Ways to Make Your Home Smell Amazing for the Holidays
Category Design Tips
Believe it or not, every home has a signature scent that sets the tone for the rest of the space. It can be as simple as that favorite candle you burn regularly or the lingering aroma of your dyer sheets. It can also be something less-than-inviting, like your dog-odored rugs or the trash you forgot to take out yesterday. When it comes to your home's scent, creating an inviting but not overwhelming fragrance is especially important during the holiday season when guests start turning your front stoop into a revolving door. So grab your eucalyptus, fresh herbs, citrus, and cinnamon sticks because we've got just the projects to make your senses feel all the holidays feels.
Before we get started, yes, deep cleaning is the best way to freshen your home, but once that is done, consider setting the holiday mood by making a pinecone-scented soy candle. Make enough candles to enjoy the scent all winter long or use it to create that fresh tree scent in a small home if you're not getting a tree this year
We've been signing the praises of eucalyptus lately as an affordable way to bring scented greenery into your home. Here Fran of Fall for DIY uses eucalyptus in the entryway behind the mirror for a sneaky way of adding fragrance along with winter greenery.
Making your own room spray lets you skip the artificial additives found in most store-bought ones. The Hello Glow blog suggests some essential oil blends to make specifically for calming - useful when the holidays begin to feel chaotic.
My grandma would tell us to keep soap in our drawers to keep our laundry lightly scented. Now I prefer my soap collection out on display, so these no-sew lavender & eucalyptus sachets are replacing them in my closet. And if you live in a small space, it's likely those scents will carry themselves throughout your entire home.
Oil diffusers are the low-maintenance, high-payoff scent setters that routinely make the rounds on 'best hostess gifts' lists year round. But they are often expensive to buy. Learn how to make your own using A Beautiful Mess's tutorial so you can make a custom supply that will last you far beyond the holidays.
One of the most popular holiday posts here on Apartment Therapy are these scented pinecones. I love sneaking scents into decor, and these have endless possibilities. Try a pinecone garland, collected in apothecary jars, or turn them into darling little ornaments.
If you have a fireplace in your home, you've already got a leg up on the holiday cozies. Take things up a level with these DIY fireplace sachets from Martha Stewart. Fill a muslin bag with scented treats and your house is sure to smell most wonderful.
Scent your tree and trimmings with baking soda ornaments, infused with essentials oils. Mitzy from Mitzy at Home has the recipe and suggests using a patterned rolling pin to add texture to each ornament.
And finishing off the list is stovetop potpourri. Delia Creates has the perfect, last-minute boost when guests are on their way and you can only work with what you have in the pantry. A couple of spices, an orange, and some rosemary on the stove to welcome guests is the coziest thing I can imagine.
ARTICLE COURTESY APARTMENT THERAPY
Author: Cat Meshia - Apartment therapy
