.

Note: Step 5 and Step 5 are interchangeable. You can remove the excess slats by cutting them at the holed points where the cords go through them. Cutting them in these areas allows them to come free, after which you can cut the unused horizontal connector cords.

Step 7: Reattach the bottom rail and raise it to the new last slat.

Since you removed the bottom rail earlier, now is the time to reattach it to the window treatment. Slide it back into the string ladders under the remaining blind slats.

This should involve inserting the ladder cords into the rail from the top side and pulling them from the underside of the bottom rail. Ensure you gently and carefully pull them as far as possible.

You may need to depress the lift button as you slowly raise this bottom rail until it touches your new last slat. This process, too, requires some caution because there will be cords dangling all over the place, and you don’t want to damage anything.

After positioning the bottom rail appropriately, reconnect the lift cords by tying a new knot in each of the three ends to lock it in place.

Consider using a measuring tape to ensure all three knots are at the same level to keep the bottom rail perfectly horizontal. Taking this step is also essential in providing the slats hang evenly.

Step 8: Trim off the excess ladder cords and thread them through the eyelets

After reconnecting the lift cords, inspect the shortened blinds to ensure you correctly achieve the desired new length.

If you are satisfied with it, trim off the excess sections of the ladders no longer in use. You may trim the ladder cords to approximately four inches below the bottom rail.

Once done, thread both ends of the ladder cords through the setup’s eyelets (often in the parts bag). You should do the threading from the bottom-facing side of the rail.

Repeat this process for every ladder cord.

Next, slide the eyelets into the bottom rail to keep the chords firm. After that, use a pair of pliers to crimp the eyelets tightly in place.

You can trim the ladder cords by another two inches if you want a clean setup. Then tie two knots with the remaining cord below the eyelets to reinforce them further.

Step 9: Replace the rail plugs.

Tuck all the cords appropriately inside the bottom rail and slide the bottom slat into the bottom rail as the final step.

After that, you can then replace the end caps. Ensure all three caps are securely in position before testing the adjusted mini-blinds.

Test it by raising and lowering the blinds and opening and closing the slats to confirm they work correctly.

Top 5 Best Cordless Mini Blinds to Buy at Amazon

Why do you need to shorten your cordless mini blinds?

Cordless mini binds can make an excellent addition to any décor. They carry minimalist aesthetics that can be a welcome addition to any space.

They also help protect your privacy when you want to keep your space separated from potentially prying eyes outside.

However, you may want to shorten them for these two main reasons.

To make them fit better.

Mini blinds are typically designed to fit standard window sizes. So finding a fitting set from the manufacturer can be difficult if you have irregularly sized or small windows.

For this reason, resizing the blinds is often the ideal option to make them fit non-standard-sized windows.

To improve the aesthetics of these cordless mini blinds

While the blinds are functionally appealing, keeping a larger size for your smaller window can do more harm than good to your décor. The blinds generally look better over the windows when they fit correctly.

Large cordless blinds can also obscure the ornate decorative elements of your home instead of highlighting them. Shortening them can help correct that disservice and ensure they look way better.

Fitting cordless mini blinds may be safer for kids

Depending on your home’s design, shortening cordless blinds can place them out of the reach of little children.

If you keep the blinds too long, they may extend to the ground within reach of children. Playing with such blinds could cause minor accidents to your little ones, which makes shortening them such a good idea.

A video showing how to shorten cordless blinds

Conclusion

Cordless blinds can be shortened to fit your window better. Shortening these blinds is simple, fun, and does not take too much time. It can make an exciting DIY project for both DIY newbies and veterans. The use of readily available tools is also a plus.

Shortening cordless mini blinds will make them better fitting and more beneficial to your home. And knowing how to complete this task on your own can be a great way to save on the potential cost of hiring someone for you.

We hope you find this tutorial helpful for your next home improvement project. Please leave a comment to let us know your thoughts on the topic.

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How to Shorten Cordless Blinds

What is Cordless Blind?