4 DIY Potpourri Recipes

Nothing makes a house more comfortable than a fresh, homely scent wafting through the rooms. It’s often a difficult task to make your house smell good for a long period of time without having to bring out that chemical-ridden air freshener. Many air fresheners available today can even irritate your nose and make a room feel stuffy. As an alternative, why not try the old fashioned way and make a homemade air freshener out of natural, non-irritating ingredients? An easy way to do this is by making potpourri. Potpourri is basically a mixture of dried petals and spices that can together perfume a room. It’s inexpensive and making one yourself, instead of buying one from the store, allow you to customize the scents and mixes according to your preference. Here are four DIY potpourri recipes that will surely provide your home with a lovely scent.

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  1. Holiday Mix Stovetop Potpourri

The holiday mix stovetop potpourri will leave your home smelling like Christmas.

You’ll need:

  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 star anise pod
  • 1 whole nutmeg
  • 2 sprigs of pine
  • 1 tbsp. of whole cloves
  • 1/3 cup of cranberries
  • 1 orange

Procedure:

Put all of the ingredients in a small pan then fill with water until all ingredients are completely submerged. Simmer on low. Add more water as it cooks down.

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  1. Dried Fruits And Nuts Potpourri

This dried potpourri recipe can be placed on a bowl or jar and displayed on the coffee table to allow its mixture of scents leave the smell of autumn wafting through the rooms.

You’ll need:

  • Dried apples
  • Dried orange slices
  • Cinnamon sticks
  • Whole cloves
  • Pine cones
  • Laurel (bay) leaves
  • Whole nuts (with shells)
  • Juniper berries
  • Dried rose hips
  • Essential oils: clove, cinnamon, orange, pine, cedar wood (or a combination of your choice)

Note: Put as much of the ingredients as you prefer. Basically, bigger handfuls of the larger items and smaller handfuls of the smaller items works great in effectively mixing the scents of the ingredients together.

Procedure:

Place all of the dry items in a large jar or bowl. Add a few drops of the essential oils in the mixture and gently toss everything together. Transfer to small bowls and display all around your home.

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  1. Dried Flowers Potpourri

Give a bouquet of flowers another life by turning it into potpourri. Dried flowers potpourri will not only give your home a lovely scent, it will also adorn the rooms with a simple yet romantic touch.

You’ll need:

  • Dried flower petals of your choice
  • Dried lavender or peppermint buds
  • Scented oils of your choice

Note: Choose any flower or combination of flowers that you like. Remove the petals and press them between a heavy book lined with parchment paper or newspaper. You can also cut a whole flower and let it hang to dry.

Choose scented oils with your desired effect. For instance, lavender is calming, lemon is refreshing, rosemary is clarifying, peppermint is cooling, and more.

Procedure:

Fill a jar one-thirds full with the dried flowers and herbs. Put 2-3 drops of the scented oils you chose. Put more dried ingredients until the jar is two-thirds full. Again, add 2-3 drops of the scented oil and finally, fill the jar with the remaining dried flowers and herbs. Finish with a few drops of scented oils.

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  1. Refresh And Renew Simmering Potpourri

This stovetop potpourri will deodorize any foul smell in your home and leave a refreshing, clarifying, and delicious smell that will waft through the rooms.

You’ll need:

  • 1 lemon, sliced
  • 3 sprigs of rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
  • 3 cups of water

Procedure:

Pour the water into a small pot and place under low heat. Add the rest of the ingredients and let it simmer. Add more water as it cooks down.

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