DIY eco-friendly scented sachets

Making your own scented sachets for use around the home, office, or even in your car must be one of the most satisfying eco-friendly hacks.

Say goodbye to those harsh, artificially scented aerosols and instead say hello to sweet little bags, pouches or sachets of scented botanicals, petals, dried fruit peel and other goodies.

Not only do scented sachets bring a touch of nature into your home, but they are fun and easy to make – plus they make great gifts, too!

Types of DIY scented bags

There are as many ways of making your own scented sachets as there are people and their imaginations!

Think about the range of materials, colours, fillings and essential oils out there, and the combinations are pretty limitless.

Here, we will be going through some of the most common:

rice bags, including lavender bags
scented sachets (paper-based)
potpourri bags/sachets

Where to use your DIY scented sachet

Think these little bags are only for sock drawers? Think again!

Not only do they work wonders in drawers, helping clothes to stay fresh, but there are tons of other places and uses for scented sachets:¹

scented wardrobe sachets
office air freshener
room freshener – especially great for guest bedrooms, storage rooms, garages and places the pets hang out!
car air freshener
shoe deodoriser
keep with wrapping paper so your gifts smell great
under the sink to keep musty smells at bay
in the airing cupboard, for towels and sheets
in your gym bag
by your bed, using essential oils known to help you sleep better at night

Finding the best scent for your home

Convinced? Now decide what scent you want.

You could go for a single scent. Popular ones include lavender, vanilla, rose, or a citrus fruits such as lemon, lime or orange.

Or, you could become an alchemist and experiment with a mixture of scents.

The easiest way to do this is with essential oils. For example, create a foresty smell by combining equal amounts of frankincense, fir needle and cedarwood oils.

Or, what about a warming spiced chai smell? Simply combine 5 drops cardamom, 3 drops cinnamon, 2 drops clove bud and 1 drop ginger oils to bring the warming and exotic blend to your home.

For more great combos and ideas on essential oils, check out Finding the best essential oil for your home and 8 essential oil Christmas blend recipe ideas on our Health Hub.

What materials should I use to make the bags or sachets?

There are loads of great choices of materials you can select from, to make your scented bag.

Not only are they things you are likely to have around the home, but reusing them can also save on waste!

Try any one of these options:²

Cut up an old t-shirt or any other scrap of thin material to make a pouch. How much you shape it is up to you. The simplest way to do it is simply by filling the material with your scented stuff (see below), gathering and tying with ribbon, string or even those little wire bag ties! Or get as fancy as you like with a sewing machine or needle and thread to shape a little pouch of your choosing
You could also use a little mesh drawstring jewellery bag or a mini hessian sack (though you might need to line it, depending on your filling and how big the holes are).
Of course you could get all fancy and go for lace, silk or organza
Try making a simple envelope out of pretty wrapping paper. Rather than use tape or glue to secure it, you could use a decorative pin or butterfly clip glued into place. This means you can refill the sachet easily
Make an origami paper box or sachet
For an ultra-basic approach – use a cupcake case or coffee filter and simply tie or secure with needle and thread (a stapler would do in a pinch!)
If you use material or ribbon that is likely to fray, simply paint on some clear nail polish to secure the edges³

How to make lavender bags and rice bags

Lavender bags DIY are easy! Whether you want lavender bags for wardrobes, drawers or bathroom cabinets, just follow these simple steps:

Either harvest and dry out lavender flowers yourself, or buy ready-made dried lavender (easily available online). If you gather the lavender yourself, once fully dried, make sure to store it in an airtight container, such as a food storage bag, until you are ready. This will allow you to keep as much of the natural lavender smell as possible.
Decide on a receptacle (see above for fabric and paper options).
Use about equal amounts of lavender flowers and any long-grain rice. For lavender potpourri, see below.
Secure the pouch
Squash and move the filling around in the pouch every now and then to help the lavender release its scent.⁴ Once you notice the smell fading, you can always top it up with a few drops of lavender essential oil.

Potpourri bags

Want something a little more interesting than just lavender?

Try making DIY potpourri to add to the sachets instead. Gather any mix of flower petals, citrus peels or slices, sprigs of herbs like rosemary, cinnamon sticks, pods and seeds.

Sprinkle on some essential oils, spread them on a tray and bake at a low heat (around 100 degrees Celsius) for a few hours – until they are totally dry.

When completely cool, mix them with a natural fixative, such as orris root powder (it helps the items to hold the smell for longer), put the mix in pouches, sachets or simply a pretty container and top up the essential oils whenever you like.⁵

Last updated: 27 November 2020

Sources
1 https://greenleafgifts.com/pages/101-ways-to-sachet
2 https://feltmagnet.com/crafts/Homemade-Sachet-Bags-and-Scented-Fillings
3 https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/home-lifestyle/crafts-diy/a85361/diy-drawer-sachets/
4 https://food52.com/blog/12688-diy-lavender-sachets-to-make-your-sock-drawer-smell-like-heaven
5 https://www.fiftyflowers.com/blog/guest-post-make-your-own-potpourri-at-home/