Home fragrances can help set the mood for your home. They create a warm, inviting environment for you and your guests and hide the odors caused by any manner of cooking mishaps or pet accidents. What you don’t want them to do is become a distraction that triggers headaches or makes you feel like you’re trapped in a sachet of potpourri.

Whether you prefer candles, incense, air fresheners or diffusers, choosing the right fragrance takes more than a sniff or two. But having a signature scent can help you personalize your space even further. So before you go buying up 20 of the latest trending votive, follow these steps:

1. Do some reminiscing.

A lot of our memories are related to smells. In an instant, we can be transported back to our childhood home, a favorite vacation spot or a meal we will never forget. If you’re looking for some scent inspiration, do a bit of memory mining to look for other environments where you felt at ease or celebratory. Then ask yourself: What did they smell like?

2. Identify the smells you love and hate.

Scent is very personal. We all have fragrances we love and others that turn our stomachs. Not everyone will love the scented candle du jour, no matter how much it costs or how pretty the jar is. For example, I can’t stand home fragrances that smell like baked goods. They tend to make my head hurt or my stomach growl. I love warmer, woodsy scents or clean ones that make my home smell like I just spent the afternoon tidying up.

3. Consider the season.

Different fragrances suit different times of the year. Brighter scents like lemongrass or gardenia work well in the spring and summer, while cozier ones like amber or oud can help warm you up during the autumn and winter months. Building on the point above, you may also associate certain scents with specific holidays. For example, fresh apple reminds me of visiting the orchards in Michigan during the autumn.

4. Try minis.

Give any home fragrance a test run before you commit. If possible, buy a mini candle to see how you enjoy the scent in your home. Leave it lit for at least three hours to build up in your space and then see how it makes you feel. If you find yourself calming down or feeling more energized, it’s a winner. After a while, you shouldn’t even notice it at all.

5. Make a guest plan.

When you have guests coming over, you want your home to smell nice. However, everyone has their preferences when it comes to scents. This is why I recommend keeping some more “neutral” home fragrances on hand if you’re not too sure what they like. Think crisp linen, a single floral or citrus. All of these will freshen up your space without being too overpowering—just place them a bit further away from the main seating area to avoid the scent taking over the space, especially if there’s going to be food laid out.

Want more tips? Learn how to shop for a blazer here.

In case you missed it …

MIDDI

The Secret Sauce

Over time, we all come to amass some tricks of the trade: little insider tips and finds that make life a little easier or more beautiful. It’s one of the perks of age and experience. These are usually things that live in the background of our lives—they don’t make a huge splash, but they prove their usefulness time and time again. And the b…

Read more

3 days ago · Petra Canan Trudell

MIDDI is a weekly roundup of mid-priced beauty, fashion and home buys released every Monday. Have a product you’re searching for? Leave your suggestions in the comments.