September 2007

Between friends

In the stretch between the Fourth of July and Labor Day, almost eight full weeks pass without an official holiday. But who needs an official holiday to have a reason to celebrate. Recently, an acquaintance counted all the special days she celebrates each year.

RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINE

TAKE THE CHALLENGE!

Q: In June we asked you to describe what you're doing this summer to live healthier and happier...

A: AS A BUSY MOM of three I've been neglecting my own health for long enough! I'm now enjoying a kick-boxing class at a local community center and getting out to walk and jog on our beautiful Minneapolis parkway system. Add that to my new high-fiber breakfast, whole grains, and big delicious salads every day for lunch, and I'm on my way towards feeling my best.

CHANGE THE WORLD (REALLY!)

100 DAYS OF HOLIDAYS

NEW QUICK & EASY CRAFTS

EASY DIY DÉCOR

On Paper

Grab the scissors and add a little zip to your rooms with these quick and easy projects.

Appetite for Color

A dining area in need of its own colorful personality gives designer Laurie Smith some food for thought.

Stationery Front

CLUTTER BUSTERS

Q: CLUTTER BUSTERS Can you create more storage and be creative? We asked designers and organization experts across the country for their inventive tips.

Shelf Serve

We made our favorite shelf brackets into doggone easy and affordable projects.

Matchmaker

Opposites attract in Brenda Scherping's home, where traditional and modern furniture go hand in hand.

Office Politics

It's tricky business getting a home office to look good. This one gets the job done.

Arranged for Living

It's a common struggle: How to make your living room attractive, inviting, and most of all livable. See how we tackled the challenge using pieces from the new Better Homes and Gardens furniture collection.

BRANCHING OUT

ELEMENTS OF STYLE

Personalizes look with mix-and-match pieces from the new Better Homes and Gardens furniture line.

Charm Schooled

More than just a sleeping space, this bedroom is a cozy, dreamy place to relax.

Pride of Plate

Strike Up the Band!

Store & Order

Everywhere you turn in this renovated 14X16-foot kitchen you see clever ways to put things away. Once a dark, cramped area that also held the laundry room, it's now an easy, breezy-- and convenient-- space for Gary DeWaal, Myrna Chao, and their two children.

Laundry Booster

Transform a washed-out laundry closet into a high-efficiency clean-clothes headquarters.

Show Us Your Solutions

Show us your fresh ideas and clever solutions. Submit any recently completed home improvement project-- small, medium, or large-- to our Home Improvement Challenge in one or more of these categories:

Entry Points

If first impressions are everything, this front entrance earned a zero. Enter designer Carrie Raphael. With paint, fabric, and a better-looking bench, she created a pretty space that scores big with a busy family.

Orange Crush

Colorful accents and informal plantings give a garden its easygoing character.

TUCK IN A TREE

PLANNING FOR PEONIES

MOUNDS OF MUMS

NIGHT LIGHT

EXPERT DESIGNS

A TOTABLE TRIM

THIS MONTH IN THE GARDEN

Share your outdoor projects with us by entering the Better Homes and Gardens Home Improvement Challenge at BHG.com/challenge...

TIPPING POINT

SEPTEMBER SPARKLE

Green, Green Grass of Home

Your lawn can be environmentally friendly and still look great. Put your grass in step with Mother Nature with these simple lawn-care strategies.

This Fall's Fashions

Dress up your landscape in minutes with opulent color that will last through fall. Go beyond that standby-- mums-- and put together a new seasonal look using plants in warm hues.

Autumn Joy

Plant a surprise in your garden: springlike bulbs that bloom in fall The head-turning flower of Colchicum and fall-blooming Crocus in pink, white, purple, and blue supply an unexpected burst of color.

Cottage Charisma

Give your garden English charm with an old-fashioned arbor, fence, or gate.

Happy School Year!

Conquer back-to-school chaos with resolutions that will help you and your family stay organized-- and have more fun time together.

Ready, Set, Organize!

A kid's got a busy life, and a busy life comes with stuff. Where to stash the cell phone, iPod, soccer shoes, breakfast bar-- oh yeah, and homework? Versatile fall clothing can handle all his back-to-school needs.

Hit the Road

The journey is the destination for these cruises down America's leafy byways and back roads.

Shades of Pink

Let's Chat

Kids tell Better Homes and Gardens what they're really doing online. Parents: RUUP₄IT?

Home Again

WHEN SARAH ANDERSEN RESCUED HER CHILDHOOD HOME AND MADE IT BOTH A TRIBUTE TO HER PARENTS' CREATIVITY AND A SERENE SETTING FOR HER OWN LIFE, SHE PROVED YOU REALLY CAN GO

Secret Gardens

Living privacy screens embrace a serene garden retreat.

The Surprise Inside

A young family lovingly restores a century-old cottage. But it's their modern way of life that gives the house style.

COOKING ZOO

SOUP SMART

Silky broth, hearty noodles-- in a good chicken soup even the steam is delicious. If you've been pushing your cans of this staple to the back of your cupboard, it's time to rediscover what you love about it with these new versions.

PIE SPICE

DELICIOUS ROOTS

Caramel Apples

Easy dress-ups for a favorite autumn treat.

Letting Go

Learning to forgive someone isn't just a nice thing to do-- it's essential to your own long-term health.

I Did It!