4 Non-Toxic, Zero-Waste Ways an Olfactory Artist and Perfumer Scents Her Home for Fall – from Danish Traditions and Gourmand Effects, to Bringing Nature Indoors

For many of us, fall fragrances are one of the best parts of the season – from pumpkin spice to freshly baked cookies, there is nothing more comforting. But rather than reach for synthetic scents, why not opt for a more intentional, zero-waste approach?

For perfumer Susan Ankerson, co-founder of Susan James Fragrances, this non-toxic approach is non-negotiable.

These are the four non-toxic, zero-waste ways she makes a home smell nice for fall, using Danish-inspired rituals and Mother Nature's helping hand.

4 Zero-Waste Non-Toxic Fall Home Fragrancing Hacks

1. Make Danish Glogg

While you can make simmer pot recipes for fall and winter, you are often left with stewed fruit and spices that you have to throw out with the liquid. To minimize food waste, why not make a simmer recipe that you can later drink?

Susan begins, ‘Growing up in Denmark, we made Glogg quite a bit, and it smelled fantastic and nice on cold evenings.

‘To make it yourself, infuse red wine [or an alcohol free alternative] with orange peel, clove, fresh cardamon and ginger slices, a couple of cinnamon sticks, and then squeeze the juice of the orange. Let it sit overnight before warming up with a dash of sugar the next evening. It smells like the holidays!’

Consider adding a small OXO Good Grips Countertop Compost Bin, from Amazon, to your counter to collect food waste over the holiday period and reduce waste.

2. Soak Pinecones in Essential Oils

Making potpourri is a fantastic non-toxic way to make a home smell nice, and using items you find in your yard means it’s zero waste (and very affordable at an otherwise expensive time of the year).

Susan shares, ‘If we take a trip to Big Bear in the fall, I collect pinecones and soak them in an essential oils blend of Sweet orange, Virginia cedar, Vanilla, and a touch of Patchouli. This is also great to spray around the house for fall, and a few drops each week keeps the cones fresh.’

This set of 20 essential oils from Amazon contains scents such as cinnamon, vanilla, and cedar, making it ideal for holiday fragrancing.

Once you have finished with them, simply return the pinecones to your yard or compost heap to break down.

3. Bring the Outdoors In

Towards the end of fall, when we start to think more of the festive season, Susan suggests bringing spruce and fir sprigs indoors to help make a house smell nice without harsh chemicals.

‘I love to bring the outdoors inside,’ she shares. ‘I like fir or spruce branches in big vases when decorating for fall, and after Thanksgiving, I get trimmings from Christmas trees. They add subtle forest scent and visual texture to a space.’

As with pinecones, once you are finished with them or they lose their fragrance, simply return them to your yard to decompose naturally.

The Clara Bow Vase, from Anthropologie, is the ideal festive option for the holiday season, while a pair of sharp garden shears, from Walmart, will make collections easier.

4. Bake Vanilla Extract (or Cookies)

Is there anything that screams fall quite like freshly baked goods? From caramel pear cobbler to bay and cinnamon baked fruit and the perfect vanilla cookies, your fall food trends can help to scent your home without waste, Susan suggests.

After all, who wouldn’t want to eat up every crumb?

Don’t fancy yourself a home cook? Don’t fret. You can heat up some vanilla extract (from Walmart) after cleaning an oven without chemicals, she assures, or even use a vanilla vinegar cleaner to deodorize a fridge for a similar, gourmand effect.

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Meet the Expert

Susan Ankersen

Susan was formally trained as a stylist in Copenhagen and has been a jewelry designer for over 20 years. She co-founded Susan James Fragrances in 2023, specializing in crafting personalized wedding scents that reflect the uniqueness of every celebration. 

Scenting your home only goes part of the way to making it more welcoming over the fall and winter period. Don’t forget to hone in on the essential fall cleaning jobs everyone forgets for a thoroughly fresh space, too.

Something as simple as lighting your best candle or switching on your best oil diffuser will also instantly elevate your space if you're expecting visitors.