This weekend (April 25-26) the temperatures are set to really soar across the UK for the first time this year. Great news, right? Well, considering we are currently in lockdown, maybe not so much. If you have a garden you'll be laughing all the way to your daily vitamin D requirement. If not, you'll be stuck inside, where things can get rather toasty, particularly if you live in a flat. It's so, so important that we stay inside right now, so with that in mind, I've scoured around to find some top tips for keeping cool indoors this weekend and beyond, as the weather gets warmer going into spring and summer.
It's set to be around 20-22 degrees Celsius this weekend, which may not sound boiling, but it's some of the warmest weather we've had for a while. And as tempting as it may be to step outside to experience it, we really mustn't in order to protect others and our NHS (apart from our one excursion for daily exercise, of course). Chances are, many of us have been isolating in our own spaces, which (particularly if you live in a big city) probably aren't exactly castles. But fear not, outside of simple things like keeping windows open and having a cool shower, there are some great ways to keep cool:
1Keep your appliances off
No, I'm not just talking about obvious things like making sure your radiators remain off; I mean all of your appliances, apart from the ones you're using. For example, keep your laptop off when you're not using it, and try to keep charging to a minimum. All of these things give off energy (read: heat), and so are better kept off when possible.
2Hang Out A Wet Sheet
This one may sound odd, but hear me out. After washing your bedding, take one of the sheets and hang it in front of a breezy window. This will help to keep the air flowing and thus, cool things down a little more, particularly if they are cool themselves.
3Make A Cold Water Bottle
Hot water bottles are a God send in the winter when things get reaaal chilly up in your home, as well as during the time of the month. But did you ever consider you can do the same thing the opposite way when the temperature soars? Fill a plastic bottle or other air tight container with water and pop it in the freezer, then take them out when the water is solid for an ice pack to hold, hug, and cling onto for dear life.
4Draw Those Curtains
I know, I know, when the weather is glorious all you want to do is crack up those windows and let the sun pour in through open curtains. But this can just heat up your place like a greenhouse. As soon as the sun begins to go down, you can open them to let in a cooler breeze, but trust me, you'll want to keep them closed during peak sunshine hours.
5Upgrade Your Fan
If you're lucky enough to have a fan in your possession, now is not only the time to use one, but also to upgrade it. Very few of us have air con in the UK for when it gets hot, unlike countries that experience warm weather year-round. But if you want the next best thing, pop a bowl of super cold water (with ice) underneath or in front of your fan for a super cool breeze.
6Make Your Own Ice Cubes
If you've not got access to a fancy ice making fridge/freezer, or don't own ice cube trays, there are ways to still make ice for your drinks and to keep cool. This Reddit thread suggests filling a zip lock bag with water then freezing it, before breaking it up to make pieces.
7Sleep Downstairs
As the old (very true) saying goes: heat rises. And the higher up you are, the hotter it will be at night time, which makes it near-impossible to sleep. If you have the luxury of living somewhere where you have a downstairs, use it.
