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My home needs a New Year Fresh Start
I am such a fan of Advent and Christmas. I adore all the Christmassy cinnamon smells, velvety darkness with twinkly lights, rich red poinsettias…
But, there’s a season for everything. Now that January is here I’m feeling the need for bright, white, clean and fresh.
I’m adopting a lemon theme for the start of the new year. Something tangy and a little tart after all that sweet chocolate and those heavy puddings.
A new and natural cleaner
This week is a serious cleaning week for me. I want to start the new year with clean floors and no random piles of important papers. This lemon-scented vinegar looks (and smells) wonderful. It’s a natural recipe and Jillee’s post also gives details of the best ways to use the cleaner. I really like her tip of running a cup of this through the washing machine. See the whole post at onegoodthingbyjillee.com.
Fresh start fresh scent
Scent is such an easy but effective mood-lifter. These candles reset the whole atmosphere of the home. And when the dust and the dirt has gone, this is the scent I want to flow through the house:
New Year must mean time for a new Yankee Candle. They might even be on sale.
But if not, this is the business:
Luscious Lemon Vanilla by the Swan Creek Candle Company. Less dollars but just as classy.
New Year New Soap
For me, this new year fresh start needs to involve more creativity. But nothing too complex!
This Homemade Lemon Soap from apumpkinandaprincess.com uses only three ingredients: goats milk soap base, lemon essential oils, and… lemons. As Crystal says in her post, this makes a lovely natural gift. I had no idea making soap could be so simple – but with such a satisfying end product.
New Year Fresh Sorbet
So for all things lemon, I’ll finish with a lemon sorbet recipe which has caught my eye and has my mouth watering.
This recipe doesn’t use an ice cream maker. I love how Linda has presented the sorbet in the lemons – cute dinner party idea! Her post over on itallstartedwithpaint.com has great instructions.
So a new year fresh start for January 🙂 Time to crack on with my cleaning.
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Madeline (This Glorious Life) says
December 31, 2016 at 1:42 pmI love all the cosy scents of Christmas. We’ve had a lovely gingerbread scented reed diffuser in our lounge for the last 2 months and I’ve loved it! But I am looking forward to finding something clean and fresh to fill the house with once all the decorations are down, and maybe lemon is the way to go! x #TheList
Elizabeth says
January 7, 2017 at 9:36 pmAh yes, gingerbread is such a lovely Christmassy smell… 🙂
Pamela Hodges says
December 31, 2016 at 7:43 pmLove everything themed around lemons! It’s such a clean feeling scent.
Elizabeth says
January 7, 2017 at 9:37 pmYes! It FEELS clean, and that helps so much.
Vicki @ Babies to Bookworms says
January 1, 2017 at 3:41 pmI love this! I’m a huge fan of lemon scented things and using it to brighten and freshen up the new year sounds like a great idea!!
Elizabeth says
January 7, 2017 at 9:37 pm🙂 thank you! Yes, it’s helping to keep new year fresh.
Mindy Harris White says
January 5, 2017 at 4:16 amThis is such a great idea! I love your lemon theme. You have inspired me, there are so many things I want to try. We sometimes make our own soap, so that will definitely be on my list to try. I can almost smell the lemon scent 😉 Visiting from Women With Intention.
Elizabeth says
January 7, 2017 at 9:38 pm🙂 I was pleasantly surprised about the soap – it is much for accessible than I would have imagined.
Emma T says
January 6, 2017 at 5:50 pmI love lemon scented things, they smell so fresh. I shall be looking up that sorbet though. Delicious #thelist
Elizabeth says
January 7, 2017 at 9:39 pmI know…I could eat so much of that sorbet… 🙂
Jacinta says
January 27, 2017 at 3:13 pmAhh love this! So many inspiring ideas. 🙂 Love Yankee candles too!