With yesterday declared the hottest day of the year and temperatures likely to exceed that today, the half term heatwave shows no signs of cooling off just yet.

If, with the kids not at school and home working still in full flow, the extra bodies and devices are adding to the heat in your house here are five things you can try to keep everyone cool...

1. Close the blinds and windows

There is no denying the sunshine is so welcome after the last few months of grey weather but too much can have your home feeling like a sauna, particularly for those who find themselves working indoors and suddenly missing the benefits of the office air conditioning.

Closing blinds or curtains during the day will help reduce the amount of heat in your home and have it feeling cooler says Thomas Sanderson interiors expert Richard Petrie.

Keeping south-facing windows shut will also help, particularly if the air temperature outside is much greater than the temperatures inside. Families with young children who may have portable black out blinds for travel etc, could make use of these too on windows and in rooms where children are likely to want to nap or go to sleep earlier.

2. Unplug appliances

With the kids home and home working still the case for many, there may be a few more electrical appliances switched on in your house today. But plugged in appliances generate heat even if they are not on, which can contribute to making your home feel even hotter.

Unplug items like tablets, mobile phone chargers, computers and consoles, which aren't being used, and if your televisions are on standby turn them off too. These will not only cool your house down, but they might also save you some money on your electricity bill too!

3. Use your doors

Close off rooms you do not want to use as this will prevent any cool air you can generate from flowing into these areas during the hottest part of the day. It will also prevent hot air in particularly warm rooms from escaping into those you're successfully keeping cool.

Richard Petrie, at furnishings firm Thomas Sanderson explained that it's worth taking the same approach in the evening to focus on keeping the warm air within rooms you've shut away all day. He said: "Do the same during the evening too so air can naturally flow through your home."

4. Embrace al fresco dining

It's always tempting to fire up the barbecue the minute the sun starts to shine, but using the cooker inside in the summer will make your home - and you - feel much hotter! Using the barbecue or, alternatively, just choosing more food that does not need cooking, heating through or a long time preparing on the hob can contribute to keeping temperatures in the kitchen lower.

5. Swap your sheets

Freshening up bedsheets is a great way to feel cool if temperatures haven't dropped significantly by the evening. Swapping them for anything that is cotton or linen is the best choice on hot days, similarly the same for pyjamas, as it breathes easier and stays cooler.

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