I think you might profit from reading Mary Greers "Tarot for Yourself" and working through the exercises in the book. It will really give you insight into the workings of tarot, first of all for yourself. Before you can tell people where they left their car keys, you have to understand how the archetypes in the tarot are connected to you.
You live in India. Maybe your cultural roots are very different from the deck you are using? If the elements etc seem forced to you, maybe you haven't yet found a deck that speaks to your intuition?
Btw, from the stories you are telling, you seem to do well! I had my first tarot reading in 1983 and started to seriously learn read myself some time in the early 90s. I feel that I know nothing.
Just give it time. A good reading is like a good conversation you are having with the cards. In some conversations you learn something new, in others you go over the things you know already, in some conversations mostly sad topics come up, in others you open up your soul, and again others are very practical and even a bit gossipy. Even a conversation without a "proper outcome" can be very good, and even a controversy can give you a push you need. There are no rules. That's at least my take on it.
And about the smell: blocked drain was also my first thought, either kitchen or bathroom. It might be necessary to search in a covered place. Pouring in baking soda and vinegar might be worth a try. No harsher chemicals, nothing that might hurt when you breathe it in.
Actually for questions of this kind, I use a pendulum. Or used to use a pendulum, I prefer the cards now.
I have this stage fright when doing a reading for someone who calls themselves "psychic" 