Make Your Home Smell Like the Holidays

Some of my favorite holiday scents are fresh pine, cookies straight out of the oven, cinnamon, and warm fires. Holiday scents evoke a warm and cozy holiday feeling in our homes, and there are some great ways to fill your living spaces with tidings of joy and cheer. Check out my top five festive, scent-sational ideas:

1. Use Fresh Greenery. Live Christmas trees don’t always work in our lowcountry climate, but they sure smell amazing for a short time! You can also include fresh pine garland and centerpieces, or place a few springs of rosemary, sage, or pine into your floral arrangements for an added punch.

2. Light Scented Candles. This one is a given, but let’s chat for a minute about candles. Many people light different scented candles throughout the home, and it overwhelms and confuses the sniffer. Instead, opt for a single scent throughout the home. Don’t forget bathrooms and always keep them away from the dining room where it may overpower the delicious holiday food!

3. Pot Simmers. These smell delicious and are incredibly easy to do! Just simmer a pot of water with orange and apple peels, cranberries, nutmeg, cinnamon, fresh pine, or cloves. You can find a ton of recipes online, or create your own with what you have in your kitchen. You can use the stove or a crock pot!

4. Bake Those Sweets. There’s nothing better than the delicious smells of freshly-baked sugar cookies, gingerbread, or apple pie. Wait until an hour or two before guests come over to pop your treats in the oven, and your house will smell amazing when the doorbell rings. This is one of my open house strategies! I always bring slice-and-bake cookies and a baking sheet and pop them in just before guests begin arriving so your home smells warm and welcoming and ready for memory-making!

5. Place Holiday-Scented Soap in the Bathrooms. This space is often overlooked when decorating for the holidays, but you can find some cute soaps for a couple bucks at your local Target or Walmart. It’ll be a splash of fun for guests and your family to get a peppermint burst when washing up!

Want to move before the new year? Buying and selling during the holidays is no problem, so let’s chat about making it happen. Reach out here!