There’s a heatwave just around the corner and while summer’s not officially here, as keen Brits, we’re already breaking out the essentials! Sandals and sun hats are being unearthed, and the barbecue is officially out of retirement.
But, before the heatwave hits, now’s your last chance to get things in order around your home. Because as soon as the temperature starts to climb, your home will feel more like an oven and your motivation will go out of the window!
To make life easier (and your home a little less cluttered), we’ve rounded up the 7 things you need to get rid of ahead of the heatwave. To prepare yourself and your home, here’s where you need to start:
1. Expired suntan lotion
If your suntan lotion has expired, its performance isn’t guaranteed, so your skin may still be taking damage from UV rays despite repeated application. Rather than a specific use-by date, the bottle usually has a period-after-opening logo featuring a number to show how many months it will last once opened (this tends to be a small logo of an open pot).
Not sure when you started using it? Suntan lotion tends to last around 12 months after opening (but do check the bottle to confirm), so if you know you were using the same lotion this time last year, it’s time to buy a replacement. When you start using a new bottle, mark the date you start using it on the packaging, so you can be certain of when it expires.
GHI Tip: Be sure to apply suntan lotion all year round. Even while it’s cold or overcast, your skin is still exposed to ongoing UV rays, and it needs protecting to prevent damage.
2. Crispy towels
No one wants to dry off after swimming in the sea with a ‘crispy’ towel. You’ll know the ones we’re talking about. They’ve gone through one too many wash and dry cycles, and end up feeling so rough, you can almost snap them in half. Such towels aren’t exactly relaxing or comfortable to use, so round them up and make a judgement call.
If they’re just starting to crisp, you might be able to restore them with a few habit changes, such as throwing some dryer balls in the tumble dryer, or reducing the amount of detergent you use. But if you think it’s unlikely you’ll restore them, there are ways to reuse your old towels, such as pet bedding, mop heads or even cleaning cloths.
For more tips, read up on how to keep your towels soft and fluffy.
Handy Laundry Wool Dryer Balls x6
3. Frozen food packaging
Before the heat hits and the ice cream aisle is gutted, it’s time to stock up on those crucial ice lollies. But when every freezer drawer is already crammed, how can you find space? That’s why now’s a good time to clear any unnecessary packaging you’re storing here.
Frozen food can be moved to freezer bags or containers, and you can use a freezer-safe marker pen to write what it is and when it was frozen. You can always cut away the cooking instructions and store them separately if you’re worried you’ll forget. Remember to stack in reverse date, so the oldest food gets eaten first, and try to have dedicated drawers, such as meat and fish (bottom drawer to prevent cross-contamination), fruit and vegetables, and sides, so everything’s easy to find. Make enough space, and you could even create a dedicated ice cream drawer at the top!
Here are our favourite tips and tricks to organise your freezer efficiently.
4. Broken sunglasses
Broken sunglasses can often be found buried in a drawer somewhere. All it takes is a scratch in our bags or sitting on them accidentally and that’s it, they’re unusable. Even something as simple as a screw coming loose can leave them disarmed (literally). But we won’t throw them away, especially not if they’re an expensive brand that we keep telling ourselves we’ll repair. And so they sit, gathering dust.
Now’s the time to deal with your broken sunglasses and make a final judgement call. Consider what repairs are needed and if you’re ever likely to wear them again, even if they get fixed. If you’re determined to keep them, you can take them to be professionally repaired or even attempt it yourself using a repair kit. Otherwise, while sunglasses can’t be recycled at home, you can sometimes take them to local recycling centres (contact your local council to confirm), or they can be recycled using the recycling box at your local Specsavers.
5. Cloudy glassware
A cloudy glass isn’t a pretty sight in summer, even when it’s carrying your favourite iced drink. This appearance is caused by limescale, which is why it’s such an issue in hard water areas. Each time the glass gets washed and dries, a calcium substance is left behind which builds and builds, until the glass appears ‘cloudy’.
Thankfully, you can remove limescale like this with a few household staples. For minor cloudiness, citric acid is all you need. Just put your cloudy glassware in the top rack of the dishwasher (otherwise empty), fill the dispenser with citric acid and run a regular cycle. For heavy cloudiness, you’ll need to soak the glassware in a solution of half distilled white vinegar and half water. This may take a few hours, so inspect regularly and clean once it’s finished.
6. Forgotten sandals
If you have several pairs of sandals kicking around, it’s worth sorting through them now to find the keepers. Don’t keep any pairs that hurt – these should be donated or sold – and as for those with tags still in from last year, ask yourself why the tags were never removed? Unless you make a conscious effort to use them this season, these should be decluttered, too.
Any that are broken can often be recycled at a local recycling centre, or they might still have uses around the home. You could cut them up and use the rubber as furniture pads or even as plant pot feet.
7. Reusable water bottles
Finally, staying hydrated during the heatwave is a no-brainer, but when your cupboards are crammed with lots of reusable water bottles, it does seem like overkill. So, what can you do when they start to overcrowd the cabinet?
Start by taking every bottle out and inspecting the condition of those you use regularly, making the switch to a new one if needed. Offer any spares that are in good condition to friends and family. They usually can’t be recycled at home, even if made from plastic, but some brands, such as Chilly’s, do offer take-back schemes. Or repurpose them around the home, perhaps as a makeshift vase or for watering your plants.
