DIY Frosted Windows

So we have a large bay window that spans the entire living room.  The center picture window has blinds but the windows on either side are very narrow and don't have blinds or any other window treatments.This means that anyone who walks by can see into our living room.  Although we don't have really nice, expensive things, I don't want people to know what we do and don't have.  I also just don't like the thought of people being about to walk down the street and look into my house.

 I went on the Home Depot website and looked up adhesive window covers.  I found some frosted window covers and then I realized "Hey, I have some transparent contact paper from the dollar store left over from a craft project.

Dollar Tree Contact Paper

I tested a piece of it on a window and I couldn't see through it and the light was still shining through.  I then proceeded to cut contact paper the size of the window and apply it to the glass.  I put it on similar to the way that you put a screen protector on a phone.  I peeled the backing off of the top edge and placed it on the top edge of the window then I used my hand to run the contact paper on smoothly.  I tried using a piece of cardboard instead of my hand, but it just didn't work as well.

This is the final result:

Can't see anything from the outside

Lets sun in from the outside

One added bonus to this is that my dogs can't see outside so they can't bark at other dogs as they're walking by or the neighbor's kids drawing with sidewalk chalk in the driveway.

It was super quick and easy and it's been a lot nicer not having to worry about people looking in through my windows when I'm not home.  Maybe I'm paranoid, but I feel better now.