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10 Minute Wrap

As summer heats up, let ethnichome.com magazine suggest some inexpensive, easy and fun ways to cool down your home.

Whether you live in an apartment, a suburban ranch or a townhouse, your home is your sanctuary. Rising temperatures, a high sun at midday and humidity can make any space seem uncomfortable. So think cool and try some of these suggestions.

When the temperature is soaring those plush pillows that looked so cozy this winter now seem too warm to rest against. The "10 minute wrap" is an easy remedy to give those pillows a fresh look for summer. Sheers work beautifully, but you could purchase fabric from a fabric store or go hunting for old curtains at a thrift store. Cut fabric twice the size of your pillow plus 2" on each side. Lay the pillow in the middle of the fabric and starting with opposite sides, bring the fabric up the middle. Do the same with the other two ends. Fold the rough edges neatly and secure through all layers with two large safety or spiral upholstery pins (the pin side goes against the sofa back so who's to know but you!) That's all there is to it. A fresh new look in 10 minutes with no sewing.

Remove clutter. Surface clutter feels stifling and overwhelming. That coffee table filled with magazines, photos and tomorrow's work cannot breathe. Place magazines in a basket out of the way. Recycle those newspapers and keep your work in your home office or work station. Then bring a little of the outdoors in. Fill featured our watering can with silk (or even better, fresh) flowers in colors that complement your home's décor. Add a small basket of family photos, a bamboo tray of shells or stones or just a pretty terra cotta platter (use that for your daily mail). Keep it simple to keep it cool.