Make Your House Feel Like You’ve Spring Cleaned (Even If You Haven’t)

Welcome to What’s That Smell?, a monthly roundup of the newest and the best in home scent solutions, from a dedicated home scent enthusiast to you.

Spring cleaning—are we doing it? I’m using "we" because I’m thinking that if I consider us a pair, and you’re doing spring cleaning, I might be more inclined. (It’s sort of a parasocial relationship I’m asserting between us, or … actually, maybe it’s an example of the bandwagon effect, or influencer culture.) Anyway, are we doing it? I certainly hope we are, because my home could use a good spring clean. Been piling up mail and boxes and clothes and other detritus since December. It’s a mess in here. To both aid in our efforts and reward us for them in advance (I’m sure we’ll get to it), here is a generous grouping of fresh-scented items that will, if nothing else, make it seem like you keep an immaculate home.

It’s bright and energizing!

God, I love the smell (and taste) of yuzu. Like if a lemon were born a bit more interesting and charismatic, no offense to lemons, which I also love (please don’t be mad). And I love the brand Carrière Frères. The French candlemakers focus the scent of each of their home goods on a single botanical element, rounded out by scents that enhance it rather than distract from it, like how you’re supposed to add instant coffee to chocolate cake to, somehow, make it taste more like chocolate. Their yuzu diffuser is a bit green, a bit flowery, and entirely yuzu. It’ll make your space a bit brighter and more energized, no matter how dark and sleepy it may actually be.

It’s a multi-surface cleaner—but luxurious!

Have you ever been cleaning your kitchen counters and thought, "I wish this process were more expensive"? Well, Diptyque has you covered. Just kidding (sort of). Obviously it’s a bit um, unique to spend $45 on a multi-surface cleaner, but we have to follow our bliss. And if our bliss leads us to beautifully scented (lavender, cedar, fig), but not overly perfumed, cleaning supplies from one of our favorite luxury candle brands? Well … it could lead us to much worse!

It’s a candle, and a plant!

Rosemary and cucumber is the perfect "clean kitchen" scent. And with this Modern Sprout candle, after you’ve finished burning through the wax, the ceramic vessel turns into a planter you can place on your window sill to plant the (included) rosemary seeds, and grow herbs of your own.

It’s bubbles, but smells like cut grass!

I love these bubbles because I like to imagine an exceedingly wealthy child showing up to a birthday party with them. "Um, fellow child, why don’t your bubbles smell of cut grass? May I check the Maison Francis Kurkdjian bottle … is it possible they have expired?" They’re nice for an adult, too — backyard barbecue, having a spritz, blowing your cut grass-scented bubbles into the breeze. That’s living, my friend.

It’s tea, but a candle!

When it comes to scented candles, it just does not get better than Trudon. (That’s a fact—not an opinion.) Their new collection is a collaboration with renowned tea master Maître Tseng, and each option in it is delicious. My favorite, though, is this jasmine and bergamot candle. Grounded with a base note of guaiac wood, this will transport you away from your dirty little apartment and to … well, somewhere that smells much better. Burn for company, if you want to impress, or just for yourself (and your inner peace).

It’s just eucalyptus!

I know you’ve always wanted to do the thing where you tie eucalyptus to your shower head to make your bathroom look elegant and smell spa-like. Consider this a sign that now is the time.

It’s a zesty candlestick holder!

Here’s a candlestick holder perfect for the warmer months that will make guests think, "Wow, is [your name] a little funkier and perhaps a bit cooler than we previously thought?" And yes, this is also my apology to lemons for what I said earlier.

It’s tuberose, of course!

I love this candle. I love how it says POET. I love that it comes with a little pink hat. And I love its scent: mainly tuberose, with a little jasmine and gardenia. Burn it with the windows open as the sun rises and begins to warm your space, and think to yourself, "wow … maybe I am a poet."

It’s cherry blossom season!

You don’t need a cherry blossom tracker to enjoy this incense. You just need, well … this incense. Founded 75 years ago, this Tokyo-based incense brand is beloved for a reason, and that reason is that they make extremely good incense; incense that I am pretty certain you will love. If you’re not an incense person—well, why not? Live a little. Open your mind. Burn a stick and enjoy it, for once!

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Make Your House Smell Like Spring Is Coming Soon