Consider the lilies…

A dear friend of mine, Briana, recently complimented me on the smell of my home and asked me to share any secrets I had for keeping it welcoming and inviting. Though she did label me as a “smell snob”, I was extremely touched by the compliment and found it rather gracious, considering I’m far from the world’s best housekeeper.  However, I did wrack my brain to find those things I do instinctively to help keep the house smelling “oh so fresh”.  As I did, I found that maintaining a fresh smell in a home can really be separated into two categeories: eliminating bad odors and establishing good ones.  So here it goes:

1.  Regular Cleaning~  Though I know this is obvious, and most of us stay on top of routine housework rather well, it only makes sense that the only way to have a clean house smell is to…clean!  In addition to my weekly chores, I tend to vacuum several times a week (something my mom instilled in me) and find that it really helps to cut down on smells that could linger in the carpets. 

2.  Empty the trash daily~ With only 3 of us in the house, it is unusal to have a completely full kitchen trashcan at the end of each day.  However, some of the worst and most potent odors come from the garbage we throw away…particularly in the kitchen.  And since the kitchen is in such a central location, those unwanted smells can quickly fill the whole house.  Therefore, I have found that emptying the trash daily, and placing items like chicken or beef packages (as well as anything that tends to create a strong and unplesent aroma) in grocery bags before placing them in my trashcan helps keep my home smelling a little more fresh.

3.  Beware of the kitchen sink~ I hate a dirty sink.  I hate the sight and I hate the smell.  So, apart from when we are practicing hospitality and have guests over, I make an effort to clean dirty dishes or load them in the dishwasher right after eating.  I also intentionally tend to put good smelling foods like lemon wedges in my garbage disposal on a regular basis to help avoid the “rotten food” smell disposals tend to generate.  Baking soda is good for eliminating odors as well. Believe it or not, I think this simple discipline of keeping the sink clean is one of the most significant things I do to help eliminate unwanted odors.

4.  Dryer Sheets~  One of my favorite smells in any house is clean laundry. What makes laundry smell so good??? Your detergent and dryer sheets, of course.  So, I try and use them all over the house…in dresser drawers, the bottoms of trash cans, under the cushions of furniture, inside pillowcases, etc.  The possibilities are endless.  We’ve even placed them in our vents and furnace filters so that when the air is on, it blows a fresh scent throughout the house. I know…we’re nuts!

5.  Candles~  The comforting scent of a favorite candle can make any house inviting, just as long as it is not overly strong.  I have several favorites for each season from Yankee Candle and tend to stick with them year after year.  For autumn, I like Sage and Citrus  or Cranberry Chutney; for winter, Mistletoe  or Balsam and Cedar; for spring, Lilac Blossom, Cut Grass or Tulip; and for summer, Clean Cotton or Midsummers Night.  I’ve found the key is to burn only one scent at a time and let it permeate the whole house.  Different candles on different levels, for example, can quickly give me a headache!

 6.  Home Fragrance Sprays by Bath and Bodyworks~  These concentrated fragrance sprays for the home are incredible.  Two sprays and you can make an entire room smell great!  They are especially good for in the bathrooms, but I often use them all over the house, especially to help with that “after dinner” smell.  And, since you need such a small amount, they seem to last forever!  

7.  Fresh air~  Again, another obvious one.   But, whenever possible I open up windows and doors and let the fresh air breeze through the house to help it smell better.  Doing this for just a few minutes after dinner, even in really cold weather, seems to make a big difference.   

8.  Fresh Flowers~  I saved my favorite for last.  I am a big fan of fresh cut flowers. From the garden, from the farmer’s market, from the grocery store…I don’t care.  I just love how much they seem to help make a house more of a “home”.  And since my husband is more of a romantic than he’d ever admit, I tend to have flowers A LOT!  It’s wonderful. 

There you have it! Good Smelling Home 101….What do you do to keep your house smelling great??????