Stumbling across something new ~

In my quest to make my home a more inviting place I am always looking for a way to add fragrance. I love coming home to be greeted by an inviting aroma, or walking into a room that smells clean and fresh. Herbs, flowers, and fragrant foliage from the garden are the ultimate, but not always possible.

 Scented candles are another option, they not only lend a yummy smell but provide a romantic and soothing atmosphere, however I don't feel comfortable leaving them in a room unattended. 

And then there are reed diffusers. I always keep one in each bathroom and the powder room. They seem to do best and last longer for me in smaller, enclosed spaces.

So,
up to now these have been my choices, but... 

 just recently I stumbled into the world of essential oils.

I think I am pretty late in finding out about essential oils. My yoga instructor always uses them in class during shavasana, the final resting pose at the end of class when she comes around to properly position us. But that they could be put in a diffuser and used to add fragrance to a space was something completely new to me, and very exciting.

I bought this very inexpensive diffuser online. I am not especially recommending this brand although it certainly works well enough. There are lots and lots of them available at many different price points and styles, but to begin with I wanted something very basic.

For those of you unfamiliar with how this works, it is very simple, you fill it with water, add several drops of the essential oil of your choice and plug it in. It gently emits puffs of fragrant steam every 30 seconds When the water runs out it automatically shuts off. All of this allows you to leave it in a room relatively unattended.

The one caveat I have found is that for maximum effect you need to use a good quality essential oil; you cannot use synthetic products. There is a huge array of different oils available, my current favorite is rose oil with a bit of lavender oil mixed in. I turn it on in the early evening in my bedroom and when I go in to go to bed I am greeted with the most lovely, soothing fragrance.

This has worked out so well that I will definitely be getting a couple more for other areas of the house. 

I am curious to know if any of you have tried using one of these and what your experience has been. For me it has offered another opportunity to enrich my daily life.

Thank you for visiting. I hope you have a fragrance filled day!