In This Article View All In This Article Who We Are Editorial Policy Community Guidelines The Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen The Better Homes & Gardens Test Garden Product Reviews The Better Homes & Gardens Collection at Walmart Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Our Editorial Team Recent Press About People Inc. Contact Us About Better Homes & Gardens Who We Are Better Homes & Gardens launched in 1922 in Des Moines, Iowa, as Fruit, Garden and Home by Edwin Meredith, who wanted a product that door-to-door magazine salesmen could offer the women who answered the door. The magazine offered informative articles, cooking techniques, and contests. In 1924, the name changed to Better Homes & Gardens, and it was considered one of the “Seven Sisters” women’s service magazines. For one hundred years, Better Homes & Gardens has been stimulating creativity, delivering know-how, and sharing fresh ideas that you can make your own. We power your passion to live a better, more beautiful, and colorful life. Better Homes & Gardens is a go-to resource for home ideas, food and recipes for everyday and special occasions, and garden know-how that can’t be rivaled. Our early magazines dealt almost exclusively with garden topics, but as the years—and our name and logo—progressed, we’ve been busy adding to our encyclopedia of home helpers. Throughout the decades, BHG has branched out to cookbooks (the New Cookbook, affectionately called the “Red Plaid Cookbook,” was first published in 1930 and has sold approximately 38 million copies), special interest publications, real estate, television shows, and more. We built a first-of-its-kind “taste-testing kitchen” in 1928, and by the 1970s, we had over 7 million magazine subscribers. We erected a half-acre test garden in the middle of Des Moines, Iowa, in 1998, and in all the years between filled our pages with ideas for elevating everyday living. Subscribe to Better Homes & Gardens Magazine Beyond the page, Better Homes & Gardens continues to be a trusted brand for readers around the world, across various platforms. Better Homes & Gardens magazine is published 10 times a year with a rate base of 3 million. With over 13 million followers across social platforms, The Better Buy podcast, and the second largest licensed brand in the world (License Global), BHG is a leading authority on all things home. In addition to a robust real estate presence via Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, we have a 20+ year collaboration with Walmart that continues to offer a wide range of products (more than 3,000 items!). Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, Facebook, and Threads. Editorial Policy Our goal is to provide accurate, reliable, credible, engaging, and balanced information online for our readers. Our editorial content is produced independently and without influence by any advertiser or commercial supporter. We source our stories with information experts and they are written by experts in their fields. Online content is defined as text, articles, photos, graphics, audio, video, blogs, user-generated content (UGC), and links. At BHG, we aspire to provide the highest quality content produced by humans, for humans. It is against our guidelines to publish automatically generated content using AI (artificial intelligence) writing tools such as ChatGPT. Read More About Our Editorial Policy and Standards Content Integrity We are committed to the quality and trustworthiness of our content and editorial processes. Our team of writers, editors, and photographers rigorously researches and reviews all content on an ongoing basis to ensure it is up to date, accurate, and puts the needs of our readers first. Original illustrations, graphics, images, and videos are created by internal teams, who collaborate with experts in their fields to produce assets that represent diverse voices, perspectives, and contexts. Periodic review by editors, as well as by Anti-Bias or other Review Board members as appropriate, ensure the quality, accuracy, and integrity of these assets. Photos and videos are not edited in any way that may cause them to be false or misleading. We correct any factual errors in a transparent manner and strive to make it easy for our readers to bring errors to our attention. Read our full integrity promise including our policies on accuracy and corrections, fact-checking independence and impartiality, and originality. Better Homes & Garden’s Inclusivity Pledge Better Homes & Gardens is committed to making our brand more inclusive and elevating all voices. Our goal is to provide trustworthy, inspirational, and achievable ideas for every doer and home-enthusiast. We believe it is important to showcase an array of perspectives and aspire to work with content creators (writers, videographers, photographers, and talent) from varied backgrounds across platforms. We regularly update our existing, highly trafficked articles, and will continue to monitor and remediate content through a lens of inclusivity. — The Better Homes & Gardens Team Giving Back IAC, which owns Better Homes & Gardens, has long supported organizations including The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, The Equal Justice Initiative, Reclaim the Block, National Center for Civil and Human Rights, ACLU, and The Bail Project. Additionally, IAC Fellows is an immersive education program designed to empower high-achieving students from underserved and under-resourced communities. Fact Checking As part of our commitment to content integrity and accuracy, Better Homes & Gardens has a team of experienced fact-checkers providing a vital layer of review on key articles. Each of our fact-checkers is carefully chosen and vetted for their research skills, journalistic integrity, eye for detail, and subject matter expertise. They confirm all statements of fact, statistics, and other data with reputable sources to ensure that the information in our articles is accurate and up to date. Community Guidelines At Better Homes & Gardens, we encourage our readers to join in the conversation and share tips, feedback, and advice to help one another. We believe in fostering a sense of community, especially when it comes to cooking. We moderate every review and comment added to a recipe. When it comes to leaving reviews or comments, we remind you that constructive feedback and questions are always welcome, but rude, mean-spirited, disrespectful, or spammy comments are not welcome and will not be approved. The Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen The Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen has been in continuous operation for nearly 100 years (since 1928), developing and testing recipes for home cooks. One goal of the early “Testing-Tasting Kitchen” was to nudge the American public into a more scientific era of cooking, which included an overhaul of how recipes were written. Then and now, the BHG Test Kitchen champions a style of recipe writing that leaves nothing to chance to ensure recipe success. Today, all the cooks are trained food professionals with degrees in food science, food and nutrition, culinary arts, or dietetics. Together, the team tests more than 2,500 recipes each year. Learn More About the Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen Credit: Jason Donnelly The Better Homes & Gardens Test Garden The Better Homes & Gardens Test Garden has served gardeners nationwide since 1998 by providing garden-tested, firsthand information about plants, gardening methods, garden styles, projects, and ideas. Our learnings in the garden inspire articles in print and online and the plants are featured prominently via our photography and social channels. Within the 22 different garden spaces are hundreds of perennials, trees, and shrubs, plus a changing palette of annuals and bulbs. To test plants and offer fresh ideas, the garden changes every year. Arbors and trellises are replaced with new designs; old plants come out to make room for new ones. The Test Garden holds plants that are not yet available from nurseries or garden centers; if these plants prove to be good performers, BHG is ready to tell you about them when they first come to market. BHG’s former garden editor Mark Kane had the original vision for the garden, and since its very first day, the BHG Test Garden has been helmed by Sandra Gerdes; she’s been running the show for 25 years. Learn More About the Better Homes & Gardens Test Garden Product Testing Our team is constantly on the lookout for the latest products and brands to help you create a home that brings you joy. Whether we’re scouring the internet for the best deals of the day, assessing new products in one of our three testing labs, or getting expert tips and suggestions on the best items for your home, our editors choose each product that we recommend with care. We strive to be honest about the products we feature, highlighting what we love but also where we think they could be better. While we purchase most of the products we test ourselves, occasionally we receive items for free to test or sample. We never promise a positive review in exchange for a free product—we wait until we’ve tried it to decide if it’s worth recommending to you. If you buy a product through a link on one of our pages, we may earn a commission through your purchase. Read More About the BHG Recommends Seal of Approval The Better Homes & Gardens Collection at Walmart At BHG, we’ve been the go-to destination for all things home, garden, and food since 1922. To help you bring home the practical ideas we’re known for, we joined forces with Walmart in 1998 to offer beautiful, affordable products you can use every day in your home. Our partnership began in the gardening category and has since grown to include more than 4,000 items. Since 2008, the Better Homes & Gardens Walmart collection has extended into the home space, offering well-designed, functional products in bedding, bath, patio, furniture, kitchen and dining, decor, paint and wallpaper, lighting, and more. With each new collection we launch, we’re constantly trying to improve upon the last, iterating on the looks you love. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Since 1978, Better Homes & Gardens has been part of the home buying experience through the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate division. Just as BHG has been recognized as a leader in the lifestyle category for the last century, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate is known for being a leader in real estate. Whether you’re in the market to buy a home, sell a home, or find an agent, the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate team is here to support you. Our Editorial Team Our editorial and leadership team is comprised of experienced editors and experts in their fields including food, home design, gardening, and more. At Better Homes & Gardens, we hope to fuel your creative ideas and help you bring them into reality. Mélanie Berliet SVP & Group General Manager Mélanie Berliet is SVP and Group General Manager of the Home, Pets, and Premium Publishing groups at People Inc., overseeing Better Homes & Gardens, Real Simple, Southern Living, The Spruce, MyDomaine, Martha Stewart, and Daily Paws. Read more Emily Manchester VP & Associate Group General Manager Emily is the Vice President and Associate Group General Manager of Better Homes & Gardens and has been with the brand since January 2022. She also oversees Martha Stewart, Daily Paws, and The Spruce Pets. Previously, Emily operated as the Editorial and Strategy Director for The Spruce and MyDomaine. Read more Better Homes & Gardens Digital Editorial Staff Lauren Phillips VP, BHG & Home Tentpoles Lauren Phillips is VP, BHG & Home Tentpoles. She has worked at The Spruce, Real Simple, and Coastal Living, among other publications, and has more than 10 years of experience working in print and digital media as a content strategist, writer, editor, researcher, and fact-checker. Read more Sheena Chihak, RD Editorial Director Sheena Chihak is the Editorial Director at Better Homes & Gardens. A registered dietitian, Sheena earned her dual B.S. degrees in dietetics and journalism from Iowa State University. She can't say no to cheese, pie, whiskey, wine, kumquats, or a killer salad! Read more Caitlin Sole Home Director Caitlin is the home director at Better Homes & Gardens. She is a writer and editor with more than a decade of experience with digital media, including SEO, photo and video production, print content, and custom sales content. Read more Sarah Martens Senior Food Editor Sarah Martens is the senior food and recipes editor at Better Homes & Gardens overseeing all food content on the site. She is a writer, recipe developer, and editor with more than a decade of expertise in publishing. She got her start writing a food blog and firmly believes it’s not a party without a cheese plate. Read more Viveka Neveln Senior Garden Editor Viveka Neveln is the digital senior garden editor at Better Homes & Gardens. She covers gardening, plants, landscaping, garden design, trends, pest control, and more. Viveka loves getting people excited about the botanical world and feels happiest with dirt under her nails. Read more Emily Williams Senior Home Editor Emily Williams is a senior home editor who covers interior design, home decorating trends, storage and organization, and holiday inspiration. Emily has been covering home and holidays at BHG for nearly a decade, and firmly believes it's never too early to put up the Christmas tree. Read more Maddie Topliff Editor Maddie Topliff is a Better Homes & Gardens editor specializing in home and lifestyle content. She currently resides in Chicago, IL. Read more Halee Miller Van Ryswyk Associate Editor Halee Miller Van Ryswyk is an associate editor for BHG.com. She is a graduate from Iowa State University, where she majored in journalism and mass communications and earned a minor in design studies. Prior to graduation, she was the Better Homes & Gardens print magazine home editorial apprentice. She is also a photographer, focusing on interiors, food, and travel. Read more Better Homes & Gardens Social Media Team Ginger Perra Associate Director, Social Media Ginger Perra is the Senior Social Media Editor at Better Homes & Gardens. Brand strategy is her bread and butter, and she loves to spend her days filming and editing content for Instagram and TikTok. Read more Paige Dorn Social Media Editor Paige Dorn is the Social Media Editor at Better Homes & Gardens. She joined the BHG team in 2022. Pinterest is her specialty, but you can also find her creating recipe videos in the BHG Test Kitchen. Read more Aliyah Rodriguez Editor, Influencer Relations Aliyah Rodriguez (she/her) is the Editor, Influencer Relations at Better Homes & Gardens. Creator partnerships and social storytelling are her specialty, and she spends her days collaborating with influencers and producing content for Instagram and TikTok. Read more Better Homes & Gardens Magazine Editorial Staff Carrie Boyd VP, Editor in Chief Carrie Boyd is an editor, writer, producer, content creator, and egg roll enthusiast. She has almost 15 years of experience creating engaging editorial and branded copy, packages, and productions. She is currently the Vice President and Editor in Chief at Better Homes & Gardens. Read more Jennifer D. Madara Creative Director Jennifer D. Madara has been the creative director of Better Homes & Gardens since 2015. Previously, she worked as the art director of special editions and projects at Southern Living, design director at Coastal Living, and art director at House & Garden. Jennifer has a degree from the Moore College of Art and Design. Read more Greg Kayko Managing Editor Greg Kayko is Managing Editor of Better Homes & Gardens magazine where he oversees operations and production. Greg's 30+ year background in journalism, creative writing, and operations management is key to the success of the BHG brand. Read more Miranda Crowell West Coast Editor, Features & Garden As the West Coast Editor, Gardens, Miranda Crowell oversees all garden content for Better Homes & Gardens print magazine. She has more than 20 years of experience creating lifestyle content for national magazines, including Martha Stewart Living, Elle Decor, and Cookie. Read more Kathy Barnes Senior Home Editor Kathy Barnes is a Senior Home Editor at Better Homes & Gardens magazine. She has been writing home design features for more than 18 years. She's also an adjunct professor of features and magazine writing for Drake University. Read more Lauren Bengtson Senior Home Editor Lauren Bengtson is a Senior Home Editor for Better Homes & Gardens magazine. She works on a range of stories covering market trends, crafts, decorating, DIY, parties, holidays, and more. Read more Sandra Gerdes Test Garden Manager Sandra Gerdes has been the manager of the Better Homes & Gardens Test Garden® since it was founded in 1998. She grows and evaluates hundreds of plants for their performance in a home garden setting. Read more Katlyn Moncada Food Editor Katlyn Moncada is the digital associate food editor for Better Homes & Gardens with nearly 10 years of experience in digital media. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in journalism with a minor in photojournalism from Union University. Read more Stephanie Hunter Design Director Stephanie Hunter is the design director of Better Homes & Gardens magazine where she oversees Food photography, production, and styling. Read more Jarret Einck Deputy Art Director Jarret Einck is a deputy art director at Better Homes & Gardens. He produces a wide range of editorial content from initial concept and photo direction to the final designed product. Read more Lori Sturdivant Deputy Art Director Lori Sturdivant is the Deputy Art Director at Better Homes & Gardens magazine, managing and creating innovating designs that engage and inspire audiences across all platforms. She has more than two decades of experience creating content for national magazines, including Better Homes & Gardens and House & Garden. Read more Maggie Goldsmith Associate Art Director Maggie Goldsmith is the associate art director at Better Homes & Gardens magazine. She's been with the brand since 2018, previously as a senior graphic designer. Read more Holly Pruett Editorial Business Manager Holly Pruett is the Editorial Business Manager for the Better Homes & Gardens and Premium Publishing magazine departments. She has 27 years of experience and has worked across brand platforms in various Management, Photo Editor, and Admin positions. Holly graduated from the AIB College of Business in Des Moines, Iowa. Read more Erika Bjorklund Copy Chief Erika Bjorklund heads the copy desk for Premium Publishing and Better Homes & Gardens magazine in Des Moines. She spends too much time thinking about commas. Read more Madelaine Jerousek-Smith Senior Copy Editor Madelaine Jerousek-Smith is a Senior Copy Editor for Better Homes & Gardens magazine. She's had a long career in journalism, including working for the Des Moines Register and Midwest Living. Read more Ella Field Copy Editor Ella Field is a copy editor and former contributing editor for Better Homes & Gardens magazine in the home and lifestyle areas. Prior to being a contributing editor, she was an editorial assistant and editorial apprentice for Better Homes & Gardens. Read more Cindy Murphy Production Editor Cindy Murphy is the Production Editor for the Better Homes & Gardens magazine. She's been with Better Homes & Gardens and Dotdash Meredith for more than 40 years. Read more Better Homes & Gardens Shopping Team Allison Cacich Editorial Director Allison Cacich has over 10 years of experience in digital media and has been working at Better Homes & Gardens since 2020. As Editorial Director, she oversees shopping content and is always testing new cleaning, kitchen, beauty, and pet products for herself and her Aussiedoodle Rosie. Read more Laura Kristine Miller Editorial Director Laura Kristine Miller is the Editorial Director for shopping content at Better Homes & Gardens. She has 12 years of experience writing about home design, home products, organizing, and DIY projects. She focuses on helping readers find the right products and solutions for their home through testing and first-hand experience. Read more Taylor Rock Associate Editorial Director Taylor Rock is the associate editorial director for Better Homes & Gardens. She has five years of experience writing about kitchen products, bath and bedding, home decor, small appliances, and gift guides.She's personally tested many products in each of those categories to help readers make informed buying decisions for their homes. Taylor's work has also been featured in Real Simple and The Spruce Eats.Taylor graduated with a B.A. in magazine journalism from Plattsburgh State University in New York state. Read more Lily Gray Senior Shopping Editor Lily Gray is a senior shopping editor at Better Homes & Gardens. She likes to write about interior design styles, seasonal decor, and lawn and garden tools. She often gives her personal recommendations on what to buy during major sales and around the holidays. Read more Jamie Weissman Senior Editor Jamie Weissman is a senior editor for Better Homes & Gardens with over four years of experience in the digital media industry. As senior editor, she covers bedding, pool cleaners, and couches, among other shopping topics. Before joining BHG, she was a publicist in the home and design industry. Read more Brandi Fuller Editor Brandi Fuller is an editor and writer focusing in shopping content like gardening and outdoor products, pest control, linens, and small appliances. Previously, she worked as a video producer, writing scripts and creating videos for brands such as InStyle, Southern Living, and Real Simple. Read more Erin Mayer Editor Erin Mayer has been an editor at Better Homes & Gardens since April 2023. She focuses on shopping content, including floor care products, air purifiers, furniture, and home improvement. With 10 years of experience in digital media, her work has been featured in a variety of notable publications. Erin is also an avid reader and has published two novels. Read more Euna Park Senior Commerce Editor Euna Park is a Senior Commerce Editor at Better Homes & Gardens with over 10 years of writing and editing experience in digital media and news. She focuses on covering home decor, cleaning gadgets, gardening tools, and more. Prior to her current role, she was a travel editor for Travel+Leisure, TripSavvy, and Brides. Read more Molly Blanco Senior Writer Molly is a senior writer at Better Homes & Gardens focusing on home product reviews. She is a journalist with several years of experience researching and writing shopping content. Prior to her current role, she worked on the product testing team for BHG and tested hundreds of home products ranging from bed sheets to vacuums. Read more Carly Totten Senior Shopping Writer Carly Totten is a senior shopping writer for Better Homes & Gardens, covering the best in bedding, vacuums, storage solutions, and seasonal decorating. Prior to her current job, Carly spent 10 years working as a copywriter and event planner in the wedding industry. Read more Alicia Geigel Writer Alicia Geigel is a writer for Better Homes & Gardens. With 400+ published articles and over six years of experience writing about lifestyle topics, beauty brands, and product reviews, Alicia Geigel is a lifestyle expert that has demonstrated her expertise by covering a wide range of lifestyle content, such as flower subscriptions and wedding websites. Read more Lauren Taylor Writer Lauren Taylor is a writer for Better Homes & Gardens. She has written shopping content for over two years and focuses on trends, sales, and product launches. She frequently covers home decor, furniture, organization, and kitchen topics. Read more Stephanie Osmanski Writer Steph Osmanski writes about health, the planet, and being a woman. She is a writer for Better Homes & Gardens and focuses on sales and trends in the home and outdoor spaces. She has been writing product reviews and shopping articles since 2016 with bylines for Real Simple, Southern Living, The Spruce, and countless others. Read more Wendy Vazquez Writer Wendy Vazquez is a writer for Better Homes & Gardens, reporting on news, trends, and deals related to home, kitchen, and lifestyle topics. She is dedicated to helping readers get the most for their money and make informed buying decisions by providing honest and in-depth reviews. Read more Jamie Fischer Writer Jamie Fischer is a writer for Better Homes & Gardens, where she crafts gift guides, roundups, and other shopping-related content. Along with analyzing and interpreting the brand's testing insights, she also loves testing out different products herself.After graduating from Lehigh University in 2023, Jamie pivoted to the shopping space as a writer at People Inc. Jamie graduated with a B.A. in journalism and psychology from Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. Read more Recent Press Our editors share valuable insider tips and tricks every day. Here are some of our editorial team’s latest features in national media. For press queries, you can reach us at [email protected]. Good Morning America: Hacks to clean smarter, not harder, on laundry day Good Morning America: See the winners of the Clean House Awards The Today Show: From granola to pasta: Try these elevated food options Good Morning America: Tips to increase that warm cozy feeling in your home this winter CBS News: How to winterize your home to beat the brutal cold Good Morning America: Cleaning smarter, not harder, in your home Good Morning America: Tips on decluttering your home for the holidays LIVE with Kelly & Ryan: Grow an Eco-Friendly Lawn with Stephen Orr Good Morning America: Better Homes and Gardens Clean House Awards 2024: Tested and editor-approved products Good Morning America: Food trends you need to know in 2024 LIVE with Kelly & Ryan: Spring Gardening Tips The Today Show: Shop These Award-Winning Products for Cleaning Your Home The Washington Post: How to replant tulips and mulch madness. Your garden questions answered. The Today Show: Dolly Parton is the latest cover star of Better Homes & Gardens About People Inc. Better Homes & Gardens and BHG.com are part of People Inc., an operating business of IAC. People Inc. is the largest digital and print publisher in America. From mobile to magazines, nearly 200 million people trust us to help them make decisions, take action, and find inspiration. People Inc.’s over 50 iconic brands include PEOPLE, Better Homes & Gardens, Verywell, FOOD & WINE, The Spruce, Allrecipes, Byrdie, REAL SIMPLE, Investopedia, Southern Living, and more. People Inc. Press Read about People Inc. and our family of brands in the news. Meet Our Senior Management Team Learn more about the Senior Management Team team behind People Inc. Terms of Service Better Homes & Gardens is a People Inc. brand, owned and operated by People Inc. and its affiliates. Access to and use of the Site is subject to our terms of service (“Terms of Service”). Read our Terms of Service. Privacy Policy We take online privacy seriously and we respect the concerns of our community of users. We may collect information, including personal information, directly from you if you choose to provide that information. In addition, when you access the Site, we and our third-party partners may automatically collect certain information about you and your visit, including personal information, using tools such as cookies, web beacons and other similar technologies. We may use the information gathered on the Site for various purposes, including responding to inquiries and to serve content and offers to you based on your interests and online activities. Read our complete Privacy Policy. Contact Us Do you have something you’d like to share? Whether you have a comment, need help, or have an idea to share, we look forward to hearing from you: [email protected]. You may also mail us a letter at: Better Homes & Gardens, 1716 Locust St, Des Moines IA 50309