Wow, there are a LOT of buzzwords in that title. Homemade — done with your own two hands and a lot of TLC. Aromatherapy — naturally good for you. Potpourri — that catchall category in Jeopardy!
Potpourri (in the home décor sense, at least) is a mix of dried flowers and foliage that is scented and displayed in a bowl or basket. Sure, it is very easy to find and buy at the store. But you can have the fun and creativity of making your own, and get the added benefits of real essential oils. A lot of store bought potpourris may not be scented with essential oils but with synthetic fragrance oils that have none of the health benefits of the real thing.
Start with the flowers. Maybe you got an arrangement for a special occasion and you want to save the flowers. Maybe you want to use buds from your own garden. Either way, the first step is drying the flowers. Take a bunch of flowers, tie them together, and hang them upside down. I personally like to use dental floss — it’s cheap and easy to work with. Try not to hang them in direct sunlight, or you’ll lose some of the color. Once the stems are very brittle, your flowers are dry enough. Snip off the blooms, or pull out the petals and put them into your potpourri bowl. You can dry leaves the same way.
Once you have your potpourri mix, add the essential oils. What scent to use? That’s up to you! A citrus scent like lemon or orange will give your house a fresh, clean feeling. Citrus is an uplifting scent. Have a stressful job? You may want to use relaxing scents like chamomile and lavender in your potpourri. Want to create a homey atmosphere? Try cinnamon or vanilla (or both).
You want to add at least eight drops of essential oil for each cup of plant material you have in your potpourri. Two cups of dried flowers means sixteen drops of essential oils. Once you’ve added the oils to the potpourri, place it into a plastic sealable baggie or a jar with a lid and let it soak in for a few days. Place it in a bowl; the scent will last for a few weeks before you need to replenish it.
Sure, making your own potpourri takes more effort and time than going to the store. But you’ve got the reward of being creative and making something special… AND you get the mental and physical benefits of filling your home with essential oils. You may want to make up a batch of harmonizing lavender and energizing grapefruit potpourri for the workplace, too.