We all love summer, but how many of us love the heat that comes with it? And as a result of the gradual but certain effects of global warming, summers will only get hotter. Here are a few ways to stay cool without cranking up the AC.

Keep More Houseplants

Apart from being natural air purifiers, houseplants can also provide a cooling effect – especially if you place them near windows where they can absorb the sunlight.

Plant a Tree or Shrub

This is a much bigger investment than simply buying small houseplants. But if you’re a homeowner, having a tree outside your home can help to keep the inside cool. That’s because trees can provide shade, block solar radiation and help to lower the temperature.

Do Some of your Chores at Night

Appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines, and especially clothes dryers all put out heat when they’re in use. While you can’t stop washing clothes and doing the dishes, you can wait and do these chores in the evening when it’s cooler out. If you have the option, hang your clothes outside to dry.

Cook Outdoors

One of the perks of summer living is that you get to cook outdoors. And doing so can keep your kitchen and home from getting too hot.

Switch your Sheets

Keep your bed linen light colored, breathable, and airy with materials like linen or cotton. They promote ventilation and airflow in the room. They can also be used to liven up a room with a refreshing change of sheets.

Be Strategic with Doors and Windows

Keep the doors of unused rooms closed. This helps to keep cool air in the rooms you’re actually using. However, during the evening hours, it’s good to keep doors open – especially if it encourages breezes to flow throughout the house, cooling it down naturally.

The same goes for windows you can open windows when it’s cool and keep them closed when it gets warmer. The temperature outside is reduced in the evening and so the best time to open the windows is early morning or late evening.

Also, keeping your curtains closed will help to filter the sun. invest in thick materials to keep your rooms cool. This is especially important if you have windows facing the south and west, which get the most sun.

Turn the Lights Off

Another way you can cool down your house is by turning off the lights when they are not being used. Incandescent lightbulbs tend to emit a lot of heat so by turning them off or switching to fluorescent lamps you’ll not only lower the temperature, but you also lower your electricity bill.

Cool Down with Cool Hues

The best time to decide on a seasonal update that will last all year is during the summer. Think about painting your walls with light colors like sky blue, pastel yellow, aqua, or beige that reflect heat and light rather than absorbing it. These will support the interior's cooling efforts and will give your house a new, fresh appearance. Light colors also give your home a brighter interior.

Get Creative with Your Fan

Your fan is a must when it comes to keeping cool in the summer. Fans help to circulate air and make you cooler. The issue with fans is that if the temperature indoors is too hot the fan may just circulate the hot air which definitely makes you hotter.



• You can create a cross-breeze by positioning a fan across from a window. This will allow the wind from outside and the air from the fan to combine.
• If you place a bowl of ice or two frozen water bottles in front of a fan the air from the fan will feel cooler as the ice melts. This usually works best with a table fan and is perfect if you are cooking or doing work at a desk.
• By turning your box fan outwards by a window, the hot air can be pushed out.
• Adjusting ceiling fans to spin counterclockwise allows cool air to be pushed downwards. The cooling effect occurs when the air evaporates sweat.

Invest in Portable Air Coolers

A portable air-cooling unit is a great solution for cooling the most used areas of your home. They can easily be moved from one room to another.