Home improvement magazines address the needs of homeowners who desire to improve the appearance and luxuries of their personal living spaces. This is not limited to people who fully own homes. People who buy timeshares out of state or rent their homes on a month-to-month basis also find these magazines helpful.
The target audience are people who are responsible for the upkeep of a home, who pay either rent or mortgage, or who have fully bought their homes. The average age of the readership is from 18 years old and upwards for both genders.
Some of the well-known magazines in this genre include: Traditional Home Magazine, Country Living Magazine, This Old House Magazine, Better Homes and Gardens, Hobby Farm Home, Timber Home Living, Arts & Crafts Home, and Fine Home Building magazine.
Articles in demand for home improvement magazines
Articles on home improvement cover all areas—from building the foundation, to furnishing the inside. However, editors prefer mostly “how-to” articles that help homeowners improve the inside and outside structure and beauty of their homes.
Pitching an article to a home improvement magazine editor
The fundamental question that editors want to know is how your article will engage and interest their readers. What value does your article add to a homeowner’s life? If your article lacks value or offers little value, don’t bother submitting it. Editors want articles of value that will help maintain and grow their readership. Not only do editors want articles offering high value, but they also expect you to provide breath-taking photos or large-size images to add even more value to your article.
Typical pay for articles
It’s difficult to pinpoint precise pay rates for freelance articles in this genre because so many magazines cover topics on home improvement, not just magazines that focus exclusively on home improvement. Different magazines pay different rates for articles. You will need to ask the editor or consult the editorial guidelines on ranges of pay for feature articles, department articles, and photographs. Some magazines pay an average of $150 for a 500-word article, while other magazines pay per word, from .25 cents to $1.00 a word. A single 750-word article with five photographs can land you a $2,500 pay check from a leading newsstand magazine.
You will need to ask the editor or consult the editorial guidelines on ranges of pay for feature articles, department articles, and photographs. Some magazines pay an average of $150 for a 500-word article, while other magazines pay per word, from .25 cents to $1.00 a word. A single 750-word article with five photographs can land you a $2,500 pay check from a leading newsstand magazine.
10 Hot Article Topics
You can write many project-type articles, depending on how creative you are. Topics on home improvement are broad; thus, it is imperative that you study the content of these magazines. You can go to any magazine’s website and read free editorial content to acquaint yourself with writing style, scope of topics,
and the value of the magazine’s content. Here are the top 10 most interesting topics that editors publish.
1. Home Decorating and Makeovers
People need to redecorate their homes every now and then to add style and make the home live up to the occasion. For example, a home requires different decorations for different holidays. Editors love receiving seasonal articles on home decorating ideas. Some article ideas include:
- Quick living room makeover guides
- Holiday decorating tips
- How to de-clutter the children’s rooms
- Different ways to design a breath-taking bedroom
2. Dining and Entertainment
Many families host parties or weekend dinner parties with friends. It is important to equip these socialites with dining and entertainment ideas. You can write about:
- Tips on how to host an outdoor dinner
- How to whip up simple yet interesting desert recipes
- How to prepare affordable and easy dinners on a budget
- How to host an informal dinner party.
3. Landscaping and Outdoor Living
This is a hot topic because people always seek new ideas to make their living spaces and outdoor accommodations more attractive. Some article ideas are:
- How to maintain a party-ready garden
- How to start and maintain a kitchen garden
- How to pick practical herbs and plants for the garden
- How to grow and maintain a live “go green” garden fence
4. Home Improvement Tools and Products
Each home requires tools and equipment for simple repairs and general maintenance. This is a good avenue for a writer to offer tips on using home-friendly tools for home maintenance. You can write about:
- How to store different tools in a custom-made shed
- How to clean tools for winter storage
- How to sharpen tools safely
- How to prolong the tool’s battery life.
5. Lighting and Electrical
Every home has normal lighting and electrical needs and repairs. You can offer guidelines on a number of subjects. You can offer guidelines on:
- Power efficiency
- Lighting requirements for different room
- Green living ideas
- Electrical and fire safety.
6. Home Security
Home security is a non-ignorable subject concerning the home; you have the opportunity to offer simple, yet effective home safety tips. You can write about:
- Home lighting when on vacation
- Personal safety when doing different DIY jobs
- Fire prevention and safety
- Children’s safety around the home
7. DIY and How-to Projects
Most home repairs are fixable with basic tools—any homeowner can save money by doing the repairs themselves. Consider writing about:
- How to transform an ordinary object into a terrific one
- Practical craft projects
- DIY holiday gifts
- Space-saving projects and ideas.
8. Antiques and Collectibles
Many people love to collect various items and store them for pleasure; however, they always have questions on how to do this or the other. Here are some ideas:
- How to clean different collectible items
- How to display your antiques
- How much treasure are you holding with your collectors’ items
- How to shop for timeless collector’s items.
9. Holidays
You can always find an upcoming holiday. People often lack ideas for gifts, decorations, and guests’ entertainment. This is a great opportunity to offer new ideas. You can write about:
- Unique holiday decorating ideas
- Unique holiday recipes
- Holiday dinner table settings
- Homemade holiday gifts.
10. Health and Family
Families cannot afford to ignore health issues. When a condition affects one individual in the family, the whole family is affected. Editors do publish articles on family health, including lifestyle preventable medical conditions. You can write about:
- Different allergies and how to prevent them
- Weight loss diets that suit the entire family
- How to have family work-outs
- How to teach children healthy eating habits.
You can find writer’s guidelines to home improvement magazines by using our Writer’s Guidelines Database.
