Smell can have a significant impact on our emotions. Fragrances could quickly uplift and set the tone of a room, just as certain paint colors can. This is as true, by the way, for potential home buyers as home occupants if you are prepping your home for sale.
While many of us use candles, diffusers, and fragrance machines to spread scents throughout our homes, there are some aromas that are better suited to specific areas. To help you get started on your home scent journey, here's a closer look at what some of those are.
Best Scents for the Living Room
Diffusing ultra-calming and stress-relieving essential oils like Geranium, Frankincense, or Clary Sage in your living room will create a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere. You can also use a diffuser in your foyer to add a fresh and clean blend of purifying and revitalizing essential oils like Ravintsara, Peppermint, Lemon, or Grapefruit to lift the mood and greet your visitors.
Coniferous essential oils can help you relax. Forest bathing is a Japanese stress-relieving technique that involves spending time immersed in nature's sounds and scents. If you can't get away from the city for a trip to the woods, diffuse coniferous essential oils like juniper, pine, spruce, fir, and cypress in your home to bring the peaceful fragrances of the outdoors inside.
Lemongrass has a relaxing, calming smell that can help you relax, relieve tension, and reduce anxiety. Lemongrass candles have a light, refreshing perfume that is comparable to that of fresh lemons or limes, and it pairs nicely with other relaxing scents like chamomile, lavender, rosemary, and eucalyptus.
Best Scents for the Kitchen
During the sunnier months, lemon essential oil is one of the most versatile scents you can add in your kitchen. Not only does it have antibacterial properties, but its fresh fragrance can freshen up any room. Lemon oil also has many uses for cleaning, such as removing dirt and grime from kitchens or multipurpose sprays that are great at getting rid of grease on a stovetop.
For the autumn and winter, scent, emotion, and memory are all deeply and intricately interwoven, which is why the rich scent of ginger and cloves conjures up warm memories. It's a reminder of the beginning of a new chapter as you snuggle up with loved ones indoors and watch the gloomy weather outside. What better place to light a pumpkin spice latte candle than in the kitchen, where so many fall memories are made?
Best Scents for the Bedroom
Consider the following three types of scents for your bedroom: soothing, romantic, and refreshing. Try jasmine, amber, or sandalwood for romance. Bergamot, lavender, or chamomile are good for relaxing. Try eucalyptus, mint, or vetiver for a refreshing scent. The optimal scents for the bedroom will differ from the scents you'd use in the kitchen or other communal areas of your home, so think about the atmosphere you want to create in each space.
If you want to try something that is a little different, introducing the warm hues of amber or the floral and woody notes of blackcurrant into a space offers a surprisingly soft bouquet perfect for evoking a tranquil mood.
Best Scents for the Bathroom
The days of bathroom air freshener sprays only coming in pine, lemon, or floral aromas that covered foul odors rather than creating an inviting atmosphere are gone. Home scenting has come a long way, and we now have access to a vast array of aromas to help us create the perfect environment in our bathrooms.
The perfect fragrance for the bathroom depends on a number of things, including the ages and personalities of those who use it, the design, and the season, but light scents are usually the best choice. Avoid strong, spicy aromas in small rooms where the door is frequently closed, as they can cause headaches.
Clean and airy scents, such as clean cotton or sea breeze, are ideal for the bathroom. Soft floral and citrus aromas, such as lemongrass, grapefruit, or bergamot, also work well to give the space a fresh feel. Something containing vanilla or coconut is also an excellent choice if you love warm, comforting aromas. Additionally, you can't go wrong with lavender, especially if you enjoy taking peaceful baths, because lavender promotes wellness and calmness.
Exploring Different Ways to Scent Your Home
So how should you add these scents to your home for the best effect? While candles are the obvious route, there are so many other ways to make your space smell amazing. Which is good, as smoke from candles can be irritating, can stain walls and ceilings and can even pose a danger.
This is especially true when selling your home, as the last thing you want is sneezing buyers, or to ruin all those home staging efforts you've made. With this in mind, here are some other ways you can add the best scents for your home to your home!
Room Sprays
Room sprays are one of the easiest ways to freshen up your space. These concentrated sprays add a lot of fragrance fast, but only with small spritzes. A quick spritz and your home is filled with the fresh scent of your choosing, and it will last a lot longer than a standard spray.
Essential Oil Diffusers
Essential oils are a wonderful way to scent your home without becoming overpowering. They're simple to customize, and you can make an unique blend for your home or change it up according on your mood. When replacing your air filter, a fun hack is to put a few drops on it. The aroma will be carried throughout your home by your air conditioning system!
Simmering Potpourri
Stovetop potpourri isn't only for the holidays; it's a terrific way to freshen the air in your home all year long! For a summery aroma, simmer water in a small saucepan with citrus slices and herbs like lavender, rosemary, and mint, or opt for a homey scent with sliced apples, orange rinds, cinnamon, and cloves. Set a timer for every 30 minutes to check on the simmering potpourri to see if it needs more water or to be turned off, or use a crockpot for a no-fuss option!
And don't forget, there's one more way to add freshness to your home that's easy and free: open the windows. The easiest solution to bring fresh air in is to open your windows, which instantly eliminates leftover cooking smells or pollutants from home improvement projects. It also freshens up the entire space and helps to boost the mood in your home, even if only for a short time!
Getting ready to buy a Waterloo Region home, or sell the one you own? Let Team Pinto use our huge experience and expertise to help you. Contact the award-winning Team Pinto here, or book a free Zoom consultation to discuss your unique Waterloo Region real estate needs here.