Easy home fragrance: Stove top potpourri

My first thought when I think of potpourri is a grandmother. Candles and home air freshener sprays are the current popular ways for making a home smell better, while potpourri is something that people rarely think about anymore. This New Years Eve, I was over at a friend's small, city apartment and while having some drinks, I noticed how delicious their apartment was smelling. Their secret to the delicious smell wasn't a candle burning somewhere or a wall air freshener, but a stove top potpourri warming in their kitchen. I couldn't get over how wonderful it smelled and how homey it made their small apartment seem. There's something special about a pot with fresh ingredients making the whole apartment smell like winter, than a store bought candle burning on the coffee table. 

How simple stove top potpourri may shock you... Or make you start one on your stove instantly. Here are the basic stove potpourri instructions:

1. Get a small to medium sized pot and fill it about 3/4 with water.
2. Add your choses of fruit, herbs, spices, extracts or oils.
3. Bring water to a boil.
4. Lower the heat so the liquid is simmering.
5. Add more water as needed.

All the ingredients for stove potpourri are available at most grocery stores, but you can also get creative with what you already have in your home. Below are some suggestions to give you some smell inspiration:

• 1/2 sliced orange, 1/2 sliced lemon, 2 cinnamon sticks, 1 tablespoon of cinnamon & 1 cup cranberries
• 3 lavender sprigs (or 3-5 drops of lavender aromatherapy oil) & 2 mint sprigs (or 2-4 drops of mint extract or peppermint aromatherapy oil)
• 3 slices of fresh ginger, 1 tablespoon of vanilla & 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 sliced lemon, 2-3 rosemary sprigs & 1 teaspoon of vanilla

While candles are a great way to get your home smelling good, homemade stove potpourri gives your home a personal touch that will impress guests, and even impress yourself with how easy it is to make your home smell amazing. Get creative and combine things that you think will smell good. My personal favorite is lavender and peppermint, which is amazing at getting rid of headaches, while smelling fresh and relaxing. Test different combinations for different seasons! Enjoy!