Homemade Potpourri

Want the simplest way to make your house smell great and festive? It couldn't be easier! My sister in law taught me this trick years ago. I added the cheesecloth pouch because a few years ago I got tired of trying to fish out the small pieces, without dumping liquid into the trash.Cut a square of cheesecloth.

Add cinnamon sticks (these are cheapest in bulk at Winco), whole cloves, and whole allspice (which I was out of, so it's not in the picture)

Bundle it up and tie it with twine.

Slice up oranges, lemons, and/or apples. It's a good way to use fruit that has gotten too ugly to eat. If your kids like their apples peeled, you could throw in the peels. I was out of lemons, but it also smells great with apples and oranges. Just add about 4 cups of water to the pan and simmer.

You can add more water and re-boil for about 2-3 days. After that it gets gross and you'll need to start over fresh. It is a lot easier to throw away the bundle of spices, than have them floating all over the pan!