Howdy! I hope everyone has the best day! Well, I’m getting ready to say something that some folks loathe hearing and they will squeal and complain lol. Y’all I am OVER this summer heat! I walk outside and immediately begin sweating like I’ve been on a mile walk. I work from home, so I go outside on my lunch break to get a few steps in and to get some fresh air. The air right now feels like I’m breathing the heat waves coming out of my oven. Fall and Spring are most definitely my favorite seasons. Second would be Winter and lastly Summer. I don’t like to wish life away but, I get impatient waiting for fall.
Does your heat pump in your house give try it’s very hardest all summer the way mine does? The poor thing is out there just wearin itself out trying to keep this home livable for us. Last year we purchased and extra until that we put in the back half of our house just to help the ole gal out. It is the best monies that we have spent in a very long time. Our house is about 1500 square feet upstairs and the same amount down. It’s an older home and so is the heat pump. When it was installed, I believe it was just to heat and cool the upstairs. Now that the entire downstairs is finished it works its little heart out keeping us cool. With that being said, I wanted to share some tips on how we keep our house cooler. First we bought the extra small air conditioner. It does not increase our electric bill very much at all and it give the heat pump some relief. We cut the temperature up some during the day because I am here working and I sit at a computer most of the day. So 73 degrees in here is just fine durung the day.
My second tip is to keep the blinds closed. We have huge windows on the back of the house. The evening sun is beautiful but, it shines right in those windows. Two years ago we bought vertical blinds to put on the big windows. It made a huge difference. My kitchen and dining room stay 10 degrees cooler with those blinds.
Speaking of the kitchen, here’s my third tip. If you are a work from home or stay at home momma or daddy (like me), and you like to cook meals for your family, you must learn to use a crock pot or air fryer. These two appliances are staples for me in the summer. My oven will heat up the whole front portion of my home in about 10 minutes. I’ve learned to cook hearty, delicious meals for my fellas in the crock pot and air fryer. I typically cook 5 to 6 nights a week. We usually go out to dinner once on the weekend. So, the crock pot has kept my house so much cooler this summer. I am also a baker. I love making cakes, pies, cookies and all the goodies. Here my little trick for that. Early AM cooking. My son works nights and I cook his breakfast every morning when he comes home (yes, he’s spoiled, and I hope and pray I can cook those meals for many years to come). I have the oven on anyway, so I throw whatever cakes I need to make in there while I’m cooking his breakfast. I sometimes cook their dinner that early as well and just put it in the fridge to reheat when they get home or dinner. Let me say that spaghetti and lasagna are 10 times better reheated. It’s a win win!
Those are just some of the tricks I’ve learned to try to help keep the house a little cooler during the hell on earth heat that we feel during the summer. Y’all I’m in East Tennessee and we are not anywhere near as hot as some of our friends elsewhere. I don’t envy you and I have not desire. The only time this gal likes the summer is when I’m at my sister’s pool or at the beach.
Stay cool and enjoy the rest of your summer days and nights! As for me BRING ON FALL! I’m sure ready for it! Have the best Friday ever. I hope its filled with love and so many blessings!
Always………Brooke
Uplifting, Encouraging, and Fun blogging. 