WASHINGTON, D.C. – June 20, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — Summer: The kids are getting out of school, the temperature is starting to rise, and you’re ready to finally throw open the windows. However, once you take a look around your newly re-opened home, you may find it’s not as ready for summer as you are.
Heavy, insulating textiles and unaccountable clutter have probably invaded your rooms, and you need an efficient way to keep the inside temperature down. Your home is about as ready for summer as a snowball.
According to the National Soap and Detergent Association, removing clutter from a home will decrease the amount of time spent on housework by 40 percent. Start by sorting through the contents of closets and cupboards and donating those items that you no longer use. Clearing out closet space will allow you to find a new home for items that are congesting your living space, giving you more room to enjoy and utilize space for BBQs and summer visitors.
In addition to clearing away the clutter, storing dark and heavy textiles and bringing out lighter and brighter ones will also open up your home. Consider colorful, patterned bedding to cheer up your room, as well as printed pillows to brighten chairs and couches, further channeling the bloom of summer straight into your home. Your floors can join in on the makeover by swapping out thick or woolen rugs for ones made of cotton or sisal, which add an organic feel to your home.
One more plus to swapping out rugs is that lighter rugs will retain less heat in your home than heavy ones, which will help to keep your home cooler. Dealing with the ever-increasing summer temperatures in an energy efficient manner is certainly another part of your home’s summer makeover. The most natural and energy saving way to keep your home cooler this summer is to improve your windows. According to dailyfinance.com, direct sunlight can raise a room’s temperature by 10-20 degrees Fahrenheit, so improving your window coverings will help reduce heat gain in your home.
Budget Blinds offers the best energy saving solutions for reducing heat gain from your windows with these customizable options:
Drapery – Drapes installed around windows will not only add elegance and texture to a room, they can also reduce heat gain by as much as 33 percent.
Screens – Improving windows by adding retractable screens will help your family capitalize on the cooler times of the day and reduce AC use. Screens can also be added to porches to allow you to experience the warmth and sun of summer without fear of invading pests.
Window Film – Investing in window films, especially high-reflectivity films, will both protect your furniture from sun-bleaching and help reduce heat gain while still allowing you to keep your summer view. Window films are especially important for East and West facing windows which attract the most direct sunlight.
Solar Shades and Blinds – Solar Shades are designed specifically to help shield against the sun’s heat and reduce glare inside your home. And, according to Energy.gov, horizontal or vertical slat-type blinds are particularly effective at reducing heat gain by as much as 45 percent.
These window solutions will work well with your preexisting window coverings and will create a comfortable environment within your home during the summer. Moreover, applying layers of window treatments, such as window film and drapes, will increase your windows’ energy efficiency and help your home retain heat during the winter too.
After lightening up the interior of your home with new textiles, and improving the energy efficiency of your windows, the last stop on the road of any summer home makeover is the garage. Taking the time to invest in a garage organization system will pay off later this summer when you no longer have to wade through spider infested boxes to reach your belongings. Adding racks to the walls of your garage will utilize the room’s vertical space, and just as with your closets, clearing out items that you no longer use will free up even more space!
Source: Budget Blinds
