1. Essential oils
My favourite essential oils are lavender and lemongrass. I use lavender in my bedroom as it helps to calm and relax the mind and body, and I use lemongrass in the main living areas of my home, as it’s bright, fresh and energizing – it’s also one of the safest essential oils to use around pets!
How to use it?
I like to use an oil diffuser or DIY my own fabric/yoga mat/room spray.
2. Lemon
I love the smell of fresh lemon, it’s so bright and clean. I use it in my kitchen to freshen up the sink and scrub down cutting boards.
How to use it?
Squeeze the juice of half a fresh lemon around in your sink, give it a little scrub with a brush, place the leftover half near the drain and rinse. The leftover half can stay by the drain for a few hours while you wash up the kitchen or do dishes. To clean cutting boards use a few teaspoons of sea salt and half a lemon to scrub away stubborn messes.
3. Baking Soda
A trick as old as time… or at least as old refrigerators, baking soda can be found at the back of many fridge and freezers. Not only does it help keep food odors at bay, but it prevents foods from absorbing one another’s odors (no one wants an onion flavoured strawberry). I also like to use baking soda to freshen up carpets and rugs in my home.
How to use it?
Keep an open box of baking soda in your fridge and freezer, and replace it every couple of months. For carpets and rugs, sprinkle baking soda lightly over the surface and let sit for about 30mins before vacuuming up. Add a few drops of essential oil to your soda for a natural scent boost.
4. Plants & Flowers
Live or dried, plants and flowers are about as natural as it gets. Live plants like Bamboo, Peace Lilies, Golden Pothos and Aloe Vera act as air purifiers, filtering toxins out of your home. While dried flowers like lavender, rose and chamomile can provide a beautiful floral scent.
How to use it?
Keep a variety of live plants in your home and use dried flowers in sachets or displayed like potpourri in decorative bowls around the house. Be sure to switch out your dried flowers often, cause no one likes an old stale bowl of dusty potpourri crampin their style.
5. Herbs & Spices
Fresh herbs smell amazing! I love keeping rosemary, lemon balm, basil and mint in pots around my house; and they do double duty in the kitchen providing easy access for cooking delish meals.
How to use it?
Plant indoor window boxes or small pots of your favourite herbs around the house.
