Is your home ready for summer? Many people look to refresh their home in preparation for summer so they can host BBQ’s and social events, enjoy the weather outside, keep the windows open for some fresh summer air, and more. If you also want to take advantage of the excitement and opportunities that summer offers, it’s time to prep your home!
Summer decorating is fun and as the weather gets warmer it’s important to accommodate and make changes to your home. So, here are 10 things you must do to make your home fit for summer.
Round the house fix-ups
1. Service the air conditioner
Before summer arrives, make sure your air conditioner is working efficiently. Replace the air filter and clean the area around the AC unit and vents, then run the air conditioner. Is it cooling your home effectively? If not, get a HVAC professional to check for any leaks or defects in the unit.
2. Dust your fans
Do your ceiling fans have a lot of dust? If so, then it’s time to dust and wash them. Consider cleaning the ceiling fan blades with an old pillowcase as this’ll allow you to collect the dust inside the pillowcase and avoid spreading it everywhere. After that, wipe the blades with a damp cloth and cleaner.
3. Clean the BBQ!
To make cleaning easier, heat the BBQ for 10 minutes on high and once it cools, disconnect the gas. Then disassemble the BBQ before cleaning the roof, drip tray, burners, and so on with warm, soapy water. First wipe the grates with cooking oil and use a hard-wire brush and BBQ cleaner to clean the grill. Finally, wipe down the BBQ’s exterior before putting everything back together.
4. Fix up the yard
Have your yard cleaned and ready for your summer get-togethers with family and friends. This includes:
- Pressure-washing walkways and replacing damaged pavers or bricks
- Tidying up the flowerbeds by clearing out weeds and redefining the edges
- Removing leaves, twigs, and dead grass on the ground
- Filling in bald patches of grass
- Fixing a broken or cracked sprinkler
- Cleaning the birdbath and deck.
The necessary summer home updates
5. Mini ‘summer’ clean
Here are some quick and easy things to do to clean your home for summer:
- Declutter your home by putting excess knick-knacks in storage
- Store away winter pillows, blankets, and mats
- Replace heavy rugs and draperies with lighter ones
- Change the bed linens to fresh sheets and lighter blankets
- Put seasonal stuff in storage
- Ensure your windows are clean and open smoothly.
6. Freshen up your airflow
Ensure a cool summer and a lower energy output by making your ceiling fans rotate counter-clockwise (the blades are tilted upward when they spin in this direction). This helps promote air movement by pushing air downward and creating a stronger draft.
You should also install retractable fly screens so you can open your windows and doors to let in fresh air and sunlight without worrying about insects entering your home. Of course, this isn’t just a summer solution – you’ll also heed the benefits in the colder months.
7. Make your deck a living room!
First, you should clean the deck with warm, soapy water, a scrub brush, and a hose to remove mould, dirt, and mildew. Then comes the fun part – add cosy outdoor furniture, blankets, pillows, a rug, and flower planters. Turning your deck into an outdoor living room will make summer entertaining more fun.
Decorating for summer
8. Add some outdoor lights
After cleaning and furnishing your deck, create a moonlight mood with outdoor string lights. You can choose between colourful and themed options or classic white bulbs. What’s more, outdoor lighting will improve visibility and safety at night, and increase the visual appeal of your deck.
9. Don’t compromise on colour
Colour is important when it comes to summer decorating. Pure white, natural neutrals, florals, bold neon colours, bright colours, and beach-inspired colours like blue and aqua will help your spaces scream summer. So apply these colours to your indoor and outdoor décor, such as furniture, bedding, cushions, floor pillows, throws, rugs, and accessories. Lighter colours will also make spaces appear larger.
10. Don’t forget nature
Summer is the season to embrace nature. Plants and flowers oxygenate the environment and increase humidity. So put a green plant in the bathroom, aromatic plants in the kitchen, and colourful flowers in the living room. You can also put shells and seagrasses in a vase or have your home décor made of natural materials like wood, cane, wicker, and bamboo. All of these will make your home more welcoming and bring more life into the space.
Embrace summer decorating with Artilux
Whether it be additions, fix ups or just small points, there are lots of things that you can do to make your home summer-friendly. From the bedrooms to the kitchen, through the living room to the deck, every part of your home can shift into summer mode so you can enjoy the warmest season of the year with friends and family.
When it comes to opening your home up to let in fresh air and sunlight, look no further than Artilux. Our unique range of quality retractable fly screens for windows and doors will cool your house down and brighten it up while keeping the insects outside where they belong. To find out more about our retractable fly screens, contact our friendly team today.
