During the holiday season, you can find festive home fragrances at nearly every store. We're talking candles, room sprays, and reed diffusers galore. And while these products are undeniably cozy, there's something extra special about creating DIY versions.
Luckily, you don't need to be a candle-making pro to make your home smell good. Thanks to these DIY methods, you can infuse your space with lovely scents just in time for the holidays. Ahead, check out our favorite ways, plus tips for customizing each one.
Video of the Day
Video of the Day
1. Simmer seasonal ingredients in a pot.
One of the easiest ways to make your home smell good is to create a potpourri simmer pot. Simply heat water or apple cider in a pot, along with orange slices, cranberries, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and/or herbs like rosemary. The best part? There's no right or wrong way to do this. The proportions and ingredients can be customized based on your preferences and what you have on hand.
2. Make a DIY spray mist.
Another idea is to whip up a DIY spray mist. To do so, combine distilled water and essential oils in a clean and empty spray bottle, then spritz the solution in any space that needs some festive cheer. Examples of seasonal essential oils include cinnamon, orange, cedarwood, cypress, and mint. To figure out the ratio of water to essential oils, you can use Now Food's handy essential oil dilution calculator.
Pro tip: To make this home fragrance even more eco-friendly, try re-purposing a spray bottle that you already have on hand. You can remove the sticker residue and labels using various methods, such as with a hot water soak or vegetable oils.
3. Set up a DIY reed diffuser.
For an option that lets you "set it and forget it," make a homemade reed diffuser. The first step is to choose a carrier, such as an oil base (like fractioned coconut oil) or distilled water mixed with cheap vodka. Combine your carrier with essential oils in a jar, preferably one with a narrow top. Add reed diffuser sticks and you've got yourself a festive home fragrance.
4. Bake a delicious treat.
From sugar cookies to banana bread, the holidays are all about delicious treats — so why not let your recipes play double duty? The next time you're baking something tasty, let the smell waft through your home. The heat from the oven will also provide some much-needed warmth, which is always a plus during the winter.
5. Create pinecone diffusers.
If you're lucky enough to snag a few pinecones from the great outdoors, try turning them into diffusers. All you need to do is add a few drops of essential oils and display them around your home. Just be sure to clean them first to avoid any unwelcome guests (i.e., bugs). To do so, check out this tutorial for cleaning pinecones on eHow. Alternatively, you can buy pinecones from the craft store for a few bucks.
6. Make scented holiday ornaments.
Are you planning to display a tree this year? If so, consider making scented decor, like DIY cinnamon ornaments by Living La Vida Holoka. Other ideas include salt dough ornaments with drops of essential oils or garlands made of dried orange slices, cinnamon, and rosemary. Basically, any tree ornaments using natural materials will infuse your space with lovely scents.
As it turns out, infusing your space with festive scents doesn't always require displaying new items. You can make your home smell amazing by adding seasonal essential oils to secret areas, like the cardboard tubes in toilet paper and by placing felt pads in your cabinets. This approach is perfect if you prefer a subtle, minimalist approach to home fragrances.