The Simple Things

Taking time to live well
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Taking Time to Live Well

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Photograph by Louise Gorrod

Make | Homemade Reed Diffuser

David Parker February 21, 2026

A low-maintenance way to fill a room with subtle scents, this can be topped up as needed, so no need to keep buying new.

You will need:

Small funnel

Bottle or vessel with a narrow opening

30 essential oil drops – we used eucalyptus (10), rosemary (10) and lavender (10)

100ml sweet almond oil – we got ours from thesoapery.co.uk

1 tsp vodka

5 reed diffuser sticks

1 Using the funnel, pour the essential oils, the sweet almond oil and the alcohol into your bottle. Swirl gently to combine them thoroughly.

2 Insert the reed sticks, flipping them after 10 minutes to disperse the scent.

3 Flip the reeds weekly for a scent refresh. The reeds should last for up to three months.

Maker’s note: This combination of oils is known to help with exhaustion, so use it somewhere where you like to relax. You can use any vessel with a narrow neck – if you don’t already have something, charity shops can offer an inexpensive vintage find.

This weekend project is just one of the ideas for homemade scent makes from our February issue - you can also find out how to make incense sticks and wax melts. The projects, photography and styling are by Louise Gorrod.

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InMaking Tagsissue 146, weekend project, scent
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  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well  Wear our  Slapda
Aug 29, 2025
Aug 29, 2025

Buy, download or subscribe

See the sample of our latest issue here

Order our new Celebrations Anthology

Order a copy of Flourish 4, our new wellbeing bookazine 

Listen to our podcast – Small Ways to Live Well

Wear our Slapdash Patches and show your support for ‘good enough’

Aug 29, 2025
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The Simple Things is published by Iceberg Press

The Simple Things

Taking time to live well

We celebrate slowing down, enjoying what you have, making the most of where you live, enjoying the company of of friends and family, and feeding them well. We like to grow some of our own vegetables, visit local markets, rummage for vintage finds, and decorate our home with the plunder. We love being outdoors and enjoy the satisfaction that comes with a job well done.

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