As much as I hate to say this, a good (or bad) aroma, will be the first thing you will notice when you enter a house.
How many times have you had your guests say “something smells good”
or “what’s cooking?” as they enter your home even before they had a chance to take in the sights your home as to offer.
Do you know why even a small whiff of something brings back a truckload of memories? This is because, olfactory information is routed to the part of brain that is associated with memory & emotional processes.
Every year as Christmas season rolls in, the fresh baked aroma of fruit cake, transports me to my childhood days when my grandma, mom & aunt used to make the fruit cake in a cooker. Back then, without an oven, the fruit cake was made just for Christmas & it was quite big deal! A whiff of tandoori chicken takes me back to my college days when we used to eat at a dhabba to escape hostel food despite knowing that we run the risk of food poisoning 😀
As much as I would like to have my home smell like biryani or a cake all the time, so much of our daily routine activities produces unpleasant odors. Below are 8 ways to keep your home smelling nice & fresh.
1.Indoor Plants – Indoor plants are natural air purifiers. It is always a good idea to have a couple of easy to maintain plants like money plants, spider plants, peace lily, snake plant that do not need much maintenance but are good air purifiers. (Pro Tip – Use this as an excuse to get more plants!)
2. Essential Oil Diffuser – This has been my jam for the past few months. I have had used essential oils for laundry, plant care etc. but only recently started using them in diffuser and I am absolutely loving it! Now, I have my diffuser going on every evening with different blends.
3. Candles & Incense – Probably the most basic and go-to way to have a good smelling home. Just be conscious of the ingredients that are in the store bought candles. Candle making is simple and you can do it at home with just a few ingredients.
4. Simmering potpourri – This is a very simple & inexpensive way of making your home smell great. You could use what’s in your pantry & fridge & even some of your kitchen scraps. A regular concoction I have going on at my place is a mix of citrus peels, couple of star anise, a cinnamon stick. You could change the combination seasonally. I am eagerly waiting for spring to try out some fresh herbs & dried flowers from my garden.
5. Carpet deodorizer: If your home has floor to floor carpeting like mine has especially in high traffic living areas, sometime vacuum cleaning it is just not enough. To make your carpets smell fresh, follow the steps below:
a. Mix about 7-10 drops of essential oil drops of your choice to half cup of baking soda. b. Sprinkle the mixture on carpet & let it sit for a couple of hours. c. Vacuum the carpet. d. Repeat every month.
6. Laundry Balls: For items like towels, mats, cloth rags, there are a couple of ways to keep the bad odors away.
a. Once a month run the 1st cycle of laundry with hot water + 1 cup of vinegar. Run a second cycle with hot water + 1 cup of baking soda. This is especially good for towels. They come out fresh smelling and fluffy! b. Use 3-4 drops of essential oil on laundry balls while drying.
Each of the above step could be done on its own. I have used lavender essential oil on dryer balls even for our regular cloths.
7. DIY Linen Spray: The linen spray is for pillows, fabric furniture, cushions. This is one of those tiny extra step you do to create a whole new level of elevation. For a 8oz bottle:
a. Mix 2 tbsp of alcohol with about 25-30 drops of essential oil. Shake well to combine. (Alcohol acts as a emulsifier for the oil & water) b. Fill the rest of the bottle with distilled water. c. Store this in a glass spray bottle. Make small batches to keep it fresh. d. The choice of essential oil depends on use. Use calming blends that are crafted for relaxation for your bed linens & oils like lavender, tangerine, rose for couch & cushions. e. Before use, shake well & spot test if using on lighter fabrics. Mist lightly.
8. Open your windows – We have all gotten used to central air conditioning & keeping the windows open does come with it’s own set of problems like mosquitoes & pollution. But if you can keep your windows open once a while to let fresh air in, there is truly nothing like it!
It is very important to create a home that caters to all the senses. A good aroma sets the mood of the space & creates an inviting environment but is often overlooked. Indulge in creating an amazing smelling home and do let me know if you follow any of these or have anything new for me to add to my home. Also, share if you have any memories associated with a particular smell!
Very helpful write up. Thank you. Would you have any suggestions for buying essential oils?
Love the potpourri trick