Set the Mood
It really doesn’t matter what time of year it is, but adding specific aromas to your living spaces especially during the holidays makes for merry moods and happy memories. In case you forgot, memories are attached to your sense of smell, so an aroma such as cookies baking in the oven or your fresh cut Christmas tree can easily take you back in time. This is exactly the kind of mood you want to create whether you’re entertaining guests or doing it for yourself and your family. It doesn’t take much effort, time, or money, which is even better.
Burning Candles
Candles are by far the easiest and quickest way to introduce scent into your home. Pick your scent, light it, and enjoy. You can blend scents from room to room, so they don’t clash or overpower each other or your nostrils for that matter. Just as you can blend essential oils, you can pick a few scents that may be in close proximity to each other such as a living room, dining room, and kitchen. Simply place the different scents next to each other and run your face over them while inhaling the scents. Make sure you are doing this with the candles unlit! If you like what your smell and there seems to be no disconnect between them, you have selected scents that are compatible with each other. If there seems to be a “break” in the scent, you may want to reconsider burning them together. But what do I mean by break? Once you start doing this, it’s rather straight forward. But until you do, the best way to explain this is if you feel like one scent is competing with the others or they just don’t blend well. You want to have scents that complement or enhance each other. Some examples of this may be all woodsy or spicy scents. If you were to burn pine, apple pie, and peppermint together they may clash, but maybe cinnamon, orange, and clove would smell nice. Get the idea? The only con to candles is the fact you need to watch them. It is easy to get distracted when you are entertaining or forget to blow them out before you go to bed, so be mindful when using them.
Diffusers
Diffusers are a great way to create set-it-and-and-forget-it scents. There are countless pre-mixed blends you can use or if you prefer to keep things simple, you can diffuse just one oil. If you have essential oils already, you can experiment with making your own blends by using the method I shared for candles. Simply hold the scents you want in your hand and run them under your nose several times. I would recommend only using about three oils for each blend. Once you get comfortable blending you can add more oils, but you will adjust the number of drops for each oil. Use between 6-10 drops in your diffuser at one time. If you don’t have a diffuser, I would suggest buying one that can be set for a certain amount of time and/or automatically shuts off when the water gets low.
Reed diffusers are not only a visual accent in your home, but they work rather well too. I was pleasantly surprised when I noticed how long the scent lasted after the reeds soaked up the fragrance. To replenish the scent, just turn the reeds upside down. Continue to do this until you need to add more oil or the scent needs a boost. So simple and sophisticated.
Plug-in diffusers are readily available at department and grocery stores in a variety of scents. While I use them occasionally for a quick boost of scent, they are filled with chemicals that aren’t good for you and your pets, so use them sparingly. Make sure that your pets can leave any room on their own should you use these. Animals are very sensitive to smells and can be affected easily. Just like children, they can’t tell you when they need fresh air!
Let it Simmer
Simmer pots are a great way to add moisture to the air and fill it with lingering scents. If you have a wood stove, this is an excellent idea throughout the winter season because it alleviates some of the dryness in your home. Cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, orange peels, cranberries, and a sprig of pine needles make a welcoming scent for the holidays. Just fill up a pot with water and add whatever ingredients you like. As it heats up and simmers, you will smell the wonderful aromas wafting in the air. Don’t be afraid to experiment with spices in your cabinet and organic items you can collect in your yard. Just remember that the water will evaporate, so add water as needed to avoid burning the bottom of your pot.
See and Smell
A bowl full of potpourri or pomander balls are other options. Visually, they are nice but lack longevity and any significant ability to permeate the air with aroma. Just my opinion.
Scents From the Oven
Lastly, baking your favorite cookies and breads will always bring people to the table! Kitchens seem to be the place where guests hang out no matter how many rooms you have in your home. So, make up some cookie dough and store in the refrigerator. As your guests arrive, throw a batch in the oven and serve them up warm with a smile!
Be the one who serves up memories this year with all your personal scents of the season!
