by 
Tips For Surviving A Hot Summer Without Air Conditioning
By Discover, Explore, Learn
Summertime is all about being together as a family, creating lifelong memories, and enjoying countless hours in the beautiful sunshine.
Watching the kids run through the sprinkler, sipping on cold lemonade, and eating more popsicles than you probably should, are all part of the leisurely flow that comes along with summer.
You know what else comes with summer? Hot, humid, sticky, sweaty days and nights.
This isn’t a huge problem if your home has AC, but if your family is like mine, and living without air conditioning, you’ll appreciate these tips to keep you (and the kids) happy and comfortable all summer long, no matter how hot it gets.
Start your day early – Take advantage of the cooler temps in the morning, by opening all the windows in your home, allowing cool air in and hot air out.
I wake up early (before dawn) to start work, so opening the windows is the first thing I do. If you’re worried about safety (keeping kids safe on upper levels and keeping intruders out), you might want to purchase some window locks (we have these , and have been very happy with them).
Early morning is also a great time to get any cleaning or yard work done before it gets too hot.
Eat the right foods – Cool your body from the inside out. Eating refreshing foods – fruits, salads, raw veggies & hummus, smoothies, and other fresh foods that hydrate you and fill your body with vitamins and minerals, is the best way to stay healthy on sweltering summer days.
My kids love to make Rainbow Fruit Kabobs!
Water, water, and more water – On hot summer days, water is your friend. Do whatever you have to do to make sure the kids (and you) are drinking enough water.
Last summer, I bought each of my boys a Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel Water Bottle. I keep them filled and in the fridge, so the kids can grab them whenever they need a drink. I don’t keep any soda or juice in the house (except on very rare occasions), so that makes a huge difference in how much water we all drink.
Get outside – Even on the hottest days, if you find a shady spot outdoors, it’s likely to be much cooler than inside your home. Load up the squirt guns, fill the kiddie pool, slather on the sunscreen, grab some snacks, and get outdoors.
The kids will have a blast, and you’ll get to enjoy some relaxing down time – read a book, listen to music, or just enjoy watching your children play and explore.
Keep the lights off – This one isn’t too difficult, especially with all of the natural light available on the long summer days. Turning lights on (even when you don’t need them) is a habit though, so it’s important to be intentional about this.
Light bulbs give off a lot of heat (even the new environmentally-friendly ones), so take advantage of the fact that it doesn’t get dark until after 9pm in the summer, and keep those lights off. Bonus: You might end up with a lower electricity bill.
Use fans (the right way) – Obviously, if you don’t have air conditioning in your home, the logical way to keep cool, is to use fans. Try these simple steps to maximize the benefits of a fan:
• Make sure your ceiling fan blades are going in a counter-clockwise direction. This will ensure the hot air is being pushed up and out, instead of just swirling around the room.
• Fill a shallow bowl with ice cubes and place it in front of a fan. As the ice melts, the fan will blow a cooling mist throughout the room.
• Open up the windows at night (when the temperature drops), and place a box fan pointing out the window. This will help push hot air from inside the house out the window, lowering the temperature inside.
• Set up numerous fans in each room of the house to create a cross-breeze.
Invest in proper bedding – It’s one thing to be hot and sticky during the day, but it’s a whole other story when it comes to trying to sleep on hot summer nights.
We all know that if the kids are up all night, tossing and turning because they are too hot, parents won’t be getting any sleep either.
Recently, Cariloha sent us some of their Bamboo Bed Sheets to review.
These eco-friendly sheets are made from bamboo, the most sustainable, renewable resource on the planet. They are softer than 1,000 thread count Egyptian cotton, and are woven into silky soft fabric that’s twice as soft as cotton.
The best part – These Cariloha bamboo sheets contain moisture-wicking properties and are temperature regulating, which means they keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
This makes a huge difference on those hot, humid summer nights. Nothing feels better, and helps you sleep longer, than cool sheets. We love these!
Chill out – Make a Cool-off Sponge Necklace for each person in your family. Keep them in the freezer, and pull them out when you need to cool off instantly.
My kids each have one of these Reusable Ice Packs that they take to bed with them each night.
Take a cool bath or shower throughout the day. Apply cold washcloths to your forehead and behind your neck. Do whatever works for you, and makes you more comfortable on those sweltering days.
Change your perspective – In today’s society, where we have all kinds of technological advances to keep us comfortable in so many ways, we can often lose sight of how insignificant “issues” like having no air conditioning really are.
Most of our parents and grandparents grew up without the luxury of air conditioning and, you know what, they survived, and so will we.