Welcome back to “Make a Fresh Start,” where all month long I am talking about ways to start anew in 2021. Yesterday I shifted focus to refreshing your space, and today I am continuing on this theme by encouraging you to think about the air around you.
Depending on where you live, January is likely to be an “inside month.” When multiple people stay inside together, especially when the air is too cold to open the windows and freshen the environment, the air can get a little… unpleasant. Odors may linger, and with heaters running, the air can get very dry and stale.
Fortunately, there are steps we can take to make the air around us a bit more appealing. A few possibilities include:
- Lighting a scented candle (lighting a candle at mealtime can actually become a nice tradition)
- Using a diffuser (pick a scent you like)
- Simmer some spices in a bit of water in a pot on the stove (don’t walk away!)
- Purchasing an air purifier (purifiers with HEPA filters can even make the air in your home healthier)
- Using a clip-on, gel, or plug-in air freshener
- Spraying heavily used rooms and upholstered surfaces with products designed to leave a clean scent
- Temporarily turning off the heat and opening your windows for 10-15 minutes to let some fresh air blow through your house.
There are many options, and each of us will gravitate in a different direction. Additionally, our choices may shift over the course of the year. In the summer, we may opt for a dehumidifier or attic fan to keep moisture and heat at bay. The challenge is simply to take a moment to be mindful about the air in your space and choose one way to make it more inviting.
Do any of these ideas resonate with you?
I love candles, as well as those scent plugins, and usually buy both of them on sale at Bath & Body Works. So, that is usually my go-to for making the air quality smell better and fresher in my own home 🙂
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I love Bath & Body Works and all things that smell wonderful. It really lifts my mood, and candles work particularly well in the winter. I love their soaps as well. I think “Kitchen Lemon” is my favorite hand soap scent!
I’m all about the oil diffusing! Essential oils have so many health benefits too. I just started sleeping with a diffuser on my nightstand and it’s not only helping me sleep better because of the aromatherapy aspect, but it’s also acting as a little humidifier and I don’t wake up with a dry nose/throat as much.
Double benefit! The air is so dry in the winter that it is hard to stay properly hydrated. Great idea:)
Totally. I do love candles and simmering spices. Also, Cassidy is obsessed with these little lantern like lights. They really cozy up a room!
For Scarlet’s room it’s so cool but not cozy. We keep wondering how to cozy it up. We’re thinking an area rug to start.
I like simmering spices as well. I got some of those lights for my college girl a couple of years ago and she loved them. They do give a nice dose of ambiance! I think a rug is a great idea. If a room is cold, think texture and warm lighting!
I like all those suggestions. I like some of the products whose scent is just “Good Air”. They freshen the air but have a very light scent-a clean scent. I also like diffusers and plug in scents. My favorite is opening up to the air which I rarely do in the winter but I like your idea to turn down the heat and open up for a short time. It really is healthier. Thanks for reminding me.
Today it is a bit milder. Might open up here just to let the air blow through.