I'm cheap. I taped aluminum foil over our bedroom windows, and hung up some curtains I'd made. :lol:

We're on a night shift schedule, so we need the room to be dark while we sleep during the day. The aluminum foil works like a charm. :mrgreen:

I bought one of those foam filled velvety blankets, to use as backing/batting for a quilted window covering. It was cheap [less than $5 at a thrift store] keeps the light and heat outa the room, and keeps the sun from baking what would be good fabric.

I work night shifts. The best thing to black out a room is those roller blinds. I got some from Sears and they made my bedroom pitch black.

when we moved into our new house i started a new job- on the night shift- needing to sleep during the day- and summer time to boot---
i made curtains for our bedroom---that work as well as any black out's
they are simple large block pieced- dark blues-
then i added warm & natural batting and denim for backing (found on sale for $4 a yard-60"wide- at fabric.com)
i think i have about $20 into them and they are great---people come by-notice them and are always wanting to know where i got them :)

Since we don't open our bedroom curtains anyway and our bedroom is in the back of the house we also put aluminum foil on our windows. Works great.

I use one of those sleep masks. The "substantial" ones are comfortable and do a good job. I get mine at The Container Store, although I've seen them elsewhere. I think they are filled with buckwheat hulls. I also use them on an airplane.

I cannot to aluminum foil, school campus and the faculty offices across from my room would not appreciate that... otherwise that was a good idea

I might be checking other locations for curtains... thank you!