The two things I love about the holiday season are a home filled with loved ones and a home filled with the cozy scents of the season. But I don’t always want to bake a pie from scratch to get that smell. And although I do love finding and burning the best cozy scented candles, there are MANY other ways to make your home smell cozy.
I’m rounding up my favorite ways to make a home smell good including my favorite natural and inexpensive ways to add fall and winter smells to your home. It’s a list of ten cozy scent hacks you can use to make your house smell cozy, warm and welcoming.
Psst! Looking for more ways to make your home cozy? Check out this post: how to create a cozy home.
Make a Fall Simmer Pots
Simmer pots are easy, inexpensive and a natural way to add cozy scents to your home. The ingredient combinations are endless. If you haven’t tried one, you are definitely missing out. They are so easy and cheap! You could even put the ingredients into a container as a simple DIY gift. Check out this post on fall simmer pot ideas for inspiration.
Bake Yummy Apples
The only thing better than picking apples at an apple orchard? Coming home and baking them! Baked apples are easy and yummy. And as far as apple treats go, these are a pretty healthy treat. My kiddos love stuffing their own apples. I LOVE the way they make my house smell. Try this crock pot baked apples recipe from House of Hawthornes.
Use a Linen Spray
Confession: I am obsessed with Caldrea linen spray. For me, it’s a great alternative to scented candles and plug ins. I LOVE how fresh and subtle a linen spray makes your home smell. I like to spray it on throw pillows, curtains and linens to give my home a soft, lovely scent. My two favorite scents are lavender pine and sea salt neroli, but I really love all the scents.
The price tag on these scents might shock you, and I agree, it’s not exactly cheap. There are cheaper options, but none that I love as much! One bottle of linen spray lasts me well over a year. So, if you enjoy a more subtle (but complex and SO YUMMY) scent in your home, one bottle of Caldrea linen spray will last you a loooong time.
Pour a Cozy Candle
Making your own candles is a fun and non toxic way to add fall scents to your home. It can also be a fun upcycle project, as you can use just about any container to make a candle. Try a mason jar for a rustic look, or maybe a teacup for a whimsical flair. Check out this natural and non toxic candle tutorial from Nesting with Grace for more details.
Buy a Cozy Candle
Not into candle making? No problem! Add a pumpkin spice tea candle to a container with coffee beans, and you will fill your home with the smell of pumpkin spice latte. Yum!
Of course you could also splurge on a bigger scented candle, and I fully support that. Here are the ones I’m currently digging:
- Friday Night Football, Homesick Scented Candle
- Capri Blue Volcano Candle (not a seasonal scent but I love this smell all year long)
- Red Pomegranate & Spruce, Paddywax Soy Scented Candle
- Woodwick Mini Fireside Candle, Virginia Candle
- Pumpkin Chai, Nest Candle Collection
Bake Pumpkin
The smell of pumpkin baking in the oven is so cozy! We love to make pumpkin bread and pumpkin cookies. I fell in love with these pumpkin cookies with browned butter frosting while working at General Mills. These cookies were made fresh every day during the fall. And I’m convinced the recipe was the exact recipe I linked from Betty Crocker’s kitchen. In the fall, the scent of pumpkin wafted through the halls. Most days, these cookies barely lasted past lunchtime!
Add Cozy Scented Oils
Another simple way to add the smell of fall to your home is with essential oils. I love adding a few drops of cinnamon essential oil to a bowl of pine cones. We also like to use our oil diffuser to diffuse fall scents in our home.
Dry Fruit and Nuts
Ahhh. The smell of dried fruits and nuts is so wonderful. We love drying oranges in the oven and adding them to birdseed ornaments (read about that process here). And when we really have time to spare, we like to make candied almonds and walnuts in the oven. Other days, we just buy them from Trader Joes and try not to eat them all at once.
Use Seasonal Soap
Need I elaborate? If you use any seasonal soap, you must use pumpkin spice soap. Your hands will thank you later. And it could be a really fun touch for your guests, too! Try Mrs Meyers Pumpkin Hand Soap.
Make Cinnamon Applesauce
Homemade applesauce is amazing. And because we always, always overbuy apples at the apple orchard (how can you not??), we have plenty to make a batch. Homemade, fresh applesauce is a treat around here, especially when it’s still warm. Try this applesauce recipe from Smitten Kitchen and if you want to be a huge rebel, double the cinnamon.
Bonus Tip: Add Winter Greenery
And of course, don’t forget to bring real greenery into your home this winter. Even if you don’t use a real Christmas tree, you can still get that yummy evergreen scent. Just add a few evergreen clippings to a vase or table setting, or use a live garland on your mantle.
You can get evergreen clippings from your yard, local nursery, home improvement store, or my personal favorite: Trader Joes!
What other ways do you cozy up for the holiday season? For more ideas, be sure to check out this post: simple cozy home ideas.
Don’t forget to pin the following image to your holiday board for later!
*post contains affiliate links
What Are Your Thoughts? (Leave A Reply)