(Credit: Photographer: Mindi Cooke / Styling: Kylie Jackes)
Whether you’re craving a spring refresh, stepping back into your home after a long holiday, or simply wanting to capture that breezy, beachy feeling all year round, the power of scent can instantly shift the mood of your space. A fresh-smelling home doesn’t just please the nose—it lifts the spirit, creates a welcoming atmosphere, and even makes everyday chores feel a little lighter.
Think of it as giving your home its own personality: vibrant, calm, or joyfully nostalgic, depending on the scents you choose for candles or home fragrance. So, if you’re ready to swap stale air for uplifting aromas, here are 15 simple and affordable ideas to bring a breath of fresh air into every corner of your home.
1. Light a candle
There’s nothing like lighting a candle in your home for an instant fragrant burst, with the added bonus of a warm, ambient glow. Stock up when you see your favourites on sale and only burn for a few hours at a time. This will extend the life of your candle and the softened wax will continue to fragrance the air.
Heavenly-scented candles
2. Set up a diffuser
Great for long-term fragrance, diffusers with slender reeds wicking fragrant oils from a glass or bottle will provide a consistent aroma of your choice. Commercial ones are available with special blends to evoke seaside smells or fresh forest blends, or make your own with skewers and your own special aromatic mix.
3. Purify the air
Particularly for persistent or stubborn odours, the operation of an air purifier with a few drops of essential oils will circulate around your home at the touch of a button.
4. Tend to indoor plants
Natural air purifiers, indoor plants filter toxins and carbon dioxide and produce fresh air in your space. Remember to place one or two in the bathroom!
5. Clean and de-grease your exhaust fans
By soaking first in boiling hot soapy water for 10 minutes, then gently scrubbing with a brush in a circular motion. Allow to air dry in the sun if possible.
6. Mop the floors
With the addition of 10-12 drops of essential oil to your bucket or robotic vacuum cleaner. Lavender, peppermint and eucalyptus work well.
7. Do some baking
Cook a loaf of bread, a batch of muffins or your favourite cake. The smell of fresh baking is an instant pick-me-up. Use citrus if you can, as zesting the peel will instantly fragrance the air.
8. Make your own fragrance sachets
With a collection of dried flowers, such as buds or lavender heads gathered inside. Refresh from time to time with a drop or two of quality essential oil.
9. Wipe out the bins
While this is something to add to your regular cleaning cycle, empty the bins and wash them out with warm soapy water. Allow them to dry in the sun before taking them back inside. For extra freshness, add a few cotton wool balls scented with essential oil into the bin before replacing the liner.
10. Upgrade your kitchen spray
Clean your kitchen benches and perfume your kitchen while you’re at it with a premium spray made from quality ingredients. We love Ecoya’s juniper berry and mint fragranced surface spray or Koala Eco’s Multi-purpose kitchen spray in lemon, myrtle and mandarin.
11. Fresh flowers
Fresh flowers can transform the look (and smell) of your home. Pick up bunches of seasonal fragrant varieties, such as roses, gardenias, jasmine, lilies or lavender for the highest impact and arrange them yourself for a satisfying display.
12. Open the windows
Never underestimate the power of a cross breeze. Open as many windows and doors as possible and allow your home to ‘breathe’. A well-ventilated home is less likely to develop musty smells caused by mildew or dampness from condensation.
13. Make a simmer pot
US-based gourmet food store Williams Sonoma is famous for its delicious scent. The secret? A simple stovetop ‘simmer pot’ you can make at home. Simply fill a large pot with water and add a few sprigs of fresh rosemary, whole black peppercorns, thinly sliced lemon and a few drops of vanilla extract. Bring to a simmer over a low heat and allow the scent to reinvigorate the senses.
14. Place an open jar of rolled oats in the fridge
Strange whiff emanating from the fridge? Give it a clean out, ensuring the shelves are free from mysterious spills and spoiled food, then place one cup of oats in an uncovered dish and allow it to soak up any lingering odours.
15. Deodorise with bi-carb soda
Freshen up mattresses, sofas and rugs with bi-carb soda. Sprinkle generously over the item, and allow to sit for a few minutes before vacuuming the excess away.
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