LIFESTYLE
Styling Your Everyday
Stop to Smell Your...
Home! BY KRISTA EHRET
I love candles. They make a home smell great and feel inviting - which are two things high on my check list whether I'm entertaining or simply having a nice evening to myself. As my process of attempting to eliminate harmful chemicals from the household evolves, I realize that my love affair with these potent pretties is coming to an end...or at least becoming more complicated. In my college days, you could definitely find a slew of cheap, highly fragrant candles adorning basically every room. Nowadays, I tend to be much more picky with my brand, but I still can't say with confidence what it is that makes that flaming wax so fragrant. Also, as my use of essential oils is increasing, I find myself not enjoying the more synthetic smell that's put out by most air fresheners and candles. A trip into Bath and Body Works used to be heavenly, now I often leave fairly quickly with a headache brought on by the
58 SPRING 2020
potent melting pot of scents. The problem is, I still crave the ambiance that a nice candle brings into a room. I can't say that I will give up my habit completely, but I am definitely using them less and less. Luckily, I have some alternatives that are healthier and offer an assortment of scents. Here are a few ideas of chemical free ways to get your home to smell lovely and more spalike than synthetic.
Simmering Potpourri. I daresay
that 99% of your store-bought potpourri packs are chemical laden with some nasty ingredients. Fortunately, bowls full of this stuff aren't terribly trendy in home decor right now, so this probably isn't on your regular shopping list. As an alternative, I love having simmering, stove-top versions that are completely natural. There are a million recipes out there, but my favorite is one that's supposedly the scent used at Williams Sonoma stores. It combines two sliced lemons, two sprigs of Rosemary and one tablespoon of vanilla extract. Put it all in a pot, fill it with water and let it simmer. Keep an eye out to see if you need to add more water periodically.
Essential Oil Diffuser. I literally use my diffusers every single day. You can find them online and I have bought several inexpensive
ones before investing in my doTERRA ones. I change my "recipe" of oils depending on my mood. Obviously, I've been using tons of immune boosting and seasonal threat blends as of late. For normal times, blends of citrus oils with peppermint are a go-to for an afternoon pick me up. Bedtime is a blend of lavender and cedarwood.
Cook a Crock-Pot Dinner. I love my
slow cooker. It was great when I worked out of the home, but even now being homebound most days, I still use mine at least once a week. The convenience is unmatched and there is really nothing that makes a home feel cozier than a great smelling meal. Try a potroast, hearty soup or roasting a whole chicken to really bring a punch of nostalgia.
Use Bars of Soap. After years of buying
seasonal scented pump soaps, I now use what was good enough for all households for many, many decades...bars of soap. Not only do they last longer and (usually) contain fewer ingredients, they can make your smaller bathrooms smell great just by sitting there! Make sure to still pay attention to ingredients and purchase from natural and responsible companies.
Create a DIY Linen Spray. In 1998, there was no better way to quickly make a room smell nice than a good dousing of