5 Home Hacks To Do This Summer
The season is notorious for its high temperatures, but you keeping a pleasant home through the summer can help bring flared tempers down. Here are five tricks for the home:
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1. Stay cool, calm and collected.
According to psychologist Sally Agustin, Ph.D., “Science has shown that there are real links between the colors that we see—and that we imagine in our mind’s eye—and how warm or cool we think a space is. In many sorts of 'borderline' situations (when we’re on the verge of feeling too hot or too cold), the ability of colors to change the apparent temperature of a space we’re in can be enough to make us feel comfortable, without added air conditioning or heat.”
Paint your walls with shades of cool colors, green, blue or purple. These are especially welcome in areas of the house that are transitions from the outdoors to the indoors and entryways into homes.
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2. Keep it breezy.
Pay attention to the direction your ceiling fan rotates. In the summer, it is most ideal for it to go the counter-clockwise direction. This will push the cool air down, creating a wind chill effect. This cools the room down by as much as 8 degrees.
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3. Decorate for the season.
Use lighter fabrics and materials that breathe. Look no further for these than our own local materials. For example, solihiya, the humble cane material found in a lot of Filipino furniture, was originally used to replace the heavy brocades that covered European furniture. Not only do our local weaves do their job of providing a light, breathy material to use in the tropical climate, they also automatically lend a summer vibe by making a clear stylistic reference to the tropics.
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4. Go green!
When plants go through the process of transpiration, the water evaporating from its leaves and other parts keep the air cool. They help remove hazardous toxins from the air by absorbing carbon dioxide and emitting oxygen. Ambient temperatures are also brought down by having plants indoors. Consider having a snake plant or mother-in-law’s tongue in the bedroom. It emits oxygen at night while you sleep, keeping temperatures cooler. These manage with low light levels and irregular watering. Other plants that are known to remove indoor pollutants and improve air quality are the Money Plant and the Boston Fern. The money plant, specifically, is known to remove formaldehyde, benzene, xylene and carbon monoxide, while the Boston fern is a natural humidifier and air purifier.
READ: 5 Low-Maintenance Indoor Plants For People With No Green Thumb
5. Let light in.
A lot of people use the season to do general cleaning in their homes. Don’t forget the windows to let natural light in. A quick, easy cleaning solution for cleaning windows is made of readily-available ingredients: a mixture of two parts water, one part soap and one part vinegar. Use crumpled up newspaper when cleaning to avoid streaks.
READ: This House, Bathed In Natural Light, Is Every Inch Instagrammable And Staycation-Perfect
Banner and thumbnail photos from @casaconsunji
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