Last Updated on January 5, 2024 by Vannessa Rhoades, Three Bears Home Staging
Looking for an easy, inexpensive way to make your house smell great? Bring in the warm, comforting aromas of fall by simmering a stovetop potpourri of a few household ingredients you may already have on hand! Autumn-inspired simmering potpourri recipes are an easy and inexpensive way to make your house smell seasonally fresh using common household ingredients without the use of harmful chemicals!
Because they’re so subtle, they’re especially useful for anyone planning to put their home on the market soon — research shows that potential buyers can find overly complex fragrances too distracting. These autumn simmer pot recipes are light, clean, and natural, a great way to make your house smell welcoming to anyone who visits this fall!
How to Make a Simmer Pot or Stovetop Potpourri for Fall
- Cut up all your ingredients and add to a small saucepan or pot.
- Add water until ingredients float.
- Bring to a gentle boil, then immediately turn the heat down to a low simmer and enjoy!
- Add more water as needed, typically about every 30 minutes (otherwise, you’ll end up with the smell of scorched food wafting through the house–YUCK).
Simmer Pot Recipes for Fall
Try these aromatic combinations for autumn simmer scents (measurements don’t have to be exact so adjust according to your preference):
Orange + Vanilla
Combine orange peel and a teaspoon of vanilla (we like Watkins Original Gourmet Baking Vanilla Extract).
Watkins Original Gourmet Baking Vanilla Extract
Apple + Orange Spice
Combine apple peel, a few whole cloves, two cinnamon sticks, and orange peel.
McCormick Cinnamon Sticks, 8 oz
Orange Spice
Combine orange peel, three cinnamon sticks, and a few whole cloves (these organic cloves smell amazing).
CeylonFlavors Organic Hand Picked Whole Cloves, 3.5oz.
Williams Sonoma Scent
Combine a sprig of fresh rosemary, a teaspoon of vanilla, lemon rind (also known as the famous “Williams Sonoma scent” and one of my favorite autumn simmer scents)
Related: 5 Easy Holiday Simmer Pot Recipes That Will Smell Amazing
Related: 7 Easy Summer Simmer Pot Recipes That Will Smell Amazing
A Word of Warning…
It should probably go without saying, but being the conscientious home stager that I am, I’m going to say it anyway: don’t leave anything burning on the stove unattended. That includes your autumn simmer pot mixture. Another perhaps safer alternative is to let the entire mixture of your fall ingredients warm in a miniature slow cooker, uncovered on the “Low” setting. We like this one:
Crock-Pot 16-Ounce Little Dipper, Chrome
Save your autumn simmer pot mixture in a glass jar in the fridge when you’re done (can last several days). Just reheat the next day to re-scent your home.
Selling a Home Soon This Fall? Three Bears Home Staging Can Help
If you’re selling your home this fall and need more tips on how to freshen up your home, Three Bears Home Staging can help! Take a look below at how we’re helping homeowners:
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Vannessa Rhoades
Vannessa Rhoades is the author of Just Right! Easy DIY Home Staging and the founder of the award-winning firm, Three Bears Home Staging®. She specializes in providing positive, empowering virtual consultations that help homeowners and real estate agents all across the country sell more quickly and for more money.
