Decorating with scents

12/13/2007 at 11:03:36 AM

Hi Louise,

Having just sold my house, I tried a lot of different things, so it would smell nice without smelling like I was hiding something. The following were the best of the bunch...

bake an apple with cinnamon and vanilla.

peel an orange and leave the rinds in a discreetly hidden dish.

hide bounce sheets in your planters or decorative bowls.

All of these are subtle scents that won't overpower your guests, but will leave your house smelling nice.

12/13/2007 at 11:03:36 AM

Hi Louise,

Having just sold my house, I tried a lot of different things, so it would smell nice without smelling like I was hiding something. The following were the best of the bunch...

bake an apple with cinnamon and vanilla.

peel an orange and leave the rinds in a discreetly hidden dish.

hide bounce sheets in your planters or decorative bowls.

All of these are subtle scents that won't overpower your guests, but will leave your house smelling nice.

12/15/2007 at 10:03:05 PM

I agree with Wendy. I like natural scents. I'm not really fond of the 'manufactured' scents found in most cleaning products, air fresheners, and scented candles.

One of the BEST things I've found is a brand of cleaning products called Mrs. Meyers Clean Day. They are safe for the environment and made with natural scented oils. They make the whole house smell fantastic--and you can get dish soap, laundry detergent, all-purpose cleaner, furniture polish--I believe they even sell candles, too.

2/2/2008 at 12:32:54 PM

Hi. I am very scent-sensitive so I can understand.

I find that I am way more sensitive to artificial smells, ie. air fresheners etc.

I also LOVE fresh smells in my home.

When I vacuum, I rub pure orange essence oil (the real stuff not the artificial!) on the output of my vacuum. Not only do I get afresh orange smell, it is also very invigorating when I am doing the house cleaning.

When I am relaxing or having company, I use the rosewood esential oil. Again, the real stuff. I put some in one of those candle holders that have a dish on top. Add as much water as you can to to top and add a few drops of the essential oil in the water and light the candle. I always get compliments on how my home smells. Light and fresh and not overwhelming.

There are hundreds of essential oils to chose from - you will enjoy the experience! Just be sure to chose real essential oils not the fake ones you get in some drug stores. Your mother will appreciate it.

4/13/2008 at 11:14:33 AM

My dad also gets easily irritated with strong scents. A friend of mine who makes scented candles and mixes oil on her own suggested that I should use vanilla or lavender. Well, it worked.. My room smells nice and I do not have to worry about Dad complaining about the scents he gets to smell.

4/19/2008 at 3:08:27 PM

I hate artificial smells like Febreze and such but there are a lot of good, natural scents you can create with a bit of creativity. Potpourri in bathrooms and the living room is nice as well as occasionally lighting a scented candle. Boiling cinnamon sticks creates a great aroma as well.

4/21/2008 at 2:47:48 PM

Right now in the spring it's a good idea just to get a lot of the fresh outside air in (unless you live in a big city) and then leave the windows open just a crack while the weather is nice. The scent of blooming plants and trees is really great.