I absolutely love this product! Not only does it keep the light out on days that I just need darkness, but it also helps keep the warmth in during the cold months!  In Minnesota, we start early with the cold and have had many days in the 30's already.  These curtains have helped me keep my room temperature at a decent temp while keeping the light out. I call that a win!  The curtains are so soft and they were easy to place on my curtain rod. The directions were easy to read and definitely something a beginner could do.