Good Scents

People often ask me how to make their homes more appealing to guests as well as the people who live there. One thing that makes a home inviting and comfortable is a pleasant fragrance.

Smells have strong, subconscious effects on the brain and can be used to accentuate your home’s warmth and appeal. To fill your home with a warm, inviting scent, boil a pot of water on the stove, then pour in a teaspoon of vanilla and add some cinnamon or cloves. Or try a little baking–the aroma of fresh bread or cookies can’t be beat!

Just as certain smells create positive images, other smells create negative ones and should be eliminated. Many excellent products are on the market to enhance your home’s olfactory appeal. But nothing works better than a good cleaning. Consider using lemon polish on the furniture for a fresh smell. Prevent pet odors from lingering by giving your house and carpets a thorough periodic cleaning.

Cigarette or cigar smoke hanging in the air or in furniture or draperies can make even a clean house feel dingy. To absorb and eliminate the smell of smoke, place a small bowl of vinegar in the room, let it sit for a few days, and then discard it.