Get Your Home Ready for the Big Game (TV Glare)

Direct sunlight hitting your TV screen is the obvious culprit, but reflected light causes just as many issues. Even if the sun isn't shining straight onto the screen, light bouncing off walls, floors, or furniture creates enough ambient brightness to wash out the picture.

Time of day makes a huge difference. A 1 PM game time means dealing with peak sunlight angles. Your windows might be fine for evening games, but turn into spotlights when the sun's high. And if you've got west-facing windows, that 4 PM game is going to get progressively worse as the sun drops.

Screen placement matters too. If your TV sits opposite a window or near a glass door, you're fighting light from multiple angles. Modern TVs are bright, but they're not built to compete with direct sunlight.

Close your blinds or curtains, right? Sure, but then you're sitting in the dark watching football at 2 in the afternoon. That's not the vibe anyone wants.

What you need is something that reduces glare without killing all the natural light in the room. Solar shades do exactly that. They filter harsh sunlight and lower glare while still letting enough light through that your space doesn't feel like a basement.

The mesh fabric diffuses direct sun, so instead of a bright beam hitting your screen, you get soft, even light. You can still see outside (no cave effect), but the TV stays visible. People who've installed them for media rooms or living rooms with glare issues usually wish they'd done it sooner.

Roller shades with light-filtering fabric work similarly. You control how much light comes in, and you're not stuck choosing between glare and total darkness.

Not all windows cause the same problems. A small window off to the side might need less coverage than a wall of sliding glass doors next to your TV.

For big windows or glass doors, you want full coverage that you can adjust throughout the day. Roller shades or solar shades that mount above the window frame give you flexibility. Pull them down when the sun's hitting the screen, raise them when it's not an issue.

Smaller windows might only need partial coverage. If the glare comes from one specific angle during certain hours, you can position shades to block just that section and leave the rest open.

Skylights are trickier because the light comes from above, but cellular shades designed for skylights trap heat and diffuse light at the same time. If you've got a skylight flooding your living room with noon sun, that's worth considering.

Here's where you save money and skip the hassle. Professional installation for window treatments can run $100-300 per window on top of the product cost. That adds up fast if you're covering three or four windows in your living room.

Custom-sized solar shades or roller shades are designed for DIY installation. Blindster ships products cut to your exact measurements, and the installation process is straightforward for most people. You're looking at basic tools (drill, level, measuring tape) and 30-45 minutes per window, depending on the mounting style.

Cordless options make operation cleaner, especially if you've got kids or pets around. No dangling cords, just a simple lift-and-lower mechanism.

Window treatments handle most of the work, but a few other adjustments help too.

Rearranging furniture might solve the problem without spending anything. Moving the couch or TV a few feet can change the glare angle enough to matter. Not always possible depending on your room layout, but worth trying before you buy anything.

Anti-glare screen protectors exist for TVs, though people have mixed opinions on them. Some swear by the results, others say they dull the picture quality. If you're spending money on a solution, window treatments give you more control and don't mess with your display.

Turning off lights near the TV reduces competing brightness. You don't need total darkness, but dimming or shutting off lamps near the screen makes it easier to see the action.

If you're ordering custom window treatments, leave time for measuring, ordering, shipping, and installation. Check the shipping estimates when you order so you're not cutting it too close for game day.

Measuring isn't complicated, but it matters. Inside mount (shades fit inside the window frame) vs. outside mount (shades cover the entire frame) changes your measurements. Follow the measuring guide that comes with your order, and if you're unsure, customer service can walk you through it.

Installing the day before the game is cutting it close, but doable if you've got your measurements right and the product arrives on time. Give yourself a week if you want room to adjust in case something doesn't fit perfectly.

Nobody cares about your window treatments during the game. They care about being able to see the screen without squinting or asking you to close the blinds every five minutes.

Solar shades or light-filtering roller shades solve that problem without turning your living room into a dungeon. You get glare control, people can watch the game comfortably, and you're not fumbling with curtains every time the sun shifts.

The game's on. Make sure everyone can actually see it.