Growing up in Cyprus taught me all the life skills that are totally useless in the UK. Like how to identify a poisonous snake, natural mozzie bite remedies and to let your feet dry before brushing the sand off! But with our amazing British Summer this year, I can finally impart some top tips on how to keep your home cool this summer. A few of these tips are no brainers – and some you just wouldn’t have thought of!
These are all clever and practical tricks for keeping your house cool in a heatwave – so before rushing out to invest in an AC unit, try these out… plus we’ve teamed up with Damart to giveaway a ten-piece towel bale.
Keep the sun out
The first thing that we’re tempted to do on a bright sunny day, is to open the curtains, pull up the blinds and throw open the windows. Although this will make your home bright (and possibly breezy), you’re also heating up your house. You know those insta-worthy pretty Med villas with bright shutters that are rarely open? Yep, they’re functional and their sole purpose is to keep the sunshine and heat out of the house. If you have black-out blinds, keep them closed as they offer another layer of insulation keeping your home cool.
If you’re at work in the day, then keep your curtains and blinds closed and you’ll come back to a lovely cool home. If you’re in during the day, then keep the house dark on the sunny side of the house and swap over as the sun moves around. As the sun sets, throw everything open to let the air circulate and allow the cooler night air in.
Swap your bedding
If you haven’t already, swap your duvet for a summer one or get rid of it completely and just use a flat sheet on top. Cotton and linen are natural fibres that allow your skin to breathe and keep you cool. Any synthetic fibres will just make you sweat so get rid!
One trick too keep you cool at night is to pop a hot water bottle in the freezer so it becomes one giant cooling ice-pack!
Use your towels
If you still find it impossible to get to sleep – my sister has the perfect trick. I must admit, it’s not something I’ve had to resort to but she swears by it! Run the cold water shower head and get a bath sheet wet enough for it to become cold. Then lay it out on the bed any lie on top. For the less brave – run a face towel under cold water and put it around your neck or forehead to cool you down instantly. I find that running your wrists under cold water is another great way to cool down instantly.
Pop over to Instagram to enter the giveaway and win this fab 10-piece towel bale in dove grey. It includes 2 bath sheets, 2 bath towels, 2 hand towels and 4 face towels. Giveaway ends Midnight 31 July 1018
Turn off lights and electrics
I’m not advising you to sit completely in the dark and wrapped in a wet towel for the whole of the summer! But turning off unnecessary lights, electronic devises and appliances give off more heat than you realise. So turn anything unnecessary off! Use your kitchen and bathroom extractor fans to suck out all the excess heat too.
Fan-tastic!
We all know that a Dyson cool fan is where it’s at, but if your budget doesn’t quite stretch – then there are a couple of fan-hacks you can try. Pointing a fan out of the window actually sucks the hot air out. If you have a second window in the same room – hang a wet towel or sheet across it for a lovely cooling breeze.
Another fan-hack is to fill a bowl (preferably metal) with ice and direct the fan over it. It’ll instantly blow cool air! You may also feel like you’re in an 80’s music video as you’ll get that dry-ice mistiness too!
Natalia xo
Sitting in a dark room wrapped in a cold towel all summer!!!! Oh that made me giggle! I was listening to the radio the other day and there was a big debate about whether or not to open the windows on a hot day. All the Brits were calling in saying you should, and then lots of people from much warmer countries were calling in saying you should keep windows and blinds shut, like you advise. It was funny to listen to them all arguing!
This is incredibly useful…! It’s BOILING at the moment and any tips are useful! It’s also amazing how I didn’t think how much heat electrics give off. Thanks so much for sharing!
These are good tips, and as someone who has been avoiding the direct sun (haha I’m too pale!) these are all worth noting. We completely blackout our daughters room in the day but keep the windows open. Helps to keep the room cool before bedtime
Great tips! I do keep curtains shut for that reason upstairs and def trying the wrist thing! Thanks for sharing x
Ahh amazing tips! I must admit I hadn’t thought to turn off unnecessary electrics/lights – what a great idea!
i have been permanently attached to the fan and all my blinds are shut to help keep the room temp down x
I do most of these already but the fan tips were new to me, thanks so much! I’m melting!
If it ever gets hot again I’m so trying the idea you’ve suggested with the hot water bottle! It’s like the indide of a black cat in our house when the weather warms up!