Who doesn’t want a great smelling home?  Simply airing and cleaning a home will help maintain the overall health and integrity of both the home and those who live in it, but what we use to clean our homes makes a big difference in how a home smells and how we feel in our homes. Another thing that can make a difference is the addition of scents.

Here are some of our favorite year round life hacks to help your home smell amazing.

A Kitchen that Smells of Lemon and Sunshine

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Image via homedit

Lemons and vinegar are two of the most powerful, inexpensive and easily obtained home cleaning items.  Cleaning and deodorizing uses for these two items abound.  Putting citrus, such as lemon down the garbage disposal has long been used as a way to freshen and produce a wonderful scent in the kitchen.  Try this twist on that classic hack.  Chop lemon peels into small pieces and place them in an ice cube tray, then add distilled white vinegar and freeze.  Once they are frozen, pop them out of the tray and place them in a sealed bag in the freezer to put down the drain while running your disposal.

 

Easy Home Scents for Simmer Pots

jars
Image via The Yummy Life

Combine citrus with herbs and whole spices in jars of water and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks for use in creating natural smelling room scents.  Try yummy smelling combinations like lemon, rosemary and vanilla; grapefruit and mint; or ginger, orange and almond extract.  You may even try using your favorite shampoo or experiment with a mix of essential oils.  Use these in simmer pots, or gently heat them in uncovered slow cookers or fondue pots to fill your home with a favorite scent.

 

Essential Oils to Scent Your Home

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Image via The Prairie Homestead

For a romantic feel, combine jasmine, neroli and rose essential oils.  To help calm your senses before a restful night of sleep, try lavender and chamomile.  For something a little more exotic, mix orange, patchouli and ginger.  To add an elegant, modern look to your home, make your own reed diffuser with a small, inexpensive, decorative jar.

 

The Refreshing and Invigorating Scent of Eucalyptus

eucalyptus
Image via The Krazy Coupon Lady

Eucalyptus leaves are a great way to freshen a home.  Many varieties of eucalyptus trees were introduced to the Hawaiian Islands in the late 1800s and early 1900s.  Place sprigs in a vase or hang them in the shower.

 

Taking a Favorite Morning Scent Into the Rest Of Your Day

coffee
Image via Chasing Foxes

Hawaii produces some of the best coffee in the world.  To bring that wonderful morning scent into the rest of your day, place vanilla scented tea lights in a bowl of your favorite coffee beans.

 

Soap as Scent

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Image via DearCrissy

An easy way to scent a bathroom is with the use of soap, body washes and mists, and there are many places on Oahu to purchase Hawaiian made soaps, including Hawaiian Bath and Body, The Soap Cellar, North Shore Soap Factory, Honolulu Soap Company, and Island Soap and Candle Works.  However, if you are looking for a fun weekend DIY project, try making your own.

 

Scenting your home is a creative and fun way to express yourself, uplift your spirits, and create a warm, inviting atmosphere for family and friends to gather.