Homemade Airfresheners: Create Lasting Home Fragrances

I love to walk down the fragrance aisles in department stores; the scents so relaxing. I buy the scents that I want, take them home; hoping that the scents would linger in my home in same the manner as the fragrance aisles. Only to find that the scents subside in a couple of days. The scents from aerosol sprays fade quickly and leave chemicals in the air that often irritate my sinuses long after the scent is gone. I have bought a number of air fresheners that smelled awesome and promised 60 days of scented bliss, only to fade away into nothing. So, I went on a mission to make scents that would last longer. These handmade items can not only be cheaper, but, safer for use in your home. They create a subtle scent and you control the life of the scent by adding essential oils from time to time.

Sachet Pillows

You can use decorative paper or a light weight cloth. Cut 4 inch squares, then, glue gun or stitch three sides. Cut a two inch ribbon. Fill the squares with your choice of potpourri, make a loop with your ribbon and sew it into the open end. Hang or place these sachets in various spots in the house, like the bathroom, window seals, and behind pictures. You can refresh them from time to time with essential oils.

Homemade Paper

This a very cheap way to make scented paper. Shred about four or five cups of tissue into two cups of water, let it soak until the paper breaks down. You can add bits of construction paper for color. You can also place your soaking paper in the blender. Pour the paper through a strainer. Select a small decorative mold and pour the mixture into the mold, use a sponge to take out as much water as possible, squeezing the sponge often. Once you are comfortable that most of the water has been removed, add your choice of essential oil. Let the paper sit in the mold until it is dry enough to handle. When it has completely air dried, glue a ribbon loop to the back, if you like. You can uses these in the same manner as the sachets.

Plaster Decorations

Select decorative molds, mix the plaster of paris according to the package instructions. Mix in essential oils of your choice. You can also add water color or paint it after it is dry. Create a loop and press it into the wet plaster. Let dry. Because plaster of paris is porous, you can refresh the scent with essential oils later.

These would make lovely gifts for any occasion. Just create your scented art and arrange in a decorative basket.