The weather is getting warmer, finally. I am so thankful to put my long-sleeved shirts in the back part of the closet and bring up the short-sleeved and sleeveless shirts. It seems like forever since I've seen the sun. Living on the coast of Washington, that is the price you pay for all the green you see year-round. I am surrounded by tall Evergreen trees and it is beautiful but once in awhile, I hope to feel the sun shining through all these trees on my pale skin adding just a hint of color.
Today I do see a peek of the sun so I am taking no chances and arranging my closet in honor of its arrival. I am working diligently in case the clouds burn off by noon and I can take my book out on the porch to read and enjoy those warming rays. I am working quickly with that goal in mind when I notice something I at first try to ignore.
There is no ignoring this, however. It is a smell. It is THE CLOSET SMELL! I have smelled this smell at my grandparent's house when I was younger. It isn't a smell you forget. It isn't necessarily a horrid smell, like a dead hamster or anything, but it is a smell that would remind you of your grandparent's attic for instance. I don't want my clothes to smell like my grandparent's attic. I want my clothes to smell wonderful! I want them to smell like they just came off the rack at some expensive clothing store (even if they didn't). I just want them to smell fresh!
After some research, I read that shoes in a closet are the biggest reason for your clothes developing this smell. I have shoes in there I haven't worn in 10 years! I removed them all, threw out half, well, okay, maybe a third, and vacuumed the closet floor. My next step was incredibly brilliant if I do say so myself.
I had a bunch of those organza favor bags (you can get them at Amazon for around $3.00 for 100) and using about 8 of them, I placed 6 cotton balls in each one, added my favorite essential oil, (I used ZAQ Sweet Orange, it's just my personal favorite), and drizzled a bit of the oil onto the cotton balls. I then just tightened up the strings and hung it over several of the hangers. It did the trick and my closet smelled great!
I should also mention, I didn't get rid of enough shoes so I took a fabric softener and placed it in each shoe that I was storing. I think it's working! No more grandparent's attic smell in my closet and clothes!
Now, if tomorrow is going to be nice, I am going to try to get that book read!
Kris Bitar
