Isn’t it funny how a whiff of a smell brings you back to a place instantly? You remember every detail from a space you thought was a distant memory. It turns out that our olfactory senses are actually far more effective at generating accurate and detailed memories than even a visual sense. So, it’s no wonder we’re highly sensitive to the kind of scent profile we create in our own homes. It’s important to us that our nests evoke the kind of emotions and impressions we’re trying to create, just as much as the color we paint on our walls.
If you think it’s impossible to lasso a scent and make it our own, think again! Read on for a few great ideas on how you up the ante and make what your house smells like, speak for you.
Light Candles
This is the most obvious trick of the trade: Invest in high-quality candles that speak to your personality. Would you rather be in the garden? Look for green scents that feature lavender, mosses, green tea or other fresh fragrances. Known as a rustic person? Patchouli, ember, citrus and spice are all warm and earthy scent profiles. Have a light and breezy demeanor? You might try some ocean scents like coconut mixed with a light balsam and citrus blend.
Before you decide to burn a candle in your house, do consider what they’re made of first. Otherwise, you might introduce toxic particles along with that favorite scent into your home. Do your research, but some of the best options are soy, bees, and coconut wax-based candles.
Clean Your Air
If you want to really take on the scent of your home, you’ll need to do more than add the scent you want. You need to also remove the scents you don’t. This is where an air filtration system that uses a carbon filter comes in, like the Honeywell Designer HEPA Tower for Medium/Large Rooms. Selecting an air purifier with a carbon filter is key here, as the activated carbon helps reduce household odors like those from pets, cooking, and smoke. Honeywell Air Purifiers are compact and quiet, helping to capture up to 99.97% of the following microscopic airborne allergens and particles 0.3 microns or larger from the air that passes through the filter: dust, dust mite debris, smoke pet dander and pollen. The Designer Series also comes with an essential oil tray, allowing you to both remove the odors and introduce your own personal fragrances. Bonus: this air filtration system also comes with an automatic cleaning mode, determining the right level of clean you might need. It does the thinking, so you don’t have to!
Wash (All) Your Textiles
The less desirable smells in your home tend to linger where you don’t see them: in textiles. The fibers on your favorite pillow can often create a home for the bacon you cooked last week. But before you decide to overhaul the pile height of your carpet and the number of blankets on your couch, start a habit of cleaning one overlooked fabric a month. Clean the carpet in your living room one month, and then toss blankets and pillow covers in the wash the next. Beautiful sunny day in the summer? Hang your curtains out on a clothesline to air out. You’ll be amazed at how alive your space becomes with an easy cleaning schedule.
The next time you worry guests might leave with a bad scent memory of your home, rest assured: you have nothing to fear! With the right fragrance profile, a small but mighty air filtration system like the Honeywell HEPA Tower, and some simple cleaning steps, you can be confident your home’s scent is saying all the right things about you.