It is very interesting how you get into somebody’s car, and the first thing you smell is a very good and refreshing scent which invites you warmly to sit in the car.

In fact if you look closely at many cars you will notice the rear mirror with a hanging tree, which is usually the source of the sweet scent in many cars. Unlike the cars, our homes have been totally forgotten when it comes to scents.

Sometimes I really do miss Mombasa very much a town where I was born and grew up. The Arabs are the best when it comes to scents; I experienced this when I was growing up. There is not a single day that I entered in those houses in Mombasa and smelt anything else if it is not jasmine freshly plucked from the trees and thrown all over the house, or incense made from rose flower. the ladies in that coastal town knew how to make their homes inviting since the weather and the terrain did not favour the town, which is surrounded by the Indian ocean, hence the wind has a fishy smelly- and the beautiful scents that the Swahili and Arab women use, over powered the fishy smell by far. These are memories that I will always cherish.

Many of us think that, for as long as the house is clean, then why bother for anything else? Now that is when we go wrong. Like our bodies when we buy the expensive perfumes so as to smell nice, so should we let our homes smell sweetly with beautiful scents. The beautiful scent that emanates from the house once that visitor walks in, should also be part of your home decor.

You can have very expensive furniture, but what good is it when your home smells of onions or dust on your curtains? It is so funny how people pamper their cars with the beautiful scents when they spend so little time in them, than their homes where they spend more time in.

There are many products on the market to keep your home smelling nice. Air fresheners come in solid or spray form, and some products can now be plugged into an electric outlet to disperse scent. One can choose between the cosy aroma of pine and spices or floral blends. Spray as needed, or place the solid fresheners strategically and replace as needed.

One can also make the room smell nice, depending on what mood they are trying to create. Do you want a cheerful, clean environment? Choose scents such as citrus, mint, or pine. If you want to create a romantic environment, choose scents such as jasmine, gardenia, sandalwood, or rose. For a cosy and cold environment, choose cinnamon, apple, berry, and pine. Some scents encourage activity and alertness, while others help people relax and unwind. 

Candles too are a great way to introduce scent into the home. Not only do they smell wonderful, they also create a lovely glow and add to the room’s visual appeal. Take care, however, not to burn candles near curtains. Also the home made recipe to creating that rare scent once in a while when you are at home is by simmering a small pot of apples, cloves, and cinnamon sticks on the stove.

Making your home smell nice does not have to be complicated or expensive. It can be a simple matter of eliminating bad odours or using good smelling cleaning products. Candles and air fresheners are quite effective in creating the desired mood, though care should be taken in their use. Simmering a pot of aromatic herbs or fruit can fill the home with a wonderful aroma. Decide what mood you’re going for, and please your sense of scents. A home’s scent can also influence the comfort and mood of the family within.  

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