Ericka McConnell

Nothing against the other seasons, but summer is the one that inspires us to be our very best. Temps rise and suddenly all of our good intentions go from being things we intend to do to things we actually do.

Routines are simplified, layers are shed, and fun and healthy decide to hold hands. That’s why we’ve pulled together these 14 little moves to get you off to a good start this summer, when the living is easier—and lighter. Enjoy!

Line dry your clothes
Nothing brings back the lazy days of summer like clothes drying in the warm wind. Instead of giving your wardrobe a manufactured fresh-air scent, you’ll be giving them the real thing. To keep wrinkles at bay, give your clothes a good snap before hanging them on the line; finger smooth each item while hanging.

And did we mention that line drying lightens the environmental load, too? Drying just two loads of laundry on a clothesline every week instead of using an electric dryer saves energy equal to the amount needed to run your fridge for four months, says Elizabeth Rogers, author of The Green Book: The Everyday Guide to Saving the Planet One Simple Step at a Time and founder of ShiftYourHabit.com.

Add some sunny yellow
“Yellow is happy, optimistic, clean, upbeat,” says Leslie Harrington, PhD, executive director of The Color Association. But, like that perpetually cheerful co-worker, yellow can be exhausting, so go easy. Try a vase of daisies in the entryway to see how you respond to the shade before you make a more permanent commitment. Another option: Paint just one wall bright yellow; we like Benjamin Moore’s St. Elmo’s Fire (a zesty citron yellow) and Sundance (a paler hue).

Next: Give your Spanx the summer off