I’m Staying in My Mum's Converted Loft While Visiting a Sweltering London — Here’s What I’ll Be Doing to Keep Cool

Every summer, my husband, the kids, and I fly to London to visit my mum for a couple of weeks to spend some much-needed quality time together, which is absolutely glorious and I cannot wait. The only thing that can be tricky is the summer heat in the bedroom that we sleep in when we come to stay. And it is hot in London right now.

Our bedroom is in a gorgeous, converted loft — a gorgeous, converted south-facing loft. It can get seriously hot up there, and we have had to learn a few tricks to cool down the room to make it more manageable to sleep in it at night (and we've learned some of them the hard way).

Here are my four top tips on how to cool down a loft, which I will be using for my visit.

Be Strategic With When You Open the Loft Windows

This was definitely one of the things I learnt the hard way. I used to always think, 'it's hot outside, open all the windows' — wrong. So, so wrong.

Yes, you do need to open the windows to let the hot air that rises up to the loft from the rest of the house out, but you need to be very strategic when you do this. First thing in the early morning and late in the evening are your only chances for this, when the sun is not at its strongest.

This will remove the hot air whilst not adding it back into your space, which is what happens if you keep them open throughout the day.

Keep the Blinds Shut

Such a simple thing to do, but it makes such a big difference in blocking out excess heat. There is, however, a caveat with this one — if you think your blackout blinds keep the heat out, the answer depends on the type that you have. You certainly don't want to close the blinds all day if they will inadvertently soak up the sun's heat and radiate it back into your sleeping space.

Your blackout blinds need to have the special backing that doesn't absorb heat, and thankfully, my mum's blinds are up for the job, so we can safely keep ours closed all day to help keep the room cooler come nightfall.

These Persilux Solar Blinds on Amazon are recommended for being able to enjoy the daylight and outside views, whilst avoiding the heat that comes with it.

Fan, Fan, Fan

The first summer we slept in the loft without a fan was rough. The heat was so unbearable (and it was before I knew about the whole closing the windows and blinds situation, too, so can you just imagine...).

Ever since that summer, we have made sure to bring our trusty, portable fan with us every time. We have this small but mighty Low Noise USB Desk Fan from Muji, which we use on our bedside tables. Super easy to bring with us when we're travelling, but massively helps out on those hot, summer nights. A total game-changer.

I have, however, also been considering this Shark Turboblade Bladeless Fan and leaving it at my mum's... or else one of these three that I also have my eye on...

Dress the Bed Appropriately

One of the most important considerations in mastering how to sleep in the heat is the bedding material that you use. Thankfully, my mum is well equipped on that front, too, and has wonderfully natural, cotton bed linen that is perfect for sleeping in the hot weather.

However, bamboo bedding is having a moment, with many swapping their linen and cotton bedding in favor of the material, which is known for being particularly good for hot sleepers.

So, if you want to find out where to buy bamboo bedding, we have a handy edit for that, along with Livingetc's favorite sets. These are a few that I have been eyeing up.

Managing the heat in a loft bedroom, or indeed any space, involves strategic planning — once you have it in place, you can make your space far more manageable in the heat.

You may also be interested to know about the unexpected piece of decor that absorbs heat and makes your room feel even hotter in warm weather, just in case...