Old Home, Cool Tricks: Summer Home Hacks that Actually Work

I am so excited and extra ready for summer this year (why is June such a hectic month?!). My oldest daughter is wrapping up kindergarten and it’s our family’s first traditional summer break. I’m looking forward to lazy mornings, more time outside with the kids, and patio evenings. As amazing as summer is, it also brings the heat, busy activity schedules, and a few extra things to juggle around the house. This year, I’ve been leaning into a few smart home hacks that make summer living just a little bit easier — and today, I’m sharing them with you!

Favourite Summer Activity: walks with friends

1. Turn Off the Heat 

If you live in an older home like we do, you might still have an old furnace system. When the warmer weather hits, we make sure to turn the heat completely off for the season — not just lower the thermostat. For us, this includes my husband turning off the pilot light. It’s a small thing that helps the house stay cooler and sets you up for next season.

2. Use Blackout Curtains and Close Up Early

In an older home without A/C, one of the best tricks is managing the heat before it sneaks in. We close our blinds and curtains early in the morning to block the sun and keep the house cooler throughout the day. Blackout curtains help a lot — they make a noticeable difference in keeping that midday heat at bay.

Blackout Curtains go a long way to keep out heat on hot summer days

3. Create a Cross Breeze

Another simple hack for older homes: create a good cross breeze. We open windows on opposite sides of the house during cooler parts of the day — usually early morning and evening — to help move the air through. Adding a couple of basic fans to the windows helps push the cooler air inside and the warm air out. It’s old-school but it works!

4. Keep a Summer Command Center

Instead of setting tech reminders, I have a little summer “command center” by our back door — a whiteboard where I jot down the week’s activities, reminders like "pack sunscreen" or "refill water bottles," and even meal ideas for busy days. It helps keep all the summer chaos organized without needing another app or gadget. I also leave a bottle of sunscreen by our back door for easy access! 

Staying organized helps us have successful beach days like this one!

5. Keep an Eye on Packages and Visitors

With more time spent away from home, it’s nice to have a video doorbell. I am planning on installing one ASAP to help track summer deliveries or friends dropping by. I will be able to  quickly check in from my phone. It will give a little peace of mind when we’re not around as much.

Final Thoughts

Smart home hacks don’t have to be complicated or expensive — and a few little upgrades (plus some tried-and-true tricks) can make a big difference in keeping summer life running smoothly. Whether you’re chasing toddlers around the backyard or hosting casual get-togethers, these simple ideas help you spend less time managing and more time enjoying.

Have you tried any of these? I’d love to hear your favorite summer smart home tips in the comments below!