Today I would like to talk about engaging your sense of smell in your decorating. I am a major scent person. I CAN NOT walk by (insert things that come in multiple scents) without stopping to smell each one. For me- my haus just doesn't feel right if it doesn't smell good. So in honor of Autumn (by far the best smelling season) I figured I would talk about the cheap ways I make my haus smell like I've got pumpkin cookies the oven...permanently.
I'm going to start with the most expensive option. Once every couple months I treat myself to a "fancy" scented candle. By "fancy" I mean not a tea light, and not Glade. They're usually from Target, but sometimes I branch out. The one I'm rocking right now is from Anthropologie and it was a whopping $16.00
That's right. SIXTEEN. So naturally I only burn it on "special occasions". AKA when I'm feeling extra Martha Stewart-y or when someone is coming over. Its called "Sweet Vanilla Cinnamon" and it smells like heaven.
The next option are the plug in Wallflowers from Bath & Body Works.
Listen. I know. But they work REALLY well and they have TONS of scents like "marshmallow fireside" (currently in my bathroom making me very happy) and "cider lane". Some of them smell like a headache, so be careful. Mostly they smell like cozy. They're usually (always) on a special promotion price of 4 for $20 or 6 for $24.
Rounding out my favorite store-bought yummy goodness would be the ultra-easy, tried and true, super-cheap standby: the Glade "Apples and Cinnamon" candle. (Can you tell I like food scents?) At $2.99 it is extremely budget conscious and it smells really good. I have had one of these in my kitchen at all times for like, 10 years.
Finally, for the crafty and super-broke among us we have the awesome DIY options. Basically you put some spices in a pot with water, boil it and it scents your home. I've also done this with cloves and cinnamon on a cookie sheet in the oven. So here's some people that explain the process better than I do: Apartment Therapy and The Yummy Life.
So take advantage of the fact that gazillions of companies have figured out how to romanticize and capitalize on our nostalgia for seasons, and feelings, and childhood memories (that may or may not even be real), embrace the scent of "bonfire maplewood" or "cranberry woods", and take a deep breath when you walk in your front door. That's what home smells like.
How do you make your haus smell like home? Fancy candles? Cloves in an orange? Also, if anyone knows how those people make their home smell like Nag Champa incense ALL THE TIME can you fill me in? It's not just burning tons of Nag Champa because I've tried that. Thanks.
Moon: Capricorn
Soundtrack: Rumours- Fleetwood Mac
