The scent is an irresistible magnet drawing the heart and imagination. How many of us hadn’t said, “so glad I’m finally home” when we returned from a trip? There is no place like home because no other place smells like home. As I write, the delicious aroma of baked chicken smothered in lemon sauce fills the house.
A fragrant home is a simple pleasure. Every day air the rooms, even in the winter, by opening the windows wide and letting the fresh air circulate. In the summer days, when the windows are closed to keep the air conditioning, wait until the evening when it cools down. But after a summer shower, open the windows for a delightful scent.
If you have animals, use a baking soda carpet freshener every time you vacuum to eliminate odors. We become used to the smell of our pets, but it can be overpowering to unsuspecting visitors. Add scented powder to the vacuum cleaner bag to diffuse fragrance as you clean the carpets. Clean with pine cleaners for an invigorating scent.
Simmer apple cider, cinnamon, and cloves in water if your home expects prospective buyers. It creates a cozy, inviting atmosphere. Scented candles and incense bring romance to a room setting. Hang scented padded hangers and sachets in the closets, and line drawers with scented paper. Burn aromatic woods in the fireplaces. Set bowls of potpourri throughout the house. I like to use florals in the spring and summer, and spicy potpourri in the fall and winter.
Our days at home can be full of fragrant moments once we start to savor the romance of scented rooms.
I’d like to close with two verses from Ralph Waldo Emerson,
“I wish that life should not be cheap, but sacred,
I wish the days to be as centuries, loaded, fragrant.”
Love,
Carmen Monica
Carmen Monica Oprea 