Better Homes and Gardens January 2020

editor’s letter

WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM? “Take my advice, I’m not using it.” This is the tongue-in-cheek wisdom a former boss gave me many years ago. The phrase came to mind recently when thinking about the topic for this month’s editor’s letter. In the magazine world, January has always been the time we trot out our annual “New Year, New You” stories. You know, the ones in which we tell readers everything they need to do to improve their homes, finances, exercise routines, and diets. This year, however, we wanted to try something less autocratic. After all, we are here to help and inspire, not to lecture. So we asked you what you need. During the months we spent preparing for our first annual Q&A issue, we asked our readers and social media followers what…

better homes and gardens

STEPHEN ORR Vice President, Editor in Chief Creative Director JENNIFER D. MADARA Executive Editor OMA BLAISE FORD Managing Editor GREG KAYKO HOME & GARDEN Home Editor AMY PANOS Style & Design Director JESSICA THOMAS West Coast Editor/Gardens MIRANDA CROWELL Senior Style Editor EUGENIA SANTIESTEBAN SOTO Senior Editors KATY KIICK CONDON, MONIKA BIEGLER EYERS, KIT SELZER Associate Editor MALLORY ABREU Assistant Editor LAUREN HEDRICK Editorial Assistant SUE MILLER FOOD & ENTERTAINING Food Editor JAN MILLER Senior Editors JESSICA SAARI CHRISTENSEN, MAGGIE GLISAN Senior Associate Editor CARRIE BOYD Editorial Assistant RENEE IREY LIFESTYLE Features Editor DIANA DICKINSON Health & Features Director AMY BRIGHTFIELD Beauty & Fashion Director ERICA METZGER Assistant Editor SAMANTHA DRISCOLL ART Design Director STEPHANIE HUNTER Deputy Art Directors CHRISTY BROKENS, JARRET EINCK Senior Associate Art Director LORI STURDIVANT Senior Graphic Designers LAURA ENGEL, MAGGIE GOLDSMITH Associate Photo Editor HOLLY PRUETT ADMINISTRATION & PRODUCTION Copy Chief MARIA DURYEE Copy Editor MARTHA COLOFF LONG Production Editor CINDY MURPHY Office Manager GINGER BASSETT Executive Assistant LINDA…

bhg.com what’s trending online

DECLUTTER YOUR FRIDGE So long, expired produce lost in back corners. Learn how to maximize space and keep your refrigerator tidy with our storage and organizing techniques, as well as tips for helping your food last longer. BHG.com/Fridge Store Your Food Better Click here to watch our organizing how-to video. [SWEEPSTAKES] Win $10,000 to give a room in your home a refresh. Enter for a chance to win at BHG.com/10kRescue. [EXCLUSIVE BH&G OFFER] Hale Groves Honeybells A cross between the Dancy tangerine and Duncan grapefruit, honeybells are available for only a few weeks each citrus season. Hale Groves harvests the ultrajuicy fruits in January then sends them straight to your doorstep along with a peeler, mixed nuts, and honeybell-flavor candies. Order at BHG.com/Honeybells or call 800/678-1154. Mention item M165 and offer code MJBHS. The cost of $37.99 includes free shipping…

you asked, we answered

We asked readers to share their most pressing decorating, housekeeping, cooking, and gardening dilemmas. (You did not disappoint.) And our editors went to work finding the best answers. Here’s what we learned: When it comes to decorating, walls cause the most woes. Choosing paint colors and filling a blank wall top your I-need-help list. We have ideas for both (see Can't-Miss Color and How to Fill a Blank Wall). If the design genie could grant you one wish, you’d ask for more space. We don’t have the genie’s contact info, but we do have ways to make every room look and live larger (see Small-Space Smarts). A clean house is top of mind, and you’d like a little help keeping it that way. Find tips, tools, and a timeline in Your…

anti-aging skincare

Q: “I Want to Keep My Skin Looking Good As I Age. What Can I Use at Home for Lines and Wrinkles?” EVA CORETS, Clyde Hill, WA Good news. We’ve got an anti-aging routine to keep your skin plump and smooth. In fact, you need only five products, all of which can be found at the drugstore. (And you might already own one or two.) What’s the catch? You have to be consistent and patient, says Deanne Mraz Robinson, M.D., a dermatologist in Westport, CT. It takes about 28 days for skin cells to turn over, so most products require at least one month of use before you see results, so the sooner you start your routine, the better. 1 CLEANSER Wash with a gentle cleanser at night to remove dirt, pollution, and makeup…

small-space smarts

Q: “We Downsized to a Townhouse. How Do I Decorate a Smaller Space?” PAULA YABLONSKY, Schenectady, NY Designer Shannon Claire Smith knows the challenges of small-space living. Faced with a dated 750-square-foot Washington, D.C., condo, she used paint and smart furniture choices to transform it into a glamorous retreat. (Only the bathroom underwent a full renovation.) Her tips for making this one-bedroom look and live larger than it is can be applied to any small space. 1 TRICK THE EYE Smith painted the built-ins blue-black. “Dark colors are counterintuitive,” she says. “A lot of people think they make a space feel smaller, but they really make the ceiling feel higher and the room appear larger.” 2 GO BIG ON SEATING A low-back sectional actually takes up less space than a sofa and chair would and accommodates…