New Blinds - Yipee!!
Finally got rid of those ugly blue/green day/night shades. Bought (on-line) cordless cellular shades. The key word in that sentence is "cordless". Took down the old heavy valances and threw them away. The new shades are their own valences if you leave them down about six inches. Still may put up a decorative valance - haven't decided yet.
The bedroom shade is a room darkening one and you can raise it from the bottom or lower it from the top for those times you want privacy but a little light at the top of the window. It has a cord on either side for the Up or Down. They are so much nicer than the day/night shades that came with the rig with the blasted cords that kept breaking.