Every spring I would wake up congested, groggy, and wondering if I was getting sick. It took me three years to realize I was not sick. I was spending eight hours a night in a room full of pollen, dust, and pet dander, breathing it all in while my body slowly mounted an allergic rebellion.

I allergy-proofed the bedroom over one weekend. The difference in how I felt every morning was so dramatic that I kicked myself for not doing it sooner.

Wash Everything — In Hot Water

Sheets, pillowcases, duvet covers, and blankets need to be washed in water that is at least 130°F to kill dust mites. Cold or warm water will not do it. Wash everything once a week during allergy season. While the bedding is off, vacuum the mattress — use the upholstery attachment and go slowly over every inch. Dust mites live in the top layer of mattress fabric and regular vacuuming keeps their numbers down.

Shower Before Bed, Not in the Morning

Pollen sticks to your hair and skin all day. If you go to bed without showering, you transfer all of it to your pillow — and then you press your face into it for eight hours. Shower at night during allergy season. It rinses the pollen off and keeps it out of your bed. This one change reduced my morning congestion by more than anything else I tried.

A Cheap Box Fan Filter

You do not need a three-hundred-dollar air purifier. Tape a high-MERV furnace filter — MERV 13 is ideal for allergens — to the back of a standard box fan. The fan pulls air through the filter, capturing pollen, dust, and pet dander. It is not pretty but it moves more air than most consumer air purifiers and the filter replacements cost about fifteen dollars instead of fifty.