Who doesn’t love coming home to a nice smelling Space? A good home fragnance acts like an accessory and adds character,making your space feel extra homey. Not only does a good-smelling house add character, but the right aromas can also affect our moods and sense of calm.
Basically, a good-smelling home can also help us de-stress, and who doesn't need that? In Japan, there is an ancient practice called “shinrin-yoku” in which they take a relaxing walk through the pine forests. It has been studied for it’s therapeutic value on stress relief.
But, if you can’t walk through any forests or cut any pine branches, you can get the benefit by using nature's scent. Beyond making your home smell better, many scents actually offer some amazing benefits for your health and mental status too.
If you're looking for ways to have a great smelling home naturally, whether because you love amazing scents but don't want a dose of chemicals, or are even just looking for ways to
feel calmer, here are helpful tips to go about it.
WAYS TO HAVE A NATURALLY SMELLING HOME
source
PINE CONES
source
These are quick and easy to make, they are ideal for group activities or school children.
Rinse pine cones under running water, lay pine cones on an old cookie sheet and bake at 200F until the pinecones open up (kills bugs, melts sap etc) spread pine cones out on layers of newspaper. Use a foam brush to apply glue. Mix cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg in baggie. Add pine cones in spice mix. Shake to cover. Allow to dry overnight. Use scented pine cones in gift baskets, on wreaths or placed in bowls. Hang them from your door handles or from your Christmas tree.
DRY BLOSSOMS
source
Needed products:
Rose Absolute
Rose Petals
Lavender dry flowers
Rose Buds
Fir cones and tree bark.
Method:
In an interior bowl you put: Rose Petals, then Lavender dry flowers, fir cones and tree bark.
You also add the beautiful Rose Buds. The exquisitely sorted potpourri are almost ready, they just need Rose Absolute.
From Rose Absolute you add minimum 8-10 drops.
You have just made great natural potpourri with amazing scent, which you can put anywhere in your home or office. The aroma will calm and at the same time intrigue you.
If you want you can also perfume your wardrobe of cellar the same way. The only difference is that instead of a bowl you will need a pouch with a cotton or linen string.
CINNAMON ORANGE
source
Needed products:
Mason Jars
Watersorb or a similar water absorbing polymer
Cinnamon Bark Young Living Essential Oil
Orange Young Living Essential Oil
Tulle
Twine
Cinnamon stick
Method:
In a bowl, stir together 1 teaspoon polymer absorbent crystals*, about 1 cup of hot tap water and 10-20 drops of essential oils.
For this air freshener, I used 10 drops Orange + 10 drops Cinnamon Bark. YUM – Autumn in a jar!
Stir together until blended and add a little more water if necessary – there should not be any dry powder/crystals left.
You can also add coloring to the gel, but I love the translucent/white color of the air freshener, so I left it out.
Split the mixture between two half-pint mason jars.
To use immediately, place a thin piece of lace or tulle over the jar (leave off the jar lid) and screw on the ring.
When giving for gifts, leave the jar lid in place, place the lace/tulle over the lid and screw on the ring. You may want to add a tag with instructions and note which essential oil you added.
If the gel starts to dry out, you can refresh it with a little additional hot water (a teaspoon at a time) and another few drops of oil.
ESSENTIAL OIL REED DIFFUSERS
source
Products needed:
Small jar with small opening
5-6 reed sticks
1/4 cup carrier oil (safflower oil or sweet almond oil)
25-30 drops essential oils
1 teaspoon alcohol or perfumer's alcohol (optional, at least 90%)
Method:
In a measuring cup, add about 1/4 cup of your carrier oil.
If using alcohol, add into the cup and stir thoroughly to help it bind with the oil.
Add about 25-30 drops of essential oils and swirl the mixture to blend well.
Add the oil mixture to your jar.
Insert the sticks into the jar.
After a few hours, flip the sticks over and insert the dry end into the jar to saturate the other end.
Continue to swirl the jar and flip the sticks over about every week or so until the scent has diminished. Then, you can just add some more essential oils to the mix, swirl, and start again!
Once the sticks become completely saturated with oil, they lose the ability to diffuse and will need to be replaced..
BAKING SODA
source
Products needed:
Mason jars
Baking soda
Essential oils, such as lavender, rosemary, sweet orange, and cinnamon
Dried herbs and flowers (optional)
Scrapbook paper
Sewing needle or hole punch (anything that will make holes, like a wooden skewer)
Pencil and scissors
Ribbons (optional)
Method:
- Trace the lid (not the ring) of the mason jar on your scrapbook paper. Trace a circle for each jar then cut them out. (If you aren't good at cutting out circles like me, it's okay. No one will know.) Remove the lids from the rings and replace them with the scrapbook paper circles. Push the circles into each ring as shown above (with colored side facing up). Using a large needle or other device, poke holes in the paper. This is easier if you secure the lid on the jar then poke the holes. (You could also use a hole punch for larger holes.)
*You don't have to use scrapbook paper. You can use any paper that can be punctured and is sturdy enough to stay in place. If you want to poke holes in the metal lid (with a hammer and nail, maybe), you could do that as well. Update: Or as a reader suggested in the comments, you can cut out a piece of fabric, cut holes in the fabric and secure that under the lid.
Place lids aside and fill the jars with baking soda, leaving a little room on top. (I fill about 3/4 of the jar.)
Add essential oils and stir. Use about 5-15 drops of essential oils per jar. Some options: Rosemary for living rooms. Lavender for bedrooms. Lemon for the kitchen. Cinnamon or sweet orange for bathrooms. Add about a tablespoon of herbs for extra scent (and for prettier jars): dried rosemary, dried lavender buds, broken cinnamon stick. You could also use dried citrus peels.
Secure the lids on the jars and give them a gentle shake to mix the baking soda and oils/herbs. Place the jars in your room of choice. Shake jar occasionally to release oils. Tie on ribbons if desired. (As you can see my ribbon tying skills are not great, but they still look cute.
To refresh: Add a few drops of essential oils at any time to increase scent. Replace baking soda mixture every 1-3 months as needed.