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DIY Scented sachets are an easy way to freshen up your linen cabinet, drawers, and closets. These fabric sachets are made with rice and essential oils. Use whichever scents you love or fill them with lavender buds! This is a great easy way to use up old fabric scraps and this also makes a wonderful handmade gift or shower favor.
I love a nice scented sachet. They are great to tuck in drawers and the scents can be just divine.
These are really easy to make.
I ended up using leftover ticking stripe fabric that I had from making pillows. I love finding new ways to use up fabric scraps and this is a good way to do that. I really like the look of the ticking stripe and jute twine together. It has a rustic, farmhouse feel.
Also, you can make these the no-sew way too. I’ll give instructions for both below.
Materials Needed
- Fabric cut into squares. I didn’t measure and you don’t have to! ***see notes below. I used a blue ticking stripe fabric like this one because I love it.
- Uncooked Rice
- Essential oils
- lavender buds (*alternative to using essential oils)
- Sewing Machine and thread. (optional, see tutorial below)
- Ribbon, rubber band or jute twine/string
*I know that some people use actual lavender buds in their sachets and that’s totally cool too. I just wanted to keep this easy and use what I already had on hand. That being – fabric scraps, rice, and essential oils.
You will be surprised at how ‘scented’ these are just with the essential oils. I used lavender essential oil which smelled wonderful. I really want to try vanilla or floral essential oils next time too.
Oh yea, and I used just plain ol’ long-grain white rice for this.
How to Make DIY Scented Sachets!
- ***Here’s an easy tip to start off – if you have a larger piece of fabric, don’t cut it out. FOLD IT in half or to whatever size you want your sachet. And then cut the other sides into a square. One side of your sachet is already done for you with the folded part. It makes it go even faster. You will need two squares or one folded piece into a square to make this.
- Line up your squares. Right sides facing each other. Sew three sides around, keeping the top open. I doubled stitched each side just to make sure it’s tight. Then flip it right side out. Oh, hello there sachet.
- Mix your rice and essential oils in a bowl. I think I used about 10 drops or so. The amount of rice will depend on how large your sachet is.
- Carefully spoon your rice mixture or lavender buds (if using) into the sachet bag. You don’t want to fill it all the way to the top or you won’t be able to close it properly.
- Twist the top and secure with a rubber band, ribbon or twine.
- Or – instead of securing with a tie like in step 5, you can sew the top shut and use it as kind of a flat sachet. I made a larger version of this type and you can see it in the last picture below. The only thing with this type is that you can’t really refresh the scents because it’s totally fused shut. But these make great heating pads! I just microwave mine until it’s warm and it’s pure heaven.
NO SEW METHOD: You can either follow the steps above and use fabric glue to secure your seams. Or, just cut a larger square of fabric and spoon the rice mixture into the center of the square. Gather up the edges and tie them with the string/ribbon as noted above.
You may need to refresh the scents from time to time – simply open it up and refill with a new rice mixture. These can be changed up depending on your mood.
How to Use Scented sachets
Here are some of the ways I use these sachets …
Use them around the house!
I put these sachets into drawers, my linen cabinet and I also hang them in closets. They smell so good and they look very pretty too.
One little precaution – I would just make sure little kids can’t get to them because they contain essential oils.
Here are some other ideas for using these scented sachets around the house.
- Put them in shoes or shoe storage boxes.
- Store one near your hamper.
- Put one under the garbage bag at the bottom of the can.
- Put one where you store your toilet paper.
- If you store them with your thank you notes/cards, your notes will smell glorious.
- Throw one in your purse and/or gym bag.
- Store some in the laundry room.
Use them as gifts!
If you are hosting a shower, this is a great favor to send people home with. I always swoon over those pretty handmade favors at parties and showers. Don’t you?
You could tie a little note to it thanking them for coming. Or just say – “smell ya later!”
Just kidding, don’t say that. 🙂
These sachets make great hostess gifts, teacher gifts or a little something for the neighbor. Or use them as gift toppers! Small ones would be good for that and such a sweet touch.
Another idea? Put together a sweet little gift basket of handmade goodies for Mother’s Day or another occasion. Or, pack these into a care package for your kids at college or a friend who lives long distance. They will open it up and it will smell really good. Like home. Like you.
I hope you guys enjoyed!
xo Karen
I love this idea for a shower gift. how long does the scent last? Trying to figure out how much in advance I can make them, or how to package them to preserve the scent. Tips?
Hi Julie! I find that the scents last pretty long for me – a few weeks at least. You can always use more drops of essential oils than what I use and also use a stronger smelling oil, like Lavender, Vanilla, Cinnamon etc. My husband jokes that it smells like a cinnamon stick is permanently up his nose when I use that scent. 🙂 I think it depends on how sensitive your nose is. The scents will get weaker over time though. Keep them away from sun and wind to help them last longer – so keep them enclosed somewhere. Mine are usually stored in a drawer or closet. A few squeezes of the sachet every now and again tend to release more scent. Another idea? Lavender buds can hold their scent for a LONG time. You can buy them on Amazon. You could always make a mixture of scented rice and lavender buds. One more idea! Make a diy linen spray with whatever essential oils you are using. You can make a basic one out of vodka or witch hazel, water and the essential oils. Then lightly spritz your sachets right before the shower (making sure not to really “wet” them). Either way, these are so cute and pretty to look at! I think it’s a perfect idea for a shower gift!
Hi Karen! Thank you for this article, it’s been informative, especially since I’m a newbie to essential oils. I was also wondering if you would you be able to make larger ones for bigger areas or are these only recommended for enclosed drawers and closets and things? I’m looking into ways to give a fresh scent to several key areas of our home but without spending loads on chemical products or on things that require heating. Thank you!
Hey Sabrina! I’m so glad you enjoyed this article! I’ve actually never tried to make larger ones for bigger areas but you could certainly give it a try. Here’s another idea – you can make homemade reed diffusers and those can really scent a larger area. They are simple to make, chemical free and pretty inexpensive too. Plus – no heating required and you don’t have to baby them. Just set them out and they will scent the room until the oil runs out. They look really pretty set out on a counter or dresser or entryway table. 🙂 You can use mason jars and buy the reeds on Amazon. I will definitely do a post on how to make one very soon! An essential oil diffuser is another option (although you have to plug those in). They sell them on Amazon as well and you basically just need to fill it with water and a few drops of essential oils and it will keep larger areas scented for you. They are super popular! I hope this helps!
thank you for this idea! i love oils
You’re welcome!
Hi there, I’ve got loads of little muslin bags, can I use these for my scented bags?
Hi there,
Yes! I think muslin bags would work quite well for sachets. They are fun to put together!
Hey Karen, just a little question here, what kind of fabric would be the best? I’m afraid of purchasing wrong fabric. Thanks in advance
Hi there! I just used blue ticking stripe fabric (100% cotton) which can be purchased from most fabric stores and online from Amazon and fabric.com. You could also use drop cloth which is sturdy and inexpensive too! The rice mixture is not wet so it shouldn’t soak through your fabric. But the cotton fabrics are breathable and allow the scent to come out. I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any more questions. 🙂