Today, I’m sharing tips on how to make a stuffy home feel cooler. This post comes in on Memorial Day, 2019.
Memorial Day Acknowledgement
First of all, I’d like to acknowledge all those soldiers and sailors who made the ultimate sacrifice, including my great-uncle PFC Leonard K. Malanowski, US Army, 87th Cavalry, 7th Armored Division, WWII. He died in action at just 20 years old, so I never got to meet him.
But, from what the stories I’ve heard, he would have been a really nice uncle.
He died in the Netherlands, and his remains were buried in the village near the location where he was KIA. I hope one day to travel to Europe to see his simple white cross and pay my respects in person.
How to Make Your Home Feel Cooler
Aside from that, we are locked in the grips of an early-season, record-setting heatwave here in eastern NC. I am writing this at 9:30 in the morning and it’s already 90 out there!
I rose early to water my gardens and work on some projects outdoors. However, it’s looking like a great day to blog–inside with the air conditioning running.
Despite the a/c, it’s still stuffy in my house! These tips will help you remove that stifling feeling.
As much as we’d like to spend all of our time outdoors when the sun is shining, it’s not always possible.
If you work from home like me, you might need to spend time in the office. If you’ve got kids, you might be keen to get them indoors and out of the sun, at least at the hottest parts of the day. You might not want to eat all of your meals outside, and chances are, you’d much rather sleep in your bedroom than on your lawn.
Sometimes, coming inside after a long afternoon out in the sun is fabulous. Your rooms are cool and airy, a gentle breeze runs through your house, and it feels fantastic. Being able to cool down quickly helps you to get more comfortable. It can mean that you enjoy your meals and find it easier to stay hydrated, and being able to reduce your body temperature more easily will certainly make sleeping less of a challenge.
But, not always. Not all of us have these light and airy rooms.
Instead, we come indoors to dark, stuffy rooms that feel hot and humid. The air can feel heavy and as well as feeling sticky and warm, you could even find breathing uncomfortable.
When your home feels like this, sleeping is almost impossible, you might lose your appetite and become dehydrated, and tempers will flare. It’s not good. So, let’s take a look at some of the best ways to make a stuffy home feel cooler this summertime.
Know Your Air Conditioner
If you live in a particularly warm area, air conditioning is a must if you want a comfortable home. Even if you only get a few hot months a year, it might be a worthwhile investment if you find the heat difficult to bare.
If you’ve already got air conditioning, but it’s not doing its job, it might be time to look at Air Conditioning Replacement Services or yearly service.
Keep Things Bright
Dark walls and heavy textiles are great in the winter time. They can make your home feel warmer, and the rooms smaller and cozier. But, they might not be ideal in the summer. Stick to light walls and neutral colors, and your home will automatically feel cooler.
If you want options, you can always hang thicker curtains, wall hangings, and darker accessories in the colder months, and keep lighter textiles and bright accessories for the summertime.
Open Windows and Blinds Strategically
The sun will hit different parts of your home at different times of the day. If the bright sun is on your lounge early in the day, keep the window closed, and the blinds pulled shut to block out the hot rays. Then, as the sun moves, open the windows and blinds to let in filtered light.
Don’t Cook
On scorching days, you might not feel like hot meals. This is fine; there’s nothing wrong with sandwiches and salads if that is what works for you. But, if you do want to cook, try to do it either early in the day, to avoid further heating your home when it’s already at it’s hottest, or once the sun has gone down.
I love to fire up my grill or smoker early in the day, cook all that I need for the day outdoors, then enjoy it over a cold salad in the afternoon.
Got Ideas to Make Your Stuffy Home Feel Cooler?
Even if you don’t live in the south in the midst of this heat, summer’s around the corner! Do you have ideas of methods to keep your home cooler?
Drop us a comment with your suggestions, we’d love to hear from you.
Despite freelancing to make a living, her love is "all things home."
Deborah grew up in a family that grew a large vegetable garden and a fruit orchard, helping her parents pull weeds and can home-grown foods as part of her childhood. In fact, she had no idea that she could purchase veggies and fruits in pre-packed steel cans until she went to college and made a food run.
Today, she lives in Bertie County, North Carolina, an agricultural rural area with more chickens than people. She lives with her husband and two rescue pets a sweet toy fox terrier and a cat who showed up one day and moved into the house. Together, they enjoy DIY projects, furniture refinishing, gardening, and canning.
This blog celebrates all things home.
