There’s something about a small linen pouch packed with dried blossoms that seems both wonderfully nostalgic and utterly timeless. Sachets have existed for ages, and really? They’re ready for a revival.
These are the kinds of projects that appear far more labor-intensive than they truly are. Add some dried lavender, a petite muslin pouch, and all at once your dresser drawers smell like a French flower field. I’m not overstating it when I say this is among the easiest crafts you can create, and one of the most rewarding.
The wonderful thing is that a garden isn’t required for any of these. Dried lavender buds are simple to purchase online, roses can be dried from a supermarket bouquet, and most remaining supplies are pantry basics or just a quick Amazon purchase away. If you happen to have a garden (hello, fellow cutting-garden enthusiasts), even better! Your dried flowers now have a lovely purpose.
In this guide, I’m presenting 4 sachets you can create at home: a traditional lavender drawer sachet, a rose-petal sachet, a sachet for smelly shoes, and a cedar closet sachet. Each version includes its own supply list and easy instructions, so you can skip to whichever one appeals to you first.
Let’s create something wonderfully fragrant.
Welcome! I’m Jennifer, and I’ve always felt that nature is the loveliest art material. For many years, I’ve preserved New England’s flowers and foliage by pressing, drying, and crafting. Let me guide you in capturing a small piece of the season and bringing it inside—simply and beautifully.
Give Your Bags a Handmade Appearance (In the Best Way)
Every one of these sachets is made with the same 4×6-inch muslin drawstring pouches. I purchased mine from Amazon, and they perform beautifully. Each one fits roughly 1 cup of filling, making it ideal for a drawer, closet, or shoe.
Before putting anything inside the bags, I decorated the fronts with a floral stamp set and purple ink pad. It takes around two minutes and makes them appear like something you’d spend $12 on in a boutique. Here’s a lesson I learned through trial and error: use a damp paper towel to remove extra ink from the stamp’s edges. Allow the ink to dry fully before adding the filling.
Decorating The Sachet Bags
Slide a small piece of cardboard inside the muslin pouch so the ink cannot bleed through onto the back of the sachet bag.
Tap your stamp onto the ink pad, then clean the extra ink from the edges before pressing it onto the bag; otherwise, the stamp’s border will appear rather than only the design. Believe me, I learned this firsthand.
My friend Amy at amysadlerdesigns.com shared a clever idea: reverse the method completely by placing the stamp face-up and pressing the ink pad onto it. This creates more uniform coverage and gives you considerably better control.
I tried several patterns on the bags, though my favorite turned out to be three lavender sprigs placed in a relaxed cross; it looks remarkably deliberate. The stamp set also included a “handmade with love” lettering stamp that I absolutely adore. Just a warning: you’ll be seeing that one again in upcoming projects.
How to Create Sachets at Home: 4 Easy Recipes with Dried Flowers & Herbs
Supplies Needed for the Sachets
This complete list includes everything required to prepare all 4 sachet varieties.
Sachet 1: Traditional Lavender Drawer Sachet
Supplies:
This recipe creates 1 sachet, so modify the quantities based on how many you plan to prepare.
Instructions:
- When your lavender buds lack a strong aroma, add them to a small bowl and drizzle in 8–10 drops of lavender essential oil. Mix carefully, then leave them for approximately 30 minutes. The oil should soak in before the buds are placed inside the bag.
- Use a spoon to fill your stamped muslin bag with the lavender buds.
- Tighten the drawstring, then place the sachet in a dresser drawer, linen cupboard, or any spot where you would like a touch of freshness.
Tip: Lavender sachets typically remain fragrant for 6–12 months. Once the aroma weakens, softly press the bag to release additional scent, or add several more drops of essential oil to freshen it.
Sachet 2: Rose & Lavender
Yields 2 sachets
Ingredients Required
For a different fragrance, jasmine or geranium essential oil would each blend wonderfully with rose and lavender; either option makes a charming addition to the mixture.
Directions:
- Place the lavender buds and rose petals in a bowl, then blend them together.
- Pour the rose essential oil over the blend and mix once more to spread it evenly.
- Allow the mixture to rest for 20–30 minutes while the oil soaks in.
- Distribute roughly 1 cup of the blend into each stamped muslin bag, then tighten the drawstrings.
When it comes to the rose petals, you can choose from several options: order a pre-dried blend of petals and buds online, dry roses from your own garden, or pick up a budget-friendly bouquet at Trader Joe’s. You don’t need a rose garden.
Hang the stems upside down in a warm location for 1–2 weeks, or until they are completely dry, then remove the petals. That’s all there is to it.
Sachet 3: Odor-Fighting Shoe Sachet
Supplies You’ll Need
Instructions:
- Place the activated charcoal, eucalyptus, and mint into a bowl and blend them together.
- Add approximately 10-15 drops of tea tree oil to the mixture, then mix thoroughly.
- Fill each stamped muslin bag with about 1 cup of the mixture and tighten the drawstrings.
- Place one sachet inside each shoe while they are not in use.
Activated charcoal handles the toughest part of the job! It naturally absorbs dampness and unpleasant smells. Tea tree oil offers natural antifungal properties. Mint and eucalyptus give the blend a fresh, spa-like aroma rather than a gym bag scent!
These odor-eliminating shoe sachets are useful in more than one way: place one in your gym bag or, even better, inside your child’s sports equipment bag.
Sachet 4: Closet Freshener
Creates 2 sachets
Supplies You’ll Need
Instructions:
- Put the cedar chips, lavender, and eucalyptus in a bowl, then mix well.
- Fill each stamped muslin bag with roughly 1 cup of the blend and tighten the drawstrings securely.
- Hang it or place it in your closet near wool sweaters, coats, or anywhere you would like to discourage moths and maintain a fresh scent.
Because cedar naturally repels moths, this sachet is both attractive and practical. When the cedar aroma begins to fade, revive the sachet with a few drops of cedarwood essential oil.
How to Get the Best Results from Your Sachets
Although they aren’t permanent, sachets last for quite a while. Their fragrance typically remains for 6–12 months. Once the aroma begins to weaken, gently press the pouch or rub it between your palms to revive the scent held in the dried ingredients.
Essential oil is the perfect way to freshen them. Add a few drops of the matching essential oil through the material. Use lavender for floral sachets, tea tree for those placed in shoes, and cedarwood for closet sachets—their fragrance will seem fresh again.
Prepare a larger batch and keep the extra. Since all the ingredients are already being measured, double the recipe and place the remainder in an airtight jar. Replenishing a sachet takes only around thirty seconds!
They’re wonderfully charming handmade presents. Place two or three in a small basket alongside a candle or soap bar, and you’ve created a thoughtful, one-of-a-kind gift with a boutique-style appearance. No one has to know how easy they were to create.
Now It’s Your Turn!
Sachets are one of those crafts that offer far more than you might expect. With a bit of dried lavender, a stamped muslin pouch, and ten minutes, your dresser drawers can smell wonderful for nearly an entire year. That’s a pretty impressive payoff.
After making your first set, you’ll begin discovering places to use them everywhere. The linen cupboard. Your workout bag. The spare bedroom. A housewarming present. They may be tiny, but they give a home such a thoughtful and cared-for feeling, which is really the entire idea, isn’t it?
I’d love to hear which blend you decide to make first. Leave a comment below and tell me!
get your supplies
Handcrafted Sachets
Find the materials you need to create your own sachets at home.
Have your projects showcased! If this project or any of my other DIY creations inspires you, I’d be delighted to feature them in the Reader’s Spotlight gallery. Email a photo to jennifer@cottageonbunkerhill.com
xo, Jennifer
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