It’s scorching outside. The usual pleasant 6 AM walk has become a sweaty exercise, when humidity squeezes the body with a strong and clammy hand. This makes me think of starting the walk at 5 in the morning, cut the 5 km walk to 3 km, so I get home before the sun blazes without restraint. Drink water, cool down a bit before moving around for the usual daily ritual of keeping body and soul together with breakfast.
I love summer but I don’t know if the gentle, breezy summers of the past are just a figment of my imagination, and if the summer heat was just tempered by time and nostalgia.
Colors of Summer
If you’ve got a home with light neutral walls or if you’re #teamputi, then it would be easy to dress up your home for the summer by adding home accessories that have vibrant colors. Bring in flowering plants to add to the happy vibe.
If you have a maximalist home, then add to the color explosion with things in complementary colors.
Are you old enough to remember those plastic table cloths that are splattered with garish designs of red, yellow, orange, blue, green (usually flowers)? I do remember them with a smile because they remind me of summertime in my grandparents’ home. The colors are so glaring that first you get blinded by them, then your eyes finally settle down to ignore all that stimuli!
If you are fond of white and light neutrals and want to keep your home that way without tainting it with vibrant colors, you can still change the look of your home to get ready for summer. Think of white curtains in light fabrics that filter the sunlight. They flutter in the breeze and heighten the illusion of coolness. Or you can add a vase filled with white bougainvilleas.
Tips to Get Your Home Summer-Ready
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Thoughts of frolicking on the beach or going on road trips with the barkada may fill your head. But it is also time to give your home your tender, loving care.
I read something a long time ago that I’ve followed because it makes a lot of sense to me. Usually when we prepare for a vacation, we cut corners with house-cleaning and we leave the home a little bit (or a lot) messy. However, the advice given in the article I read was to clean your home well, even go as far as to put clean sheets on the bed, because the person who gets in the door after a vacation (meaning YOU), deserves to come into a home that is sparkling and welcoming. Makes sense, right?
But let’s get back to the tips on how to prepare your home for the summer.
1. Repaint Your Exteriors
Summer is painting season in Boysen parlance. Repaint those areas outside the home that are in need of a touch-up. If a power wash is enough, then do that. Otherwise, think of repainting. It will do wonders for your home. Use Boysen Cool Shades for your roof to help bring down the heat in the home. Read this link.
Check if your gates or fences are in need of a makeover. You can surf through the Painting Tips category in this blog for ideas.
2. Get Your Garden or Terrace Ready
Lucky enough to have a garden or terrace? Get it ready for those nights when you want to spend time outdoors with family and friends. Get the furniture out, the hammock, sun lounger, outdoor cushions and poufs. String some fairy lights to make it cozier. Secrets are easier to share when there’s a magical ambience.
3. Embrace biophilia
Bring those plants in, especially those that get limp with too much heat. Herbs are great for the scents they exude. Rubber plants, fiddle-leaf figs, or monsteras look great with their fantastic foliage.
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Here’s an idea. If you’ve got a collection of shells, put some tillandsia (air plants) or succulents in them and hang them against a wall.
4. Rattan, Wicker, and Weaves
Take advantage of rattan, wicker, and woven things that are plentiful in the country. Nothing spells tropical than these items. If nothing else, have some pamaypay or paypay within easy reach. You know those common ones made of buri or anahaw? They’re actually great at doing their jobs.
5. Fresh fruits
There are so many fruits available in the country and here’s a list, although not all come out in the summer months—duhat, sineguelas, guava, mango, pakwan, cantaloupe, pineapple, atis, banana, chico, guyabano, langka, lanzones, papaya, santol, pomelo, mangosteen … If I forgot something, please add in the comment section.
Some of them you can make into fruit juices, like calamansi which is available all year round. It has a tart, citrusy taste. A big plus is that it is high in Vitamin C.
There are so many concentrates available but go the extra mile and prepare fresh fruit juices for your family.
6. Keep insects away
Summer also brings a lot more insects. One way of keeping insects away is Boysen Bug Off, an anti-insect paint that can kill mosquitoes, flies, and cockroaches that land on it.
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6 Comments
One additional suggestion is to consider surge protection for your valuable electronics and appliances. Summer storms can bring power surges that might damage them, so investing in surge protectors is a smart move to keep your home and devices safe.
Also, consider installing a smart thermostat. By adjusting your thermostat depending on the situation, you can increase your comfort and reduce energy consumption in cooling your home. In summer, set your thermostat to 75°F when you wake up, 80°F when you leave, 75°F in the evenings, and 78°F (or turn it off) when you sleep.
You won’t feel a big change in temperature, but you’ll see a significant reduction in energy usage.
That’s a very very valuable addition to the tips in the article. I also want to mention such a thing as natural ventilation. On cooler summer evenings, open your windows and let the fresh air in to naturally cool your home and help your air conditioning work less hard. This can help reduce energy consumption and provide a refreshing breeze.
Great tips! One more idea I’d like to share is the idea of adding water features to create a resort-like atmosphere in your outdoor space. Installing water features, like fountains or ponds, can make your yard feel like a fancy vacation spot. But if you really want to take it up a notch, installing a swimming pool could be the best choice. It would give your outdoor area a luxurious and inviting vibe.
Great article!
One suggestion I would add to preparing your home for the summer is installing ceiling fans. Not only do they provide excellent comfort by circulating cool air, but they also contribute to improved energy efficiency. By using ceiling fans in conjunction with your air conditioning, you can set the thermostat at a higher temperature while still feeling cool.
This simple addition can help reduce energy consumption and lower your summer energy bills.
Thanks for sharing this nice article! It’s also crucial to remember that summer is when pests are most active, and they can easily find their way into our homes. By checking every nook and cranny, you can find and get rid of any existing pests hiding in places like cabinets and walls. Cleaning up food crumbs and spills also helps prevent pests from being attracted to your home. You can also discover and seal off any holes or gaps where pests could sneak in.
Doing all this makes your home less appealing to pests and keeps them from becoming a problem in the future.