Alternates to Burning Candles in a Memphis Apartment
May 19th, 2008 by Memphis Apartments
Many people use candles as both a decorative touch and as a way to spread a good smell throughout the Memphis apartment, but open flames are absolutely a safety issue. With that in mind, you might be searching for some alternatives to burning candles in a Memphis apartment. We’ve got some ideas.
* Warmers - Candle warmers are a good way to use the candles you have on hand without the requirement of lighting the wick. You’ll find these in many home décor stores and from several online sources. The cost ranges from just a few dollars up to twenty, depending on the style and settings. Most have one temperature but some offer two or three temperature settings. The less expensive models usually come in white and are very plain. Remember that these have a chord that you’ll need to camouflage. Candle warmers are a great alternative to candles for your Memphis apartment.
* Coffee warmers - These make a great alternative to a candle warmer with an added bonus - warm a cup of something that just smells good rather than a candle. A cup of water with a couple of cinnamon sticks, a bit of apple pie spice or some other type of seasoning will offer a continuous fragrance for several hours. With all kinds of warmers, be sure to keep an eye on the fluid level in your cup so that you don’t boil dry. The “burnt” smell can undo all your hard work to create a good smell for your Memphis apartment.
* Go wickless - You’ll find that there are many “wickless candles” that may or may not be candles at all. These may simply be meant to melt in a candle warmer or even to be lit only for a few minutes and then extinguished with the fragrance lasting for some time after the flame.
* Let the light do the work - There are several manufacturers of light fragrances and these are very easy to use. Simply apply a few drops to a cool light bulb and the fragrance will spread as the bulb warms. You’ll also find some lights that are meant for this purpose, if you’re willing to pay the price.
* Diffusers - These are popular alternatives to traditional candles and are available in many sizes, styles, colors and prices.
* Electric gadgets - There are several manufacturers of electrical gadgets that spread room freshener in various ways. Some spray bursts of fragrance while others continually send out the fragrance by using a fan or simply allowing the smell to disperse naturally. These all have their positive points and their disadvantages. Cost is probably a negative since the refills are usually rather expensive, however if you can afford them they are an effective alternative to candles for your Memphis apartment.
* The fishbowl - If you’ve never had a fishbowl that helped spread a wonderful fragrance through your Memphis apartment, you may not be ready to consider that as an option. Start with a small fish bowl or a large glass container. Wad up a string of 25 small “Christmas” lights and stuff them loosely into the container, leaving the plug out with at least a foot or two of slack. Next, pour a bag of potpourri into the container so that it sifts down around the lights. The lights will provide a minor bit of warmth to optimize the fragrance of the potpourri and can easily be unplugged when you are going to be away from the Memphis apartment. Both the color of the lights and the color of the potpourri can be changed to fit the season or décor of the room.
Finally, you may find that it’s a good idea to simply have the candles without lighting them. While you won’t get the degree of fragrance as from a burning candle, any candle in a reasonably warm place - on the back of the cook stove or a window sill - will have some impact on the atmosphere in your Memphis apartment.