Saturday, January 23, 2010

Shopping List for Sense-sational Home Products

A Sense-sational Room


Since I wrote yesterday's post, "Sense-sational Home,"  I started thinking I should let my readers know some of the inexpensive items that I use in my home that help make it have the feeling I like it to have.
Scents are very important to me so I like to use a few cleaning products that leave behind a fresh scent.


In my bathtub and shower I like to use Method cleaner in the Eucalyptus and mint scent. It makes it smell like a spa.  After I wipe down my shower daily, I spritz this around the edge of the tile floor and it smells Yum!, very spa-like.



Another product I enjoy using is Mr. Clean, Lavender.  I started using  this product after a very close friend of mine told me about it . She wipes all her counters down with this and it smells divine.  I also mix it with Murphys oil soap to wash down all my wood cupboards in the kitchen.  It gives it just another layer of a delicious fragrance.  The Lemon Mr. Clean mixed with Murphys oil soap is also a very fresh fragrance.



The best,by far, lavender spray I have found is, Woods of Windsor. It last a long time and smells soft and lovely.  I use to find it at Homegoods very reasonably for $3.99 a spray can.  I would buy every can on the shelf.  I have not found it there in a long time.  It retails for $12 here.
  It is so wonderful that when I run out I will pay full retail for it. This site also offers free shipping so that is another plus.
When I have this spray my visitors are always asking me what is it in my house that smells so wonderful.

My friend Terri,  at La Dolfina blog uses Nellies Lavender Sticks from Crate and Barrel. These are actually for the laundry but she tucks them in hiding places in her bathroom and she says they are divine. I will have to try these out.  If you have a chance go by and visit Terri's blog, it is wonderful. She is a true treasure hunter and she finds wonderful treasures on her journey.  I get to go treasure hunting with her very soon, I am very excited!



Tea lights are always lit in my home even in the day time. If it is a gloomy wintry day I will light my tea lights. I always know it is time to change decorative accessories from the summer to winter when I start lighting candles in the house.  I have noticed it seems to fall right around when  football season starts.  I purchase my tea lights at Bed Bath and Beyond.  They come in a bag of 100 for $5.99. They always have a 20% coupon so they are totally affordable and bring so much ambience for so little money.  As far as scented pillar candles I don't burn those in my home.  I have found that the oil they use to scent the candle seems to smoke.  I have heard that the soy base candles don't do that but I have not tried those myself . I usually buy cream colored candles without a scent.



Pottery Barn seems to have the prettiest faux throws .  They are not inexpensive but you don't want anything that is faux to look cheap.  I think these are well worth the price. They are on sale right now, so if you are considering one,now is the time to buy.  What a wonderful texture for your room and what a delight to wrap up in all this softness.


This faux mink throw looks pretty lush and it is a litlle less expensive at Overstock.  I think one in white would look great in just about any room.



As for the ambiance of music , I realize it is totally subjective.  I have sirius radio on my stereo and I have soft moodscapes playing throughout the day.  My morning routine is make coffee, turn on all the ambient lights (would you believe I have nine ligths to turn on?) , light some tea lights and then turn on my music. I am good to go for the day!

I will leave you with one more "Smell Good," that I like to use.  I was asked if I like plug-ins?  The only one that I have found that I like is sold at Bed Bath and Beyond, by Yankee candle company.  The fragrance is clean and fresh, Sage Citrus


These will run about $12 for two refills, I try to watch when they are on sale and then use that ever faithful 20% coupon.

I hope this helps to show you it does not have to cost a lot of money to bring items to your home that will make it a Sense-sational Home.

"Enjoy the Process," Of: Trying new items to bring comfort to your home.

Kathysue

11 comments:

  1. Never underestimate the power of scent. I lost my ability to smell and taste a few years ago and never thought about home fragrances. This past Christmas someone bought us a candle and I lit it even though I could not smell it.

    My husband loved it! I never thought that he would miss fragrance. Since then I have kept some type of fragrance going but have to rely on recommendations of others. This post means a lot to me. Thank you.

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  2. Thanks for all of the tips, Kathysue. I will have to remember all of them. I have dogs, so I really try to keep my house smelling fresh. I love scented candles and don't seem to have a problem with the smoke...

    xoxo
    Jane

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  3. Thanks for the tips, Kathysue! I never thought about the scent of cleaners as making a difference in your home. I always just used the lemony smell and didn't know about lavender Mr. Clean! I hope you are having a great weekend and staying dry!...hugs...Debbie

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  4. Great post Kathysue. I love all the different items you talk about. I am kind of like Debbie, I love the smell of lemons or oranges and use those smells all over the house. It just seems so fresh and clean to me. I have one of those faux throws and it really is a wonderful thing to snuggle under on a cool day. Great ideas. Hugs, Marty

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  5. Love the smell of lavender - so soothing!

    One candle company from the east coast that does not have the smoke residue is Northern Lights Candles...they are wonderful!

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  6. Foley, thank you I will have to check that out.Kathysue

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  7. I took your color test... I am a blue person! I hate the color blue for most things... but I did like what it said about blue people. That was fun, thanks

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  8. I love this nice practical post! These are a few of the many reasons your home is always so inviting! Love, Paula

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  9. I like having the tea lights lit too and wouldn't mind have one of those faux fur throws to curl up with right now! Thanks for stopping by. Hope you're having a good weekend.

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  10. Oh Kathysue I adore seeing all of your cleaning ideas and the items that smell yummy. I'm going to try as many of them as I can. You always have the best advice. Love them all!

    Alex LOVES his Sirius sattelite radio in his car. He's a huge fan of it.

    Thank you telling us about the towels. I am really enjoying the nice quality of them. We both feel so pampered.

    Have a blesssed week. ~Melissa :)

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  11. I'll be on the lookout for that lavender room spray and the Mr Clean with lavendar. I'm embarassed to say that I actually love the smell of Pine Sol and I keep it in a squirt bottle mixed with water and spray it on my counters. Maybe it's time to switch it up!
    Hugs~
    T

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I would love to hear from you, Kathysue