Wow… such crazy temperatures going on right now (I’m guessing you’ve noticed). Loving it though very much feeling the need to do anything possible to keep it cool at home.
Here are a 10 things which really make a difference.
- Batten down the hatches: It might seem logical to keep windows, curtains and blinds open to increase air flow. Though actually, keeping them closed and therefore hot air out, helps a room stay as cool as possible. When the temperature has dropped in the evening, open it all up again to give the house a good airing. If it’s a day with a nice breeze, create a through draft by opening up the opposite windows, as moving air is cooler than still air
- Black out blinds… not just for kids. That 4am daylight is pretty brutal day after day for light sleepers. We’ve whopped out the blackout blinds which means waking up at a more civilised time. Some of them stick with suckers to windows. A more permanent option is to get yourself some blackout lined curtains. Ready made or made to measure ones from the Natural Curtain Company or John Lewis are brilliant
- Feet in water. This was a natural next step after getting loads of containers of water for the 3 year old play with in the garden. Sticking your feet in a container of water is the quickest way to lower your body temperature (unless you have a swimming pool). Even better, use the heat as an excuse to have a full blown water fight and give your garden a good watering at the same time
- A fan of a fan. Fans can be invaluable for people struggling to sleep. Since heat rises, the coolest air in a house is at floor level, so set your fan on the floor and point it upwards.
- Paint it white. OK, not necessarily an immediate fix (though the heat is meant to last a bit this summer), but worth considering. Walls which were once white or which have been painted a darker colour which you aren’t in love with any more which help reflect light in the heat, making rooms a nicer place to be
- When in Rome… if you’re lucky enough to have a job which enables it, have a siesta in the day. It’s not midday sun in the UK that’s the hottest but that in mid afternoons around 2 – 4pm when it’s burning brightest. So slip yourself under a nice white cotton sheet and tune out for a bit.
- More on sheets… Keep them in the freezer, if you’ve got room next to the peas and mini Magnums. Sounds weird, but it works. Keeping them in the fridge for 30 mins or so before bedtime also works. And get rid of your duvet for a bit if you haven’t already, using a sheet instead
- Open up. If you have a loft hatch open it up to help a bit more air circulate
- Our leafy friends. trees and plants act as natural air conditioners and pump moisture into the atmosphere, so think about buying a nice leafy houseplant or two. Just remember to water them.
- Tidy up. Looking round a room full of stuff on a hot day makes me feel even hotter for some reason. Have a bit of clear out (when it’s cooler in the evenings of course) by taking things off overpacked shelves. Moving things off the floor and going into messy corners can help to make it appear more spacious, feel cooler amd circulate more air.
Photo credit: The White Company