We think one of the easiest ways to help transition your home from season to season is through the power of smell! Scents can heavily influence our emotions, so if you’re feeling those post-holiday blues, why not try filling your home with a lovely scent with an easy DIY simmer pot? The easy to make, yummy smelling, and all-natural stove top potpourris smell amazing, and they’re so easy to make and store! Keep reading to learn how to make two different kinds- fresh and dried- in order to fill your home with a scent that is sure to keep you warm until Spring!
Using Fresh Ingredients
Maybe you just want to throw together a quick simmer pot of fresh ingredients, or you don’t have the time to dry anything out. Either way, we’ve got you covered with this yummy citrus and spice simmer pot. (Recipe courtesy of The Southern Lady Cooks.)**
What You’ll Need:
- A large pot or crockpot
- 3-4 Cinnamon Sticks
- 1 to 3 tablespoons of whole coles
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 to 3 oranges (whole, slices, or just the peel)
- 1 to 3 apples (slices or just the peel)
- 4 to 5 cups of water
Directions:
Simply add in all of your fruit and spices to a large pot along with water. Bring the concoction to a boil then reduce to a simmer. If you notice the water begins to get low, simply add more to keep the smell going all day long. Or, if you don’t want to leave the stove burning all day, you can also use a crockpot! Add all the ingredients like above and turn on the crockpot, remembering to leave the top off.
Also, feel free to get creative with this! Experiment with adding in other herbs, fruits, or spices to make the perfect scent for your home.
Using Dried Ingredients
If you’re looking for something you can store and break out whenever you want instead of worrying if you have all the ingredients, then try making a dried simmering mix! These are a little more labor intensive if you choose to use fruit, but they are well worth the effort when it comes to having them ready at a moment’s notice!
What You’ll Need:
- 5-6 dried fruits
- 1 bundle of herbs of your choice
- 1 jar of all-spice
- 1 jar of whole cloves
- 1 jar of whole cinnamon sticks
- 5-6 airtight containers to store your mix
Directions:
To make this dried mix, you’ll want to start by drying out your fruit completely. You can do this with a dehydrator, or using your stove (you can check out this how-to on drying fruit here.) It’s important that your fruit is 100% completely dried, otherwise your mix will mold. If you don’t feel comfortable making your own, you can also purchase pre-dried fruit as well.
Once your fruit is dried, evenly divide your fruit and spice among your jars for storage, and store them in a dry space, and you’re done. It’s that easy! We suggest going ahead and making a pot from one jar to ensure you like the final result, and this will allow you to make any changes you feel fit. Again, feel free to get creative with this by adding or omitting certain spices, dried fruits, or dried herbs.
To actually make your simmer pot from this mix, simply add it to a pot or crockpot with a few cups of water, and simmer away! (Recipe courtesy of Boxwood Avenue)**
Final Thoughts
DIY Simmer pots are such an easy way to fill your home with an all-natural, easily customizable fragrance, perfect for any occasion. Plus, the dried mix makes great gifts! Will you be making either of these to fill your home? If you do, you certainly won’t regret it! You also won’t regret contacting us here at Fairway of the Carolinas for your mortgage needs. Whether you’re looking to refinance, buy your first home, or looking for something new, we’re always here to help!