While most people would prefer a home with a lot of windows to bring in natural sunlight, they tend to forget that the same window draws in heat during the summer and the cold during the winter resulting in using up more energy and creating higher heating or cooling bills.

No matter what style of window you have, you can give them more insulation. Bamboo blinds are a great choice because they provide insulation against summer’s heat and winter’s cold.

And don’t forget to cover your door if it has a glass pane. Door blinds are an easy solution to control heat and glare.

DirectBuy carries a large selection of brand-name window treatments at wholesale prices. A one-stop shop for all your home decorating needs, Direct Buy has virtually everything – including the kitchen sink – for in and around your home.

Once you’ve finally made the big decision about which living room furniture to purchase, what steps will you take to ensure that it keeps its fresh, new look?

Placement is key. You’ve probably already decided where you will place each piece of furniture - sofa, chairs and ottomans - but did you consider the sunlight that comes through the windows at various times of the day?

One of the primary steps you can take to protect your new furniture is to make sure it’s placed away from direct sunlight. Harsh rays from the sun not only fade fabric or leather, it breaks down the fibers over extended exposure.

So use your blinds or curtains to make sure your furniture is protected during the heaviest periods of sunshine. If you don’t have window treatments, window blinds are a great solution.

DirectBuy carries a beautiful collection of living room furniture in almost any style you can imagine, from sleek, contemporary to comfortable casual or elegant traditional styles. You’ll also find a wide selection of window blinds. Whatever your home remodeling, building or decorating needs, DirectBuy brings you a great selection at amazing wholesale prices.

Before you select window blinds, you’ll need to dig deep to discover what you really want. Write down your answers to these questions before you do anything else. And use a pencil, just to be on the safe side!

Quantity: Will you need blinds for your entire house, just one room or a number in between? Cost is definitely a consideration here, so look at the number that will best fit into your budget or set a realistic timeline for covering all your windows with blinds from Direct Buy.

Size: How long or wide do your blinds need to be to fit your windows? Remember, width is actually listed first on window sizes.

Type: Would you like your blinds to be vertical or horizontal? What kind of material? There are tons of options here, and more arriving at your local Direct Buy showroom all the time, so take note of the styles that catch your eye and keep an open mind.

Mounting system: Would you like your blinds to be mounted inside your window frame? An important consideration here is whether small children will be around the blinds. In that case, look at the cordless styles at your Direct Buy showroom, or use a cord cleat that brings the continuous cord loop back into the top of the blind to avoid any potential dangers.

Color: Which hues work best for your home? Don’t underestimate the impact the right – or wrong – blinds will make in your overall décor, and think about how they will match your trim.

DirectBuy carries a large selection of brand-name blinds, draperies and shutters at wholesale prices. A one-stop shop for all your home decorating needs, Direct Buy has virtually everything – including the kitchen sink – for in and around your home.

Cleaning your window blinds is easy to ignore, but eventually you’ll have to do it. To keep this task from becoming such a big deal, it’s better to develop a routine. A few simple suggestions can help you get motivated and simplify the job.

Protect your Furniture and Flooring

If there is furniture nearby, start by covering it or moving it away from the windows. The same goes for carpet or hardwood floors. You don’t want to create another job for yourself if you plan to use any kind of liquid cleaner or water to help you get your blinds clean. Some simple solutions are to:

• Use towels or sheets to cover your furniture
• Place a thick layer of newspaper or old towels on the floor underneath the window to protect your carpet or flooring
• Depending on what your blinds are made of - wood, aluminum, vinyl, or fabric - there are ways to give each type the attention they need to look like new.

Simplify the Job with These Helpful Hints:

A Fine Layer of Dust
If you clean your blinds often, you will only have to deal with a thin layer of dust – this is the best solution of all. These methods can be used on vinyl, aluminum, or plastic:

Dust vs. Dirt!
Once dust has collected over a long period of time, it turns to dirt, and you’ll discover a more difficult task. But it’s not impossible to make your blinds sparkle again. Here are a few things that can help with the more difficult blind cleaning jobs:

Cleaning Vinyl or Aluminum Blinds:

• For lighter jobs, use an all-purpose cleaner with a damp sponge, cloth, or paper towels
• For heavier jobs, remove blinds and take them outside for cleaning with a water hose, or line your bathtub with old towels (to avoid scratching your tub) and soak for half an hour, wipe away dirt, rinse and rehang

Fabric Blinds:

• Vacuum lightly in open and shut positions, cleaning in the direction the blinds are designed (vertically or horizontally)
• Clean in the correct direction – either vertically or horizontally depending on the style
• Clean gently with slightly damp sponge for stubborn spots

Wood Blinds

• First, vacuum away as much dirt as possible
• Use old cotton gloves or socks on your hands
• Clean with all-purpose wood cleaner and a soft clean cloth.
• Don’t use water on wood blinds to avoid warping

When you’ve gone through the necessary process to get your blinds looking great again, you’ll be proud of the effort you put forth. That’s when you need to decide to routinely clean your blinds so the job remains easier each time. If you clean your blinds occasionally when you’re vacuuming, you’ll see how easy it is to keep them nice and clean without so much effort!

Keep the dust away!
Believe it or not, a sheet of fabric softener can help you keep that sneaky dust from building back up so quickly.

DirectBuy provides a great selection of beautiful window blinds at wholesale prices direct from the manufacturers and their authorized suppliers. A one-stop shop for all your home remodeling, furnishing, and building needs, DirectBuy has virtually everything – including the kitchen sink – to make your home remodeling project as easy as possible.