My Story: Keeping Cool

What do we do to keep cool during the summer?

1. We spend more time outdoors! Our shady back porch is set up with plants, comfortable chairs, a table, radio, and a large area rug. There is always a nice breeze that blows to keep us cool. It's like a whole other room that we only get to use during the warm weather months! We eat our meals on the porch, entertain guests, work on creative projects, and even take afternoon naps. Who wants to bother with TV re-runs when you can enjoy time outside as a family?
   
   
2. Limit indoor cooking. Cooking generates more heat, so we use our outdoor grill on a regular basis.
   
   
3. We cool off with frozen treats and eat a lighter diet with more rice and veggies. No heavy meat and potatoes for us during these hot months.
   
   
4. Cool showers lower body temperature as does wearing lighter weight clothing. Light weight cotton dresses, linen pants, and sandals are much more comfortable to wear in the hot weather. It seems like common sense, but every summer I see people sweating in synthetic fabrics and heavy shoes. A run through the sprinkler does wonders too.
   
   
5. We put large box fans in our windows and open most windows at night (It's safe because we live in an upper floor apartment.) At night, we have the fans blowing the air in, and if we keep our bedroom door closed, it feels like air conditioning! During the day, we close a few windows and turn on one or two fans to blow the hot air out. We also keep our home cool by keeping the drapes closed during the day and opening them after the heat of the day.
   
   
6. We sleep with lightweight blankets and sheets only.
   
   
7. We limit the use of electronic appliances. These also generate heat.
   
   
8. We place sheets and lightweight slip covers on our furniture.
   
   
9. I put ice cubes in the water bowls for our pets to keep them cool and also spend more time brushing and bathing them.
   
   
10. I de-clutter our home. Having lots of pillows, rugs and candles may create a cozy environment in the winter, but it just makes the home seem stuffy during the summer. I put everything away and only keep out basic necessities and a few decorative items.

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