August 23, 2011

Freshen Up, Turn the Stress Down



Scent is critical to my well-being.  I need my apartment to smell good.  "Real" good, in a non-Glade way.  No musty rooms, no cigarette smoke, no perfumes.   Keeping the apartment in order is step one.   I can't imagine cleaning the litter pan once a week, as some people admit to doing -- clean as you go is my philosophy regarding litter pans.  (The stench of cat waste trumps any dislike of cleaning the pan.  And, honestly, would you leave a soiled baby diaper on your apartment floor?  Same thing.)

Aside from cleaning the surfaces and floors and airing out the house, here are ways I like to invite pleasant smells into my home:
  • Lavender: fresh, dried, or sachets
  • Japanese incense: instant calm!
  • Soap: homemade, small batch soaps full of real essences
  • Eucalyptus: my secret weapon at work
  • Baking something fragrant: muffins, banana bread, cobbler
  • Faking baking: boil a pot of water with cinnamon and nutmeg
  • Open windows: nothing beats "fresh air" -- a daily must no matter the temperature
  • Candles: especially pear, fig, eucalyptus, pine
  • Sweetgrass braids: intoxicating
  • Pressed wood:  cedar, pinon, mesquite, and other woods pressed into blocks for burning
While enjoying a scent, I like doing something pleasing and rejuvenating -- changing sheets, sipping tea, listening to ambient music.   Wonderful!

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