So I’m kind of big on smells… more so when it comes to smells in my home 🙂 . I think only a few things in life can change one’s mood so drastically like smell does. It can make or break a moment and for the truly extreme ones, they get stuck in our memory forever. I think everyone has a certain smell that takes them right back to when they were a kid or straight into a lover’s arms, or a gathering at grandma’s house. Memory, scent and emotion make for good friends and that’s pretty useful information if you know how to use it right *wink*. With that in mind, I wanted to share a few simple tips on how to make your house smell good for those that, like me, love a good pleasant smell when they take that first step in the house after a long day at work!

First thing’s first… before we explore the good, let’s go through the ugly. To have a house smelling flawless you’ll need a clean slate to start with, so eliminating all bad odors is a must. There are two ingredients to fight off even the worst of smells and they are bleach and vinegar – yep, I know! Use either to clean trash cans, drains or rust areas. For pet odor, there’s nothing like baking soda mixed with a little bit of lemon juice.

Let’s look into a few ways you can make your house smell good:

• Go with the obvious first: Candles, essential oil diffusers and potpourris should be a must in every household. Not all at once, depending on your preference, choose at least one to have lying around in your preferred areas. The products you can use to make your house smell good have pluses and minuses that will influence your choice. I am obsessed with scented candles since they can also serve as an interior decor piece or a splash of color that you can add almost anywhere. The same goes for potpourris, although this option is a little more showy and less versatile. One trick to essential oil diffusers: take one stick, dip it into the oil and then rub it against the door frames in your house at nose level. This works wonders since the smell will be extremely powerful right when someone comes in through a door. The passing through the doorway creates small yet intense traces of fragrance – now that will make an impression!

• Use the biggest surfaces as scent relievers. The floor… a huuuuge part of your house, can be turned into scent-friendly by washing it rapidly with tea every morning. You read that right! Next time you’re making yourself a mint tea, put a double portion in the pot, one for you and the other, sprinkle it on the floor then wipe it off with a mop or a swiffer. It’ll take you 3-4 minutes to do and it doesn’t have to be a perfect job! Just a splashing and a swift wipe and it will dry out in less than 5 minutes. The result will be a mint-scented floor for the whole day. Nice, right? You can use the same tip with your drapes and blankets. Wash them with laundry softener so when you hang them or place them on the couch, they’ll take in that freshly washed laundry smell for days and days.

• Listen to your grandma. There are two old-school tricks no modern household affords to forget when it comes to having your house smelling amazing. One involves a pan, some water and your desired choice of smell: orange peels, cinnamon sticks, basil, mint, cloves, essential oils, you name it! Whatever is more convenient and appeals to your nose, put in the pan while the water is boiling and leave it for a fewminutes until the smell spreads. The vapors will make the smell travel all over the house and stay for a full day or two getting rid of any bad odors. The second old-school trick… cotton balls. Soak a few of them in your preferred cologne or scented oil and place them around the house. Put them between cushions, behind furniture or inside the AC. Out of sight, but spreading scent!

You can even go a step further and look for your own, personal smell. Something you’ll use every time, something you love! Whether it’s vanilla, mint, cinnamon or apples, be sure to use that one scent constantly. If you’re going for the tea spread on the floors, make sure it’s always the same. Same with essential oil fragrances. A signature scent that will be embed in your home and all the people you share it with or come to visit!

Here are my favorites:

1. Scented candles and potpourris from Zgallerie: reflection candles are my favorite!
2. Scented candles and potpourris from HomeGoods: I love them all! You just can’t go wrong with HomeGoods 🙂
3. Oil diffusers from Pier1: these smell sooo good and last longer than most I’ve tried.
   • Sea salt
   • Magonolia Blooms
   • Island Orchard
4. Kirkland’s has an awesome selection of candles and fragrances. I love how unique the candles are!
5. Target also has great home diffusers, candles and oils
6. Amazon

Do you know other tricks and hacks for making your house smell good? Which is your favorite? Comment below!