How to Blackout Your Bedroom: The Ultimate Guide

Even the tiniest amount man-made of light coming into your bedroom at night can dwarf the brightest moonlit night.

That’s why we think it’s crucial that you be sleeping in complete darkness at night!

Whether you live near street lights or just want to keep that summer morning sun from waking you up too early, blacking out your bedroom is a vital part of the equation to deeper more restful sleep.

So we’ve gone through every strategy and product out there and created the ultimate list of things for you to try!

Strategies for Blocking Light in the Bedroom

1. Blackout Shades

Getting a nice pair of blackout shades is probably one of the best things you can do to cut down on the outside like from getting in through your windows.

You can get these at a local hardware store or online.

Chicology Blackout Shades

This one has tons of window sizes to choose from.

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2. Magnetic Light Blocking Strips

While blackout shades do an amazing job of blocking most light, they can’t block light from coming around the sides.

This is where the sleepy time tracks come in!

These are basically 90-degree tracks that you install on the sides of your window frame, and they do an excellent job of completing the light blocking.

The interior side facing the light is a matte black to help absorb more of the light as well.

Sleepy Time Tracks

These come with a magnetic backing so they’re easy to remove if you need to.

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Budget Magnetic Tracks

If you don’t want to be able to remove them easily, these are a cheaper budget option.

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3. Blackout Curtains

If you already have a curtain rod installed and just want to upgrade to blackout curtains, these also do a great job of blocking light!

Of course, you can also use these in conjunction with blackout shades!

Blackout Curtains

Depending on where you live, blackout curtains might do the job, or maybe they can assist in light blocking with the shades.

Where I live I have street lights to contend with, so I need both to effectively eliminate outdoor light.

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If you don’t already own a curtain rod, I highly recommend getting a wraparound rod for use with blackout curtains as it will help block light from leaking out the sides.

Wraparound Curtain Rod

You’re going to need a curtain rod for those curtains!

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4. Paint Your Bedroom a Darker Color

Darker paint will absorb more light while lighter paint will reflect it. I don’t think I need to spell this one out anymore…

But something else worth noting is that the finish itself will also make a difference.

Semi-gloss and satin paint will reflect more light than matte will regardless of the color.

So just keep this in mind if you deal with light intrusion into your bedroom!

5. Blackout Window Film

Light-blocking window film is a great permanent solution to use if you don’t need sunlight in your bedroom during the day.

This method takes a little bit of work upfront but is very effective at eliminating all of the light coming through a window.

White Blackout Window Film

White film is better than black because it doesn’t absorb heat during the day and doesn’t look quite as weird from the outside.

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6. Block Light From Under the Door

If you live with family members or roommates who don’t have the same schedule as you, the light leak from under the door can be quite annoying!

Luckily there are a few products that can solve this problem.

Door Draft Stopper Snake

Block that pesky roommate light from interrupting your beauty sleep with a draft-stopper snake!

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Attachable Door Draft Stopper

A bit more work to set up but far more convenient than the draft stopper snake.

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7. Blackout Stickers

Often times we have little blue LEDs on bedroom electronics, whether be an alarm clock, a power supply, an air purifier, a humidifier, a laptop, a PC, etc.

They can light up a room sometimes! If you have any of these pesky lights keeping you from pure blissful darkness I recommend grabbing some blackout stickers.

Blackout Stickers

This one comes with a large cutout sheet as well if you need something custom.

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8. Wear an Eye Mask!

Finally, if you can’t block enough light for whatever reason, whether that be travel or temporary housing where you can’t install light-blocking shades or curtains, I suggest getting a nice eye mask.