5 Easy Ways to Stay Cool This Summer

Summer is suddenly here, and with it the heat and humidity. Increased daylight hours and consistent heat waves mean that it might be time to find new ways to keep yourself cool, but staying cool isn’t always necessarily budget-friendly, even if you’re not paying for air conditioning (those fans eat up a lot of energy, too). Here are a few ways to stay cool this summer without breaking the bank.

First Thing’s First: Stay Hydrated

The simplest way to keep yourself cool and also keep your immune system and body healthy during the hotter months is to stay hydrated. Keeping a water bottle full of cold water around you during the day will help you stay cool and motivated for anything the day might throw at you. Dehydration is a huge problem in the summer, and it can creep up on your when you least expect, especially if you exercise outside. Keeping water bottles in the freezer at all times is a good way to make sure you have cold water ready if you’re on the go, as the frozen water will melt as you go about your day.

Some people have also found that having a water bottle you like will help you stick to your hydration goals. Don’t be afraid to invest in a trendy water bottle if you know it will help keep you on track.

Swap Out Your Sheets

There’s nothing worse than waking up warm and sweaty. While you might blame the 90 degree weather, your sheets might actually be keeping in too much heat to let your body cool down as it needs to. Swapping out your winter sheets for sheets made with linen or cotton can help you cool off, and if you find that your cozy duvet is keeping you over-warm, skip it altogether. Here are a few roundups of sheets that will cool you down in the summer, as well as throughout the year:

Update Your Wardrobe

Tempting though it may be to wear sweaters every day of the year, they’re not necessarily the best clothing item to wear if you want to stay cool. Many online stores are having sales right now on summer items. Fabrics like linen, cotton, and silk are lightweight and breathable–keep an eye on what your favorite summer wardrobe picks are made of and invest in fabrics that will let you breathe. Wardrobe means shoes as well–sandals are great, but they’re not always practical. Check out this guide for

If updating your wardrobe isn’t in the budget, take time to evaluate the pieces you have and keep your summer clothes at the forefront of your closet. Clothes that you might think are too big or loose-fitting can be perfect pieces for summer. Belting long shirts and tucking them into shorts and swapping out your cardigans or sweaters for flannels and button downs is a great way to use items you already have. If you have a little DIY in you, here’s a guide to cropping your shirts.

Freeze Your Fruit

Summer is a great time for produce. With tons of delicious fruits and vegetables in season, you might find yourself with a fridge full of fruit and too little time to eat it before it goes bad. Freezing your fruit is a great way to preserve your produce, and frozen fruit is also a lovely, healthy snack that will help keep you cool. Fruits like grapes and pineapple stand up well to being frozen, and they’ll save you money on popsicles and ice cream (though we recommend buying those too, in large quantities).

If you have kids, a fun activity might be found in skewering fruit in colorful patterns and freezing it, or even making smoothie ice cubes with fruit you’ve already frozen that you can blend up in the mornings for a quick, easy breakfast.

Step Up Your Fan Game

There’s nothing like a cool breeze in the summer, and if you don’t have air conditioning a standing fan or ceiling fan is crucial. Some people even swear by battery-powered handheld fans. What’s important about having a fan you intend to keep you cool is placement. Making sure that your fan sits either in front of an AC vent, in front of an open window, or even just in a part of the house that isn’t going to prevent airflow can help you keep from simply circulating hot air through your house. If you have two fans, you can set them up in different spots to help create a cross-breeze and cool your house even further.

If you’re trying to keep costs down, keeping a fan or AC unit running during the day and turning it off overnight while the air is cooler can help you stay cost effective during the hottest of weather.