Some days your house isn’t *dirty*… it just smells like real life.
Dinner lingered. Gym shoes happened. The dogs came in from outside (after rolling around in the horse yard). Or maybe the air just feels a little stale. When you want a fresher-feeling home but do not have time for a deep clean, a quick “air reset” is the simplest win.
This routine is light, fast, and surprisingly effective. It pairs movement (fresh air, fans, and airflow patterns) with essential oils (used the right way) so odors do not just get covered up—they get nudged out.
Think of it as: Start small and grow. Ten minutes. Big payoff.
Why an “air reset” works (and why it feels so good)
A lot of home odors stick around because the air is not moving. When air is stagnant, smells settle into soft surfaces and linger in pockets—near the trash can, by the litter box, in the entryway, and especially around kitchens.
A 10-minute reset works because it does two things at once:
- It replaces stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air.
- It helps shift “odor molecules” out of the space by creating a pathway for them to leave.
-I like to call it “burping the house”.
Then, essential oils can add a clean, fresh finishing layer—without reaching for heavy synthetic fragrance.
The quick 10-minute “Air Reset” routine (simple + repeatable)
Minute 0–1: Pick your “exit” and your “entry”
Open two windows or doors on opposite sides of your home if you can.
- One is your entry (fresh air comes in).
- One is your exit (stale air goes out).
If you live in an apartment or only have one window that opens, that is still okay. We will work with what you have.
Real life wellness tip: If outdoor air quality is poor (smoke, dust, high pollen, bad pollution day), keep windows closed and skip to the fan + filter version below.
Minute 1–3: Turn on movement (fans + kitchen/bath vents)
Now add a little “push.”
- Turn on your range hood for 5–10 minutes (especially after cooking).
- Turn on a bathroom fan if any humidity or musty smell is hanging around.
- If you have a standing fan, point it toward your “exit” window to help pull odors out.
This is the moment where your house starts to feel different fast—because the air is actually changing.
Minute 3–8: Add essential oils the smart way (diffuse lightly)
Once the air is moving, you can diffuse essential oils as a finishing touch.
A few guidelines to keep it low-tox and pleasant:
- Use a small amount. More does not mean fresher.
- Diffuse in a well-ventilated area and give the air a path to circulate.
- Aim for 10–20 minutes total diffusion time, not all day.
If you have a diffuser, start with 3–5 drops. If your space is small, try 2–3 drops.
Fresh “Air Reset” blend ideas
Pick one based on what your house smells like today:
1) Cooking reset (especially garlic or fried foods)
- Lemon + rosemary
Clean and bright, with a “kitchen just opened the windows” vibe.
2) Pet + entryway reset
- Lavender + cedarwood
Soft, calm, and grounding without being sweet.
3) Musty / stale air reset (basement, laundry area, guest room)
- Eucalyptus + lemon
Crisp and airy. Feels like a deep breath.
4) “Company is coming” reset
- Orange + frankincense
Warm, fresh, and welcoming. Not sharp.
5) Bedroom wind-down reset
- Lavender + copaiba (or lavender alone)
Light and soothing, especially after a long day.
If you prefer single oils, you cannot go wrong with lemon, lavender, eucalyptus, or orange—they are simple, familiar, and easy to live with.
Minute 8–10: Do a quick “odor hotspot sweep” (no deep cleaning)
This is the part that makes the reset *stick*.
You are not cleaning the whole house. You are just removing the source of the strongest smell so it stops re-contaminating the air you just refreshed.
Choose one or two:
- Take out the kitchen trash (even if it is not full).
- Toss old food scraps and do a quick rinse of the sink drain catcher.
- Drop laundry into a basket and start a load later (no folding today).
- Put pet bedding by the washer or shake it outside.
- Wipe one sticky spot on the counter with an unscented, simple cleaner.
That’s it. Tiny actions. Big difference.
No open windows? Try this “closed-house” air reset instead
Sometimes weather, pollen, or smoke makes open windows a no-go. You can still reset the air.
Here’s the quick version:
1. Turn on your HVAC fan setting (if you have it) for 10–15 minutes.
2. Run a HEPA air purifier in the main area if you have one.
3. Diffuse 2–3 drops of a fresh oil blend for 10 minutes.
4. Do the quick odor hotspot sweep (trash + sink is usually enough).
This version is gentle and still gives you that “fresh start” feeling.
How to stop odors from coming back (simple swaps that help)
If you feel like you are constantly chasing smells, a couple simple swaps can make your air resets more effective:
- Switch to unscented laundry detergent (synthetic fragrance can cling to fabrics and create that “mixed smells” feeling).
- Use a lidded trash can and empty wet food waste more often.
- Let towels dry fully (hang them up spread out, not wadded).
- Keep a small bowl of baking soda in the fridge or near a problem area.
- Vent while you cook (range hood on early, not after the smell is already in the house).
Start small and grow. You do not need to overhaul everything in a weekend.
A quick safety note (because it matters)
Essential oils are powerful. A few basics:
- Diffuse for short periods, especially around kids or pets.
- Keep oils out of reach and never put them directly on pet fur.
- If someone in your home is sensitive to scents, go lighter—less is better.
Fresh should feel good, not overwhelming.
Your 10-minute reset plan (save this)
If you want the simplest version to remember, here it is:
1. Open two windows/doors (or one, if that’s what you have).
2. Turn on fans/vents to create a pathway out.
3. Diffuse 3–5 drops of a fresh blend for a light finish.
4. Remove one odor source (trash, sink, laundry, pet bedding).
Done.
Real life wellness in ten minutes.
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Want weekly low-tox tips that actually fit real life?
If you love simple swaps and quick routines like this, I send weekly low-tox tips that help you make steady progress without getting overwhelmed.
That is a question that I see or hear frequently. Are you staying hydrated? Without thinking about it, it's easy to just assume we're fine. We drink something all day long - coffee, pop/soda, gatorade, milk, water, etc, etc, etc. But is that actually enough and are your beverages actually hydrating you? Maybe, maybe not.
Hydration is something we are focusing on this week in my Awaken To Possibilities group on Facebook and we are currently doing a 7-day hydration challenge. I'd love for you to join us!
Your body is roughly 60 percent water––which is why it's so vital to your health and survival. Water, not soda or coffee. Water keeps your blood flowing, joints moving, and brain working. It also plays a big role in many things your body does, like carrying nutrients to cells, getting rid of waste, protecting your joints and organs, and maintaining your body temperature. I always know I need to up my water intake and maybe add some electrolytes when my joints start aching.
And that's not even the half of it!
🔸 Skin health: Staying hydrated can help you keep that youthful glow and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
🔸 Brain function and energy levels: Even mild dehydration—as little as 2 percent fluid loss—can affect your memory, mood, concentration, and reaction time.
🔸 Digestive health: Your body needs water to digest food properly and keep things moving. Without enough water, you may experience constipation, gas, bloating, heartburn, or other unpleasantness.
🔸 Weight management: Drinking water can help reduce snack cravings and feelings of hunger. It can also support your metabolism and help you lose weight.
🔸 Detoxification: Getting enough water helps flush toxins out of the body, which supports healthier-looking skin, among many other benefits.
🔸 Immune function: Staying well-hydrated helps your immune system in many ways. For starters, proper hydration is needed for your immune cells to travel to where they’re needed.
Did you know:
- Lack of water is the number one trigger of daytime fatigue.
- Your body loses as much water when you are asleep as when you are awake.
- Your body needs as much water in cold weather as it does in warm weather.
- A mere 2 percent drop in body water can trigger brain fog and short- term memory impedance
Do you struggle with drinking water?
Does water bore you?
It doesn't have to taste boring!
If you’re like me, you like flavor. That's why I love finding and sharing ways to make water more enticing! Here are a few:🌺
🫧 Carbonate: Liven up your hydration routine with sparkling mineral water. Even better—add a squeeze of juice from a favorite fruit or Vitality™ essential oil.
🍊 Infuse with fruit: Pop some fresh fruit into a cool glass of water. Berries and sliced citrus pair perfectly with H20.
❄️ Freeze: Freeze berries with water in an ice cube tray. These flavorful cubes brighten up plain water.
🌱 Spice it up with herbs: Level up the flavor by adding fresh herbs to your water. Mint leaves, ginger, lavender, and lemongrass are all excellent choices. I love using Vitality™ oils like Lemon and Peppermint because they last so long and provide great flavor!
☕️ Make tea: Transform your water with herbal tea. From hibiscus to mint, herbs can enhance taste while adding more health benefits. I love Vitality™ teas.
Tips: Add a pinch of unrefined sea salt or Himalayan salt for electrolytes to improve hydration. It also helps to keep water with you! I love a fun water bottle I can carry easily. Any time I'm going somewhere, I always have a water bottle along, and I've taught my kids to do the same (so I recommend finding strong stainless-steel bottles that are easy to clean and wash frequently). Keep water handy always!
So how about you? What is your favorite healthy way to liven up water and stay hydrated? I'd love to hear from you!
Some days it feels like Autumn, other days the summer heat returns. Here in South Dakota, and at this time of year, I like to dress in layers in preparation for temperature swings and the wind that is almost always a factor. I do enjoy these slightly cooler temperature shifts after a hot, dry summer.
Besides weather shifts, people also seem to dig out the fall scented candles and we see signs for pumpkin spice at all the coffee house’s. While I love the scents of fall, we ditched candles a long time ago. I didn’t want to risk forgetting to extinguish them when not around and they actually lower our air quality. They're loaded with artificial fragrance and volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) that can cause eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches, as well as cause breathing issues and nausea. They can even damage the central nervous system and other organs. Yikes! (Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5093181/ )
So what did we use to replace ALL those? A diffuser, high-quality essential oils, and a spray bottle!
Diffusing vaporizes essential oils and gets them into the air so that we can breathe them in. We use cool mist ultrasonic diffusers so that the oils are protected from heat and retain their incredible properties!
Diffusing also purifies the air, makes your home smell good without harsh chemicals, and helps get those awesome oils into your lungs and to your brains. (yes, that's a good thing) Simply add your essential oil drops to your diffuser, add water to the fill line, and start diffusing. It’s so easy and I can change up the scent throughout the day. In rooms where I don’t have a diffuser I will mix up a room spritzer and just lightly mist the air… this is mostly done in the laundry room where our 2 Golden Retrievers hang out.
Here are some of my favorite fall diffuser blends.
Mulled Cider
3 drops Ginger
4 drops Orange
2 drops Cinnamon Bark
2 drops Clove
Snickerdoodle
3 drops Stress Away ®
2 drops Thieves ®
Falling For You
4 drops Orange
3 drops Ginger
3 drops Patchouli
Fall Frost
3 drops Cinnamon Bark
3 drops Northern Lights Black Spruce
3 drops Orange
One other super easy option is the Young Living Simplified Fall Collection by Jacob & Kait. This collection includes 3 blends with all the cozy fall feels with warm scents of Cozy Cabin (woodsy), Gingersnaps (spicy & sweet) and Orange Spiced Cider (rich citrus & cinnamon)
Whether you want to mix up your own, or you like the easy button, I hope this has helped you!
Not all essential oils are created equal. We only use Young Living essential oils. I love their Seed to Seal promise and I have visited their farm in Mona, Utah. I have tried other oils in the past and they did not even come close to the Young Living standard. Are you ready to ditch the candles and shift to pure essential oils? Get started today!
It’s our first week of Spring!
We’re gaining daylight, my horses are starting to shed their winter coats and so are the dogs. Some days are warm, others, not so much. Here in South Dakota, morning can feel like a beautiful Spring day and we can get a full blizzard by 4pm. But still, birds are chirping and on some days it does mostly feel like Spring!
I have a few tips for you for thriving through pollen season….if it isn’t 100% here yet, it will be soon! One of my favorite parts of Spring is when the Lilacs bloom, how about you?
Spring Pollen Roller for adults
10 drops each of Lemon, Lavender & Peppermint
Spring Pollen Roller for kids
7 drops each of Lemon & Lavender, 3 drops Peppermint
You can also add Copaiba to these rollers to make them even better!
Add these oils to a 10ml roller bottle and top with your favorite carrier oil. I love Young Living’s V-6 oil. Roll behind ears and down the side of your neck or on the spine and also on your feet. If you are going to be in the sun, be sure to roll these oils out of sight of the sun as Lemon can cause skin sensitivity in the sun.
Spring Diffuser Blends!
Add any combination of Lemon, Lavender, Peppermint & R.C., Eucalyptus and Thieves
Do you need a new super cute diffuser? Try this one! I've included the shopping link and BONUS, it’s on sale with the oils of Lime, Peace & Calming, Peppermint, Stress Away and Lemon Myrtle until March 23 at 11:59pm MT.
Spring Capsules
3 drops each of Lavender, Lemon, Peppermint and Copaiba vitality oils in an empty veggie capsules and top it with olive oil.
If you don’t have the empty veggie capsules, grab some local honey (super important that it is local) and add a drop of Lemon, Lavender & Peppermint Vitality in a spoonful of honey.
Other tips...
Support your digestive system with Life 9 probiotics or MightyPro for kids.
You can also use digestive enzymes as well, try Allerzyme! Supporting your digestive system is super important!
Quick note... not all essential oils are created equal. We only use the best and most pure. Not sure where to start? I would love for you to join my AWAKEN'd tribe and when you do I will send you a gift, plus guide you along the way.
Thank you for checking in today! I appreciate you.
Traci
