Okay, hear me out.
There's something about the lumber department at Home Depot that just relaxes me. Sure, the smell can't compare to what it's like to be out in a pine forest, for example, but it is soothing nonetheless. I don't go there much–frankly, I do find myself getting annoyed the second I have to enter a hardware store of any kind–but it's a simple pleasure.
People shared their thoughts with us after Redditor Butter_scoo asked the online community,
"What weird smell do you love?"
"Probably..."
"Probably the smell of the hardware store. Something about the unique but strong odor just puts me in a good mindset."
NoelleRobles
It's a very specific smell but sometimes it can just feel dusty more than anything else.
"The beginning..."
"The beginning of rain on a very hot street."
farahriane
You just described soothing summer rains. They're the best.
"A freshly opened..."
"A freshly opened pack of trading cards."
[deleted]
This is very specific but spot on. The ink smells quite good!
"I used to work..."
"Brand new tires. I used to work at a car dealership and this smell is the best."
weinerdoggos
The inside of any tire store, auto section at walmart, or bicycle shop is a good one. Guess it's just the smell of new rubber.
"The smell that comes..."
"Hot electronics. The smell that comes when you run computer hardware at 100% power for days on end. If you've ever been inside a data center, you'll know what I mean."
Vedorias
It sounds like you would probably enjoy industrial motor control centers.
"When I used to go camping..."
"Wet pine trees. When I used to go camping, the best smell ever was at dawn waking up in the woods. It felt so fresh."
subtle_existence
I'm not much of a camper myself but there's no denying how lovely that smell is.
"When you cut or mill it..."
"Walnut. When you cut or mill it, there's an astringent smell that's kind of like mustard, but woodier. Nothing else smells like it."
esp735
This one is a particularly strong smell. The smell of hardwood is quite nice, I think.
"The smell of smoke..."
"The smell of smoke that candles create when they have just been blown out."
[deleted]
Have you been Pavlov’d into wanting cake every time you smell that?
"I hate the smell..."
"I hate the smell of cigarettes smoke. But i love the tobacco smell from the unopened pack of cigars."
OrangeDemiSoda
The fresh cigar smell is also quite smoothing. I'd balk at smoking the things though!
"Gunpowder after..."
"Gunpowder after it's been ignited. Someone needs to make an airfreshener for that. Whenever I smell it I get good memories of going plinking with my uncles as a kid."
Its_RJBtch
The real question however is black or smokeless?
There are so many great smells out there just waiting for you to discover them! And while some people might not agree on what makes some smells so great, that's perfectly okay. It just means more for you!
Have some suggestions of your own? Tell us more in the comments below!
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You know that smell right before it rains? It's earthy. It's gorgeous. I have a distinct memory of leaving school and getting into my mother's car just as a giant storm cloud rolled in. The smell was rich.
Then it poured. It was splendid. The smell after the rain was fantastic too. Can you tell I have a thing for rain and doom and gloom?
There are so many wonderful smells out there, though! People told us all about their favorites after Redditor loganmcau asked the online community,
"What's the best smell on earth?"
"It smells amazing!"
"Vanilla. It smells amazing."
Gyngerkittle
It does! Just steer clear of wasps.
"The lumber section..."
"The lumber section at Home Depot. Oddly satisfying."
ooperbang6
So true! What is it about it?!
"The immediate smell..."
"The immediate smell after a light drizzle. That would be an air of change for a second for people far from nature."
wombraider420
A lovely and soothing smell! I love it too.
"Eucalyptus oil mixed into hot water splashed on the hot rocks of a woodburning sauna in the early fall."
pizzapopcorndog
Oooh. Specific, but it must be amazing. Now I need to go to a traditional sauna.
"Freshly baked bread. Someone should bottle that smell and turn it into a perfume/cologne."
[deleted]
I don't think I'd wear it, but you do you!
"I swam..."
"I swam for 12 years and taught swim lessons for another 8, the smell right when you open the door and smell the warm chlorine air smells like home and nostalgia to me."
Sunglass-sketch1964
Ah, yes! This makes me want to jump back in a pool. It's been a while.
"Fresh linen blowing in the summer breeze, as you walk by someone's house."
1Cabbage
There is something to be said about crisp bed linens – magical.
"When it's been winter..."
"When it's been winter for months and you get that one warm day in the beginning of the year that smells like spring."
deidara2613
"Especially..."
"Campfire. Especially on a cold fall morning. Getting home and back to the daily grind but you still smell that smoke."
Extrasherman
"I think a lot of people..."
"I think a lot of people who gave an answer here consciously/subconsciously thought of a happy moment in their life."
"Mine is the smell of jasmine flowers along the streets in my hometown as I was on sitting on the back of my dad’s scooter when he picked me up from school. They smelt like happiness."
daddythecrab
This just gave me second-hand smell happiness as I envisioned the scene. Thank you!
Oh, dear – there are so many smells we've been missing out on! And there's too little time to smell them all.
Have some suggestions of your own? Feel free to tell us all about them in the comments below!
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People Divulge The One Thing They'd Want To Smell Like For The Rest Of Their Lives
I do love the smell of lavender. It makes me smile. It soothes me. My love for lavender extends beyond the smell though. I love the color. It makes a room look instantly warm and inviting. It's calming.
Would I enjoy smelling like lavender the rest of my life? Probably. It'd be nice. Though I wonder if I'd be too busy smelling myself for a long time?
Decisions, decisions...
People shared their thoughts after Redditor IllustriousSpend26 asked the online community:
"If you could pick one smell and you could smell like that for the rest of your life, what would it be?"
"The immediate smell..."
"The immediate smell after a light drizzle..That would be a air of change for a second for people far from nature."
wombraider420
A lovely and soothing smell! People would love being around you.
"Have you tried..."
"Orange blossom. Have you tried Trader Joe's orange blossom hand soap? It's the closest I've found in a manufactured scent."
oliverismyspiritdog
This is a rich and lovely smell. Instantly brings a smile to one's face.
"The morning dew..."
"That morning dew on the grass on a chilly summer morning when the birds start singing and it’s humid but not too humid and the sun is hitting the grass just right and it looks like stars."
sirbeansalot
This is very specific, which means you have a profound appreciation for it – and people will have a profound appreciation for you!
"It smells amazing."
"Vanilla. It smells amazing."
Gyngerkittle
And so would you! Just steer clear of wasps.
"A crisp winter morning..."
"A crisp winter morning in a pine forest. I grew up in that. That smell is so difficult to describe.
"I learned that the snow actually acts as a sponge for particles in the air, so it's almost an air purifier. That 'snow' smell is actually the absence of smell, which your nose and brain interpret differently than simply 'no new stimuli.'"
"That way, when the pine does hit, it's strong and undiluted with everything else."
[deleted]
Ah, yes. Few things quite like the smell of pine, especially in the Northeastern United States!
"The lumber section..."
"The lumber section at Home Depot. Oddly satisfying."
ooperbang6
It is! It always smells and feels dusty in a Home Depot until you hit the lumber section.
"If you've ever got..."
"The smell of wood smoke. If you've ever got a whiff of a wood stove burning you know what I'm talking about."
CatManLurch
Careful – people might steal you away and want to smoke some meat over you.
"The hint..."
"The hint of honeysuckle because my wife loves the smell."
chaosoftime10
This sounds like a creative way to make a marriage last.
"I think..."
"I think I'd like to smell faintly of cinnamon."
Mythnam
You'd instantly make people want to get all of the ingredients together and bake!
"I'd have to try..."
"Fresh bread out of the oven. I'd have to try to not get eaten for the rest of my life."
1PoolGoon3
This is a very good point. Careful that you don't become a total recluse!
There's no shortage of great smells out there. What would happen if you ran into someone who smelled like you? Would you be soulmates? Or would you cancel each other out?
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Good scents are powerful things. They can remind us of something we associate with a pleasant memory.
Certain smells also have the potential to be an aphrodesiac that puts us in a trancelike state of calm.
Whether it is the aroma of piping hot coffee in the morning or something intangible like an ocean breeze, an appealing smell can instantly affect our mood.
It's no wonder why scented candles are so popular.
Curious to hear about the appealing fragrancies in life, Redditor omegamiles420 asked:
"People of reddit, what is your favorite smell?"
The smell of nature and the elements provides calm for the following Redditors.
It Is Heaven-Scent
"There is a meadown near my house and there are certain colder summer nights when the trees and flowers give off an addictive smell. I just keep wanting to breathe the air in."
The smell of mouth-watering food cannot be ignored from mention.
A Transpotive Memory
"Freshly picked tomatoes - takes me straight back to my grandparents' garden, which was one of my favourite places as a kid."
They may be unusual, but for these specific Redditors, these aromatic items just make scents.
It Serves Them
"It's a bit strange, but I find the scent of new tennis balls to be strangely satisfying. . . ."
Fresh From The Printer
"Freshly photocopied paper."
"I remember all the kids in my class shouting 'It smells like bread!' each time the teacher gave us a fresh warm photocopy. Good times."
Whiff Of History
"Old books"
"True I love that too I stopped sniffing then though because my mum told me its caused by mold."
Something redolent of moments in time can bring much peace.
Where Love Once Inhabited
"The smell of my grandparents house. I'd give anything to smell it again."
All The Right Fixins
"The smell in my house when Thanksgiving dinner is being made."
Illuminating Comforts
"Campfire."
"Adding to this, coal fire as well. Different, but very cozy somehow as well."
You know you're talking to an unabashed Disney-phile when he says he loves the smell of the chlorinated water from the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland.
I am not alone in this.
Many Disney parks fans I've spoken with—particularly those who have frequently visited the original park in Anaheim, CA—have expressed the same thing about the classic swashbuckling pirate attraction that later inspired the eponymous blockbuster movie franchise.
The water flowing through the potentially moldy interior of the building has sent thousands of visitors plummeting over a waterfall back to the age of the pirates since the 1960s.
It's not necessarily a pleasant smell, but it's one where fans like myself feel like we've come home whenever we ride the historic attraction that appeals to most of our senses.