Excerpted from Mrs. Dunwoody’s Excellent Instructions for Homekeeping: Timeless Wisdom and Practical Adviceby Miriam Lukken
How does smell affect our homes? Have you experienced the stirring in your soul when some pleasing aroma takes you back to a charming memory? The mouthwatering smell of a freshly baked loaf of bread in the oven, or the soothing, fragrant mixture of lavender and magnolias in the bedroom. Smell can be a powerful tool in the creation of a nurturing and pleasing home.
You most likely don’t notice the smell of your own home until you return to it from an extended stay or vacation. Take care to notice the smells in your home. Is it musty and stale, or perhaps sterile with a lingering scent of ammonia? Or is it filled with the faintly sweet smell of flowers cut fresh from the garden? We can find pleasing scents and aromas for our homes by using fresh plants and flowers, fresh fruit zest, or candles, and incense. On the washstand a bowl of lavender-scented water calms the senses and soothes the nerves, while a basket of perfumed French soaps and sachets next to the towels in the washroom creates an oasis of purity and beauty. We can remove unpleasant odors from our home by keeping them clean and free of clutter, and by airing them out regularly by opening the windows.
Making things smell nice, that is something that makes me happy. I am completely sold on the idea of aromatherapy. Fragrances of certain types calm me, and other types invigorate me… But good smells in the house are always cause for cheerfulness and a better mood.
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