One Good Way To...{Use Natural Air Fresheners to Make Your Home Smell Great}

Before we get going on giving our homes a pleasant scent [alternative post title for my life: One Good Way To Get Rid Of The Lingering Smell Of A Dirty Diaper], let me explain that this is post number one in what I plan to be a regular feature where I write about one GOOD way to do something. As in, one GOOD ENOUGH way. Not the BEST way, not the PERFECT way, but one decent way to do something.

Why not the BEST way? We'll talk about that at the end of the post. First, the deets on making your home smell good.

We were gone on vacation this past weekend. When we returned home, the air in our house smelled a little stale. This morning I opened up all the windows to get some airflow, but it just wasn't enough. During the winter I often put a small pot of water on the stove, filled with aromatics like orange slices, cinnamon sticks, and cloves, but that mixture definitely smells like Christmas. I needed something fresher and less identifiable, so I used a mixture of lemons, vanilla, and thyme. This simple, natural recipe makes the house smell wonderful, without the cloying sweetness of a lot of scented candles or all the chemicals of air freshener sprays. I would have loved to use fresh thyme, but I didn't have any. Rosemary would also be great.

Lemon Herb Room Freshener

1 or 2 lemons
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon dried thyme or rosemary, or a few sprigs of fresh thyme or rosemary

Thickly slice the lemons and place in a small saucepan with vanilla and herbs. Fill pan with water to cover. Place on stove over medium heat, uncovered. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to lowest setting and allow to simmer as long as desired. Add more water as necessary. You can use the same mixture for a couple of days before discarding.

I think I'm going to save my thoughts on GOOD vs. PERFECT for another post. See you soon!

Anyone have any other good room freshening or deodorizing techniques? Any other aromatic recipes for the stove? What's your favorite scent for your home? What products do you use?

P.S. -- Taking photographs is definitely something I hope to improve at over time. Bear with my amateur skills, please!