Not Curtains, Not Regular Blinds: The Affordable Hack That Adds Privacy To Glass Doors

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Glass doors are lovely. They let in the light and allow you to see what's going on outside. However, if they're not covered in any way, anyone from outside might be able to see into your home. At night, when the lights are on inside your house, it's almost like your interior is on display for anyone walking past. Don't panic, though. There's no need to change doors, add privacy film, or buy curtains. You can add privacy to your glass front door with a simple, supremely inexpensive hack: Just add a roll-up beach mat. Any budget beach mat that's about as wide as the glass area on your door or door panel can act like a roll-up blind over the door. But keep in mind that this method won't work on sliding glass doors. 

Beach mats are more readily available during warm-weather months, and can sell for under $5 a piece for the most basic kinds. Many of them have colorful trim around the perimeter, so you could even pick one that matches an accent color in the room. Once hung, these mats are a real glass door covering upgrade that can help decrease visibility from the outside.

Before purchasing the first beach mat you find in a local shop, measure the glass portion of the door you wish to cover. If you'd like the mat to cover the entire glass area for maximum privacy, purchase a mat that is approximately the same width and length as the glass part of your door. If you find a mat that's just slightly narrower that you really love, it might still work. Simply center the mat over the glass, noting that you'll have a small gap on either side once you hang it.

To hang the beach mat, insert a screw-in hook above the glass area of the door at each side. Drilling a narrow pilot hole first will make this easier. If you prefer to do this without drilling holes over the door, stick-on hooks could also work. Either way, these will need to hang above the top two corners, but about an inch beyond in both width and height. It will depend upon the size of your beach mat.

Once the hooks are in the door, take one narrow end of the beach mat and insert the hook into it, then do the same at the other end. Allow the mat to unroll completely for your new DIY window covering. When you're ready to open the shade again, just roll it up. Use your beach mat's straps to tie it together. If your mat doesn't have straps or ties, you can simply use some jute or a ribbon, or even something as simple as shoelaces. Now, you can enjoy the increased privacy for your glass front door.