Many of us are about to seal up our homes for the season. We’re getting ready to turn on our air conditioners (northern hemisphere) or our heating systems (southern hemisphere).
After the windows close, it will take a few days for the air inside to get stale and for us to begin to think fondly of the fresh breezes that had once wafting through. You may begin to actively consider scenting your home. But should you “engineer” the scent in your home, and what scents are best if you do?
When we’re in a place that smells good, mood improves, and when that happens, we are more effective problem-solvers, we think more creatively, and we get along better with others.
A space smells good when it smells fresh. “Fresh” is one of those sensory experiences we recognize when we encounter it but find hard to describe in words. If you’re opening windows when you can, have an up-to-date ventilation system, clean/replace your HVAC system’s air filters on schedule, and keep up with the dusting, vacuuming, and mopping, your home is probably smelling pretty fresh.
Once you’ve established a fresh base, what scents should you layer on?
- Worldwide, people generally think floral scents smell good.
- Each culture’s baking and holiday traditions generate all sorts of odors that have positive associations and boost mood. In North America, for example, we link the smell of vanilla to baked goods we relish and the end-of-year holidays to cinnamon and pine.
- If you associate a pleasant memory with a scent, smelling that odor will improve your mood. If a jasmine vine encircled your grandmother’s veranda and you had great times on that veranda with your relatives, smelling jasmine today will elevate your mood.
What does the research say about the specific smells you should look for in scented products or air fresheners?
- Now is the time to use the lavender potpourri you’ve been given over the years or to scout out some lavender-scented soaps/cleaners. Scientific studies show that the smell of lavender really is relaxing—and as a plus, it makes us more trusting.
- Not a big fan of lavender? Add the smell of oranges instead to relax you and bring down anxiety levels.
- Want to feel more alert? Try smelling rosemary, grapefruit, or peppermint.
- Another benefit of smelling grapefruit: When a woman smells like grapefruit, men are likely to estimate her age as five years younger than she actually is.
- In your home office, lemon is a good scent to sniff—it has been tied to enhanced professional performance.
- The cinnamon-sugar smells of cinnamon rolls have been directly linked to a boost in creative performance—you knew there was a good reason to bake cinnamon pastries.
Don’t add too much scent to spaces. People should not even realize a space has been “smellscaped” unless you draw their attention to it. Easy does it.
Managing the scents in your life is one way to make your life much better.
