STAY FRESH AND FOCUSED AT WORK WITH DIY DESK DIFFUSERS

September 6, 2017

In the house where I grew up, we had lavender planted in our back yard, only lavender, and there were a lot of them. Whenever I stepped out into the background, that’s all I could smell. Because of that, lavender is one of those scents that evokes pleasant memories for me, and that’s one of the reasons why I love diffusers. When you spend most of your time in an office, chances are you don’t have access to a big gardening area, and diffusers do a great job bringing nostalgia and relaxation into any space.

The best part about diffusers is that you can customize it however you like–the essential oil options are nearly endless nowadays–and you can even make your own at home. DIY desk diffusers are super easy and usually only take a few ingredients to make. They allow you to switch up the scents whenever you want, take it to work, and even upcycle unwanted materials.

4 DIY Desk Diffusers

1. Himayalan Salt Diffuser

Himalayan salt is thought to have air-cleansing properties, and the pretty pink colour certainly makes it a complementing desk ornament. All you need are an unscented candle, about a cup of Himalayan salt, and essential oils. Pour the salt into a glass jar, and stir in about 30 drops of essential oil (depending how strong you want the scent to be). Rest an unscented candle on top of the salt. Light it up, and allow the aroma to fill the room.

2. Coffee Beans Diffuser

Whether it’s coffee beans being roasted, the grinding of coffee beans, or a cup of freshly brewed coffee, the aroma is, needless to say, irresistible. Even used ground coffee smells incredible when you leave them in the fridge or in the washroom as deodorizers. You can also make diffusers out of used ground coffee or expired coffee beans. Pour them into a jar and nestle a candle on top of the coffee. The warmness will heat up the beans and release more aroma into the room. An unscented candle works wonderfully, but try using vanilla or cinnamon scents to take it to the next level.

3. Orange Peel Candle Diffuser

Did you know that you can turn half an orange peel into a candle? It’s true. It comes with a wick and everything. All you need to do is add some oil and then light up the wick that’s already attached to the orange peel. It also helps to add a few drops of your favourite essential oils to really intensify the aroma. This candle will last several hours, and is an amazing way to use an entire orange! Check out our step-by-step details on how to make your own DIY orange candle.

4. Reed Diffuser

We weren’t going to leave reed diffuser out of this list. They may look fancy, but they’re actually easy to make. You will need to purchase some reeds, a jar with a small neck to minimize evaporation, almond or grapeseed oil, and essential oils. Pour half a cup of oil into a jar and add about 30 drops of your favourite essential oils. It also helps to add a little bit of alcohol like vodka into your mixture to thin out the oil. This will allow better saturation of the reeds. Pop in your reed, and wait for the magic to happen. It may take a day or two for the reeds to be saturated. From then on, simply flip them every other day to refresh!

Have you ever tried making your own DIY desk diffusers? We want to know your secrets! Share with us your methods of freshening up the room.

Daniel Huang

Daniel is a Digital Marketing and Content Strategist at SPUD. He graduated from UBC with a degree in English and International Relations with a focus on environmental topics. A wordsmith by day and a bookman by night, he's a self-proclaimed gastronomic snob, a buck-a-shuck addict, a sub-par skier, and a devoted kingsguard of the oxford comma. He also frequents the dog park with a schnauzer named Duke. | Instagram: @dannnyellow