Can Essential Oils Help Sell A Home? Looking for Realtors in Minneapolis.

Think back to your childhood.  Are there certain smells that make you think of home, Christmas, or your family?  The sense of smell is one of the strongest senses in our bodies.   For me it is the smell of onions and celery being sauteed in butter that makes me think of my Mother's home made stuffing.  Bacon frying in the morning, brings me back to our lake home and my Dad making breakfast.  Chocolate chip cookies after school?  The smell of a fire outside.  So many smells bring immediate comfort and great memories.

These memories are not just your imagination.  There is actual science behind this.  I find it fascinating!

Here is a great article:  http://www.fifthsense.org.uk/what_is_smell/psychology/

If you follow me at all you know we are on a mission to eliminate as many chemicals as we can from our homes.  I will be writing another post about detoxing your home another time.  There are so many chemicals in your home!

I know a lot of people that are currently selling their homes.  I have seen many in the neighborhood that have been on the market for a very long time.   You hear about people cooking fresh cookies during an open house.  Of course many people have the plug in air fresheners, burn candles and spray air fresheners that they use before an open house.  Read more about that here:  http://wholehealth4all.blogspot.com/2014/10/diffusing-vs-air-fresheners.html


Here is a report on the potential dangers of some candles as well.  http://www.abc15.com/news/national/can-burning-candles-make-you-sick-university-studies-scrutinize-possible-release-of-toxic-fumes

I don't mean to overwhelm you with facts, science and details.

So I started thinking.

Could a diffuser and essential oils help sell a home?

I reached out to a couple of realtors that I know and they said, you shouldn't have any scents during an open house.  I find that interesting based on what I hear about people with cookies and air

fresheners etc.   For example lets say you diffuse an oil like Christmas Spirit that is orange, cinnamon and spruce.  The scent is absolutely heavenly!  It brings back memories of Christmas a warm home and a fire in the fire place.  It is also great for lifting your mood and removing potential decision making blocks which is good for the seller and the buyer!

Another blend would be Citrus Fresh.  This is a blend of uplifting, bright Orange, Tangerine, Grapefruit, Lemon, Mandarin, and Spearmint oils.  For me it brings thoughts of a summer day.

Purification would be another choice. a blend of Citronella, Lemongrass, Lavandin, Rosemary, Tea Tree, and Myrtle essential oils.  This would be my choice for anyone home that might have pets.  It is fresh and eliminates any potential odors.

Of course this is all without any chemicals.  You can control the strength of the scents by limiting the amount of oils you put in the diffuser!

Here is a great abstract on the concept of ambient fragrance.  http://psp.sagepub.com/content/23/5/498.abstract

Don't believe me?  Here is another great article.   http://psp.sagepub.com/content/23/5/498.abstract

So here is what I am looking for.  I am a show me kind of person.  This has been our journey with essential oils since we got started.  We started with what I like to call skeptical optimism.   Read more about that here:  http://wholehealth4all.blogspot.com/2014/08/skeptically-optimistic-why-i-chose.html

I am looking for a couple of local realtors (Minneapolis, MN area) that have a house on the market that would like to borrow a diffuser and some oils.  It certainly can't hurt and I can guarantee that it starts some great conversations.  All I ask for in return is if you have someone with questions on the oils or diffusers, you give them my business card.  Fair is fair right?

I would love to see if it actually works!

Interested in trying?  PM me or comment on this post.

Fishing Memories & Silence

I know what you are asking, what does fishing have to do with becoming whole?  To me becoming whole is about learning exactly what it is in your life that makes you complete.  What holes do you have in your soul that need to be filled. 

My parents bought a lake home when I was 2.  They loved it there.  To say I grew up there is an understatement.  We were there every single weekend from late spring until late fall.  That place was as much my home, as much a part of me as anywhere else.  Maybe even more so.  The time that we spent there as a family was precious.  I was with my Mother and Dad and they were 'present' with me at all times.

We did not have a television up there when I was younger.  Actually when we put one in, I hated it.  But that is another story.  We played cards, we went for walks, and of course WE WENT FISHING.  We fished off the dock, in a fishing boat (going backwards round and round Little Island) we took the pontoon to Aitkin lake to catch sunnies.

When I was younger, I certainly didn't understand the joy of silence.  I remember Crappie fishing.  Apparently the Crappie's are easily spooked.  We would row or paddle in silently and drop your line next to a lily pad.   Invariably I would clunk the side of the boat, stomp my feet, or speak too loudly.  He never got angry with me.  We would just move to the other side of the pads. It took many years but I believe this process taught me so much.  This is something I cannot repay.

I remember the first big fish I caught as a kid.  Let's face it, fishing was BORING.  We sat on the end of the small boat dock.  This was the old wooden dock with the big heavy steel posts.  I had a small cane pole.  He would show me how to throw the line out into the water and watch my bobber.   There was no excitement in watching.  I wanted to "cast" the line out.  Of course there was no casting with a cane pole, but what did I know.

I kept pulling the line in and putting the line out again.  Then it happened.  I pulled the line in and a HUGE (remember I was probably 3 or 4) Northern Pike jumped out of the water and chased the line.  I was terrified.  My eyes were huge and we quickly put the pole back in the water.  Sure enough we hooked the big Northern and Daddy helped me haul it in.  I learned a little bit of the value of patience that day and the love of an amazing Daddy.  I didn't realize it at the time, but clearly that memory has stayed with me for many years.  He was very proud and so was I.

As I grew older and was working, I would stay over Sunday night and drive home very early for work on Monday mornings.  Sunday nights were amazing.  The lake was quiet, no boats or jet skis zipping by.  Dad and I would get the boat ready and head out.  It was quiet.  Sometimes we fished in a content and comfortable silence.  So many sounds and memories of the sounds.  Loons, geese, ducks, the breeze in the trees. Those sounds take me immediately back to those times.  If you have ever experienced that, it is amazing.   Other times, we talked, we talked a lot.  We talked about work, relationships, life.  I treasure those moments.  We were present.

Life is so hectic, it is sometimes hard to be present with my family and especially my children.  I am tired, I am drained by so many things.  We don't go to the lake anymore, it belongs to my brother.  We don't have a boat.  My son asks to go fishing, we don't take him.  We are terrible parents right?  I miss that quiet.  I miss that time.  No electronics, no music, just God's music and a relationship with a wonderful man and woman.  A Mother and a Father.

Something our children are missing in their lives is learning to be still and silent.  We will work on finding time for that.  Time to listen to the sounds of nature, to your heart, to the voice of God.