Summer is the best for spending time outdoors. Everyone loves throwing a ball outside with their friends, or sitting out by the beach soaking up the sun. But while you’re enjoying your time going out in the warm weather, don’t neglect your home.
1. Keep your home cool on a budget
With modern gadgets and the phenomenal invention of air conditioning, we sometimes don’t give our ancestors enough credit for the genius of the tools they had to work with. What I’m saying is this, during the summer months when everything turns hot, we take for granted that we have ac units that keep us cool. But for those of you who are perhaps a little bit more budget conscious, keeping the ac on can put no small dent into your savings account. Now, to get back to our ancestors bit, if you think about it, somehow they needed to keep cool in the summer. So, how did they do it?
Keep your blinds closed
You may be tempted to open your blinds and let in all that natural sunlight. Wanna know what else that glorious sunshine brings? Heat. Lots of it. If you’re trying to not be dripping in sweat inside your own home, then keeping the blinds closed is a good way to avoid this. During the hotter hours of the day, keep your blinds closed. This will keep the heat from coming into your home.
You could also try to invest in blackout curtains.
Open your windows at night
This is a great cost-effective way to cool your house down. Use the natural lower temperature that night brings to cool your home. You can also open the doors throughout the inside of your home to create additional airflow.
Use the ice bowl method
Place an ice bowl in front of a fan. Using a fan is already quite a bit more cost-effective than using a/c. But you can really cool a room down when you put a bowl of ice in front of the fan. You could also hang a small wet towel over the fan that was dipped in cool water. Make sure to wring the towel out so that it’s not dripping wet.
2. Make your home party-ready
Who doesn’t love hosting an outdoor party? When you host a party, you want to show off a little.
Stock up on the essentials
Keep plenty of beverages and snacks on hand for any impromptu gatherings you may have. Also stock up on the bug spray and sunblock.
Clean up your yard
Work a little in the garden, trim your hedges, mow the lawn and tend to any nature to give your yard a tidy look. Also wash your outdoor furniture. Anyone who comes over will be grateful for tidy chairs and cushions. Washing the outside of your house is also recommended. Wash away any dirt and grime, clean the gutters and wash the windows.
The most important thing to NOT forget, is tending to your grill. What’s a barbecue without a grill? Give your grill a nice wash and stock up on the propane.
3. Inspect your equipment
Take the time to check if all of your housing equipment is in proper order. Carefully inspect your air conditioning unit, lawn equipment and hot water tank. Figure out what is working and what you might need for everything to run smoothly.