Budget-friendly energy hack for your home
I don’t know about you guys, but I definitely follow a lot of home decor + “spiritual aesthetic” Instagram accounts and man they post some beautiful photos: boho interiors layered with textures and house plants, fresh linens illuminated by morning sun, flat lay spreads of rose quartz crystals towers + essential oil rollers + diffusers + massive salt lamps. These wonderfully curated scenes evoke an instant sense of calm, as if spending just 5 minutes in a space that sensory could transform your energetic state. But then I look up, itemize my living room (bedroom, office) and realize it’s full of hand-me-down furniture, trinkets I still have from high school, and maybe just that one salt lamp I got on sale at a Ross a few years ago. Here comes the energetic FOMO—EFOMO, I like to call it.
Now I’m feeling less than, and I’m thinking: oh my god, I feel so stressed and crazy locked up at home because the energy in my space is off! Where are the massive tapestries, the baseball sized amethyst clusters, the stone aroma diffusers, the bamboo essential oil shelf organizer—the list can go on forever! Next thing I know, I’m filling up my Etsy or Urban Outfitters cart with certified-spiritual-boho home decor, telling myself that my home is a sacred space and it should be energetically soothing + beautiful + inviting. Here comes the let down, when the cost on the checkout page is not in alignment with the cash in my checking account, my heart sinks, my cart clears, and I spend the rest of my day resenting my apartment. EFOMO is no joke, especially if you’re like me, just balling on a budget fresh out of college. Here’s a quick disclaimer, I think all the spiritual + boho decor items I mentioned and vendors who provide them are spectacular, and anyone who has the means to splurge + curate a beautiful home has every right to do so, and I personally cannot wait until my own budget allows for it.
But if you’re like me, you probably think you can’t afford to make your one-bedroom apartment feel like a spiritual getaway…
and you start to feel discouraged about your own energy, as if your spiritual value can be calculated by the size of your crystal collection. Well, here’s something I’m currently learning: you can transform the energy in your space instantly without breaking the bank. How? There’s actually quite a few ways, but the simplest way is the one I’m sharing with you today: smell.
The transportive property of smell is probably not ground-breaking knowledge for you—yea, Samantha, I get it, fresh baked cookies remind me of my grandma, fresh cut grass reminds me of a childhood summer, my ex’s cologne makes me want to puke. Familiar scents can reawaken old energies inside of us, bringing us back to the first moment we took them in. If aroma can be a powerful time machine, it can also create new energy. That’s what you’re looking for, right? The beautiful things I added to my shopping cart in a panic were really just physical manifestations of my craving for a new energy in my home. That new energy can be created just as easily by burning a single stick of incense, and that energy can be controlled by the scent you choose to burn.
Today, I’m sharing with you my top 5 incense scents and the unique energy each of them brings into my space. For each scent, I’m giving you a link to affordable shopping options.
If you have no idea how to burn incense
You’ll just need a lighter (or matches) and a small holder to burn the stick on—search “incense holder” on Amazon, and you’ll find an awesome variety of affordable options. My holder is a simple wooden ash catcher.
You simply take a single stick out of the package, prop it up in the designated hole (cut into your holder), ignite the tip of the stick (make sure it’s positioned well above the ash catcher, we are not trying to damage your furniture or start any fires here), let the flame burn for just a few seconds (you’ll see the stick start to burn red on the end), then blow out the tiny flame. By blowing out the flame, you’ll see the stick is burning itself (glowing ash at the end) and a steady stream of smoke will rise from it. If there is no smoke, the stick hasn’t caught—no worries if you've never done it! Simply burn the end again, and blow out the flame until the stick is burning. Be sure not to light it and leave it, blow that flame out the second the stick begins to glow on the end—these do not function like candles. The smoke is light and natural, and the scent will carry across your space instantly.
Now that we’re pros at lighting the incense, here are my recommended scents, plus their corresponding energy, to transform + cleanse the energy of your home
Lavender (my evening cooldown)
The fragrance from Lavender is often used in aromatherapy to promote calmness, which is exactly why it’s my go to evening scent. Whenever I’m shutting down my laptop, heating up sleepy-time tea, and diving into my skincare routine, I’ll light a stick of lavender incense. Because I do this every night during my wind down routine, the scent of lavender instantly shifts my energy from masculine (work, work, work) to feminine (self-care, intuitive calm). My apartment becomes a giant, cozy lavender blanket of relaxation thanks to this ritual.
Rose (settling anxiety)
I don’t know about you guys, but working from home can be jarring in the sense that you bring work stress into your personal space, which makes the already “off” energy feel even more prevalent to you. Whenever I’m having a moment of stress, feeling overworked or overwhelmed, my go to energy shift comes from burning rose incense. I’m telling you, a few meditative breaths infused with rose is the 10 second cure to my anxious tendencies. Taking that moment to intentionally reset my mood, with the help of relaxing rose, helps me return to the previously stressful task with a new clarity.
Frankincense (energy booster, intuition enhancement)
Frankincense is my go to incense for any intentional spiritual work, where I’m looking to tap more into my feminine (intuitive) energy. These rituals include: reading tarot, meditating, reading (I’m loving A Happy Pocket Full of Money right now), journaling, scripting, and manifestation work. Frankincense is known for enhancing your mood and your spiritual connection. In just seconds, your space will begin to feel like a meditation mansion in Bali—without the splurge.
Patchouli (bring on the positivity)
Nobody is perfect—especially me—so keeping a high vibration every day isn’t guaranteed. It’s how we handle our low vibration that really matters in the long run. Whenever I’m feeling cranky, whiney, irritable, tired, or just generally negative, I burn some patchouli to clear the bad energy. The enticing scent is pretty potent, and I love burning it to reset the low vibration of my space.
Sandalwood (set the mood)
Guys, I’m a strong fan of having a solo night of self-care—binging Girls on my Firestick, painting my nails, working on creative content, eating (the whole pint) of halo top. This time is meant to be fun, relaxing, and full of compassion Sandalwood pairs perfectly with your favorite sweatpants and your #girlboss dance party playlist (if you don’t have one yet, I’ve got you covered). Burning sandalwood turns my one-bedroom apartment into a 5-star spa, where I’m the only client and that makes me the VIP.
What are you waiting for!? Test out just one (or all five ;) ) of these scents in your space and I promise you, you’ll stop sweating that EFOMO so much.
For me, spirituality and energetic work has always been on a soul level. Although surrounding ourselves with beautiful, blessed, and high vibe items definitely enhances our spirit, don’t think it’s required in order to connect with your intuition and raise your own vibration. I’ve given you links to all of my favorite options—you’ll notice the brand is consistent, they deliver great quality! No sponsorship here though—add these incense to your cart for a quick and budget friendly way to cleanse your home and clear your mind. You deserve to live and rest in a space that feels magical.
Drop me a DM on Instagram and let me know how this aromatherapy works for you! I’m so stoked to keep sharing all of my budget-friendly rituals. Every day magic doesn’t require crazy spending, just intention and attention where it matters most.
I hope you do something kind for yourself today, no matter how small, and let me know via Instagram or the comments below what budget-friendly tips you want to learn next!