Well Spring has sprung and it’s the time to get that house and garden in order and ready for the hotter months. It’s great to be able to open up the home after having is shut up for most of winter, so here’s a few tips that will help you get everything back in order for a comfortable, enjoyable summer.
For the Home
- Check the external shading is in place and working properly ready to be used as needed in summer. Particularly on the north and west sides of the home. Using shading to keep sun off the glazing will significantly help to keep the home cooler during the hotter months.
- Give your fans (be they ceiling or portable types) a good dust off and make sure they’re working properly. Using fans can help you feel up to 6 degrees cooler on a hot day.
- If you have air conditioners, clean the filters so they can run as efficiently as possible when you need to use them. Remember to use fans in conjunction with air conditioners as you’ll get a better cooling effect for less energy.
- Clean out the rain water collection filters (if you have them) so you catch as much water as you can over summer. It also helps to keep contaminants down in the water.
- Give your home a good spring clean with non-toxic products.
Meanwhile, the garden would have had a good soaking from all the rain over winter, so it’s a great time to get stuck in and get things back in order. If you’re anything like me there’s loads of weeding to do. But a bit of work now and you’ll be rewarded with a lovely place to spend those lovely summer outdoor hours.
In the garden…
- Weed and mulch the garden beds (maybe include some water retaining gel crystals if you don’t have a water tolerant garden)
- Plant some fruit trees if you haven’t already
- Set up a kitchen herb garden with the herbs you like to eat
- Set up a worm farm/compost heap/green cone if you don’t already have one
- Check your gardens watering systems are functioning properly and repair any leaks or blockages.
With all that done you can sit back and enjoy the best our summer has to offer!
