DIY Natural Home Fragrance

 I have to admit... even though I'm very aware of what I put into my body, I'm not always as conscious of what I surround myself with.  I know that there are a lot of very good reasons why I shouldn't use chemical-laden cleaning products, scented candles, and plug-in air fresheners; but they just smell so darn GOOD I can't give them up!  I'll go through phases where I clean with baking soda, vinegar, etc... but I always end up going back to the cleaning products I love (to smell) so much.  For some reason, the house just seems a lot cleaner to me when it carries the scent of lemons or pine.  Or soap.  Or even bleach.  : )

That's why I was so excited when I saw this post on The Yummy Life blog.  Monica writes about how to scent your home naturally, with ingredients you can find in and around your house.  Five minutes after reading, I had one of her recipes simmering on my stove.  She didn't specify measurements for each ingredient so I just winged it, and the results are HEAVENLY!

She listed five different scent recipes, but I chose to start with this one for several reasons.  The most important of these reasons is that it combines three of my absolute favorite scents:

Rosemary.  Honestly, I love this stuff.  I grow it in the garden every year, and don't actually cook with it all that often.  I just like to run my fingers over the leaves to release the scent as I walk by.

...with lemon...

...and vanilla.  Monica wrote that this combination is close to the scent found simmering
in most Williams-Sonoma stores.

 This last photo somewhat shows the amount I used of each ingredient.  I ended up with a medium-sized handful of fresh-cut rosemary, one whole sliced lemon, and a tablespoon of vanilla.  I just plopped them in a pot, added enough water to cover everything, and brought it to a boil.  I then reduced it to a very low simmer, and since then my house just keeps smelling better and better!

This potful of ingredients has been enough to bring fragrance to my kitchen, living/dining room, 3 small bedrooms, and bathroom.  Mind you, we have a small house so these rooms are pretty tiny.  I can even detect a faint scent when I walk down the stairs to our basement.

When my husband came home from work today, he said, "Wow... what smells so good?"  He's never made that comment about a candle or a new bathroom spray, so I think this just might be the better option.  : )

UPDATE:  I tried a new combination today, and it's just lovely.  I used fresh lavender, vanilla, and a few orange slices (not an entire orange).  It's simmering on the stove now, and our house smells amazing!