Make Your Home Summertime Ready
Summer is on its way, and every so often we’re being teased with beautiful blue skies and plenty of sunshine. But before it truly hits, it might be worth it to get your home in order. After all, we all know just how much housework we have to do to get ready for spring, and the advent of summertime is no different!
And if you get started early you’ll have a lovely, relaxing summer period from the comfort of your own home. But what should you do to make a useful change? Let’s go through ‘8 Useful Changes To Make Your Home Ready For Summertime‘.
Make Your Home Summertime Ready Update #1
Clean Your Kitchen Extractor Fan & Cooker Hood
The kitchen is going to be in full swing during the summer! You’re going to be hosting dinner parties and BBQs with the whole family, and that means the heat is really going to kick up in there. To prepare for these events, take a moment right now to either clean or switch out the filters in your kitchen extractor fan.
In doing so, you make the kitchen both a cooler and a fresher smelling place to be. Most of all, you won’t be standing over a hot stove feeling like you’re in the middle of the Sahara! So get your usual degreaser and a normal cloth out to complete this job.
Further Reading: Simple Tips To Make Your Kitchen Energy Efficient
Make Your Home Summertime Ready Update #2
Take Down Your Curtains
If you have curtains in your home, do you currently have heavy, blackout curtains hanging right now? They’re great in the winter and spring months, but they can wreak havoc in the summertime! Be sure to take them down and put them away for next year before the sun starts properly shining on your home.
Instead, hang some sheer, cotton or linen drapes. By changing your curtains with the seasons (winter and summer) you will help to keep your home breathable whilst still providing a layer of privacy when windows are open. Consider curtains in light colours too – white, off-white or cream will be much better at keeping rooms feeling cool!
Make Your Home Summertime Ready Update #3
Switch to Solar Power
Solar power is one of the best ways to introduce sustainable living to your home. If you’re already recycling as much as possible, using reusable items in the kitchen and bathroom, and you love having greenery around your home, why not take it one step further?
Of course, this might be a hard change to make, but it’s worth it considering the amount of sun receive over the year! Check out companies like Think Renewable to see just how much you can shave off of your electricity bill with just a couple of solar panels on your roof.
Further Reading: 20 Simple Life Changes to Help You with Sustainable Living
Make Your Home Summertime Ready Update #4
Invest in Patio Furniture
The summertime rolling round means you’ll be spending a lot more time in the garden. Make this easier for you by buying up some pretty patio furniture right now – getting a good deal on a set will be ten times more likely right now than it will be in a couple months!
Before you buy, think about the way you’re going to use your garden. Do you like wining and dining out there? Do you like relaxing and reclining? Maybe even just a couple of beanbags would be the dream for you? Don’t waste money by buying items you just won’t use.
Further Reading: 3 Magical Ideas To Refresh Your Garden This Summer
Make Your Home Summertime Ready Update #5
Waft Around Some Summer Scents
The summertime is traditionally a light and breezy time of year. Follow in these footsteps and create this atmosphere in your house right now by using scented candles or wax melts in your rooms.
Anything that’s light in nature with an outside quality to it will work well here. Vanilla or lavender candles, for example, can be found in abundance at any store and can be used to create a feeling of summer. You could also take a more fruity approach; mixed or wild berry candles, or candles with citrus hints, are two incredibly popular summer scents. Scents that give off a ‘grassy meadow’ scent can be an alternative, if you don’t like the sweetness of the smells above.
Further Reading: Irish Made & Natural – Four Fabulous Irish Candle Makers
Make Your Home Summertime Ready Update #6
Change Your Light Bulbs
If you haven’t already, now is a great time to commit to switching all your bulbs from incandescent light bulbs to energy-efficient CFL or LED bulbs. Not only is this update another step to improving your sustainable lifestyle but changing your light bulbs can actually help to keep the heat down in your home over the summertime.
This is because energy efficient CFL and LED bulbs produce less heat than standard bulbs whilst providing the same amount of light. Along with changing your light bulbs, encourage your household to keep lights off during the day and allow that beautiful natural light to flourish from June through to August.
Further Reading: 5 Ways You Can Save Money On Your Energy Bills
Make Your Home Summertime Ready Update #7
Rearrange Your Room Layouts
The way you furnish your rooms is up to you, but in the summertime, you may want to reposition a few things. Most of all, your TV in the living room and the bed in your bedroom. For the former you want to keep it out of the way of the sun, but for the latter it’d be nice to have sunlight fall over it.
After all, it’s a natural alarm clock and will help you get up in the morning! Think about where the sunlight will fall and rearrange furniture to either minimise or maximise your exposure to it.
Make Your Home Summertime Ready Update #8
Declutter as Much as Possible
Finally, if you’ve got a spare hour or two this weekend, why not have a declutter? Getting rid of as many miscellaneous items as possible is a great way to make room for summer warmth. Your rooms are going to feel incredibly stuffy otherwise, even with the above tips at hand.
And it’s always nice to have some space for new plants to find a home in! So get some storage boxes, fill them up with stuff off the coffee table, and try to create some peaceful space within your rooms.
Is your home ready for summer? It soon will be when you follow these tips!
Photos by Sven Brandsma – CCO Licence
PIN: 8 Useful Updates To Make Your Home Summertime Ready
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