WELCOME TO THE 2008 version of the Costco Household Almanac. You’re about to delve into a resource of tips, advice, information, how-to’s and occasional trivia—all intended to help you in your everyday living. In true almanac fashion, I’d like to start off the book right away with a tip on this topic: managing clutter!

Dealing with clutter is my job. To the amazement of many, I love it! Helping people dig out from under the overwhelming mess that fi lls their homes is part of my daily routine. Hundreds of families have invited me into their homes and hundreds of thousands have seen on TV how I tackle clutter or have cleared their own spaces using the same techniques that have worked so well for me.

Everyone deals with clutter to some degree, whether it’s clothes bursting out of our closets, boxes that stop us friom parking in the garage, bills and paperwork that are spread over the dining room table or kids’ toys that seem to cover every square foot of the home. When the stuff we own starts to own us, the message is clear: What we own is stopping us from living the life that should be ours.

All clutter is not the same. Many homes are fi lled with “memory” clutter— reminders of an important person, event or achievement in the past. Other homes are fi lled with “I might need that one day” clutter. You know what I’m talking about. The amount of stuff seems to increase daily, and we have no idea how to get it under control. I’ll share a secret with you: If you focus on the stuff as you attempt to get organized you will never succeed. Never!

I learned long ago that the very fi rst step in successfully decluttering your home and getting organized is to ask yourself what kind of a life you want to be living. What do you want from your life or your home or each room in your home? Only when you have a clear answer to those questions can you then look at what you own and ask, “Does this item move me closer to the life I want or farther away from it?” “Does this item help me achieve the life I want or not?”

If it does, hold on to it. If not, what’s it doing in your home? Your home should be a haven for you and your family—a place of peace and calm that welcomes you and makes you feel safe and nurtured. Everything that you bring into your home should help you achieve that goal. It’s as simple as that.

I have a belief that Costco seems to share with me: We each have one life to live. Live it as well as you can!

Peter Walsh is a noted international organization expert, a regular guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show and the author of the New York Times bestsellers It’s All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff (Simon & Schuster, 2007) and Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?: An Easy Plan for Losing Weight and Living More (Free Press, 2008). More details may be found at www.peterwalshdesign.com.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

● Welcome vi
Publishers’ columns, Foreword, Insider’s guide to Costco

● Sight and Sound 1
A complete digital primer, covering cameras and photography, camcorders, iPods, phones and two-way radios—and how to use them all.

● Guide to Computing 29
Expert advice on PC topics such as keeping the machine healthy; the latest in processors, monitors and media; plus backup tips for peace of mind.

● The HDTV Guide 41
A complete guide to the exciting world of HDTV, from Costco’s suppliers: DIRECTV, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Peerless, Philips, Quest Group, Samsung, Sharp Electronics, Simplicity, TEAC, Tripp Lite, Vizio.

● Office Basics 55
Everything for the home offi ce: chairs, surveillance systems, shredders, labels, cleaners—plus tips for avoiding scams and keeping organized.

● Home Project Primer 73
The latest and greatest for the do-it-yourselfer, with great ideas on windows, fl oors, stone tabletops, paint, toilets, pools and furniture.

● Home Essentials 89
Helpful homeowner how-to’s on safety alarms, lighting, air cleaners, leather furniture, foldable tables, saving energy and party planning.

● Bed, Bath and Laundry 109
Smart ideas on storage, bedroom furniture, sheets, pillows, down products and memory foam, plus cleaning tips to protect it all.

● Travel and Recreation 129
For those leisure moments on the road, plane, car, golf course or bike, and all points in between—with the right luggage, gear and attitude.

● Auto and Garage 145
Automotive 101: A guide to batteries, jump-starting a car, motor oil, spiffy garages and car-tire care, with trip tips and more.

● For Your Health 159
Head-to-toes information about staying young, safeguarding your skin, protecting your vision, exercising and avoiding germs.

● Tips on Nutrition 187
Our complete guide to the world of supplements and their health benefi ts, along with smart advice on drinking water.

● Member Tips and More 208
Supplier directory, Photography and illustration credits, Index

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FROM THE PUBLISHERS

WE ARE PLEASED TO PRESENT our second Costco Household Almanac—a resource meant to help you with the everyday things in life. Brought to you through the support of our valued suppliers, the Almanac offers tips, howto’s and information on hundreds of topics related to the products you can find at Costco. Browse through the table of contents to see the wide range of subjects we have tackled in this book, then keep it handy throughout the year. You’ll never know when you might need to know how to remove a tricky stain (page 128), fold a fitted sheet (page 117), safely jump-start a car (page 148), prepare for an emergency (page 104) or set up your new HDTV (page 41).

We are especially excited this year to feature informative articles from leading experts in the Almanac. These include Dr. Michael Roizen and Dr. Mehmet Oz on health topics, Borghese’s Georgette Mosbacher with skin beauty-care tips, Rick Steves on international travel and even legendary workout guru Jack La Lanne with 10 tips for fitness. And you’ll fi nd sprinkled throughout the book tidbits of wisdom from Costco members. All in all, we hope you fi nd it useful in your everyday living!

Ginnie Roeglin is Senior Vice President E-commerce and Publishing.

HOW CAN THIS SECOND Costco Household Almanac be of use to you? Let me count the ways:

1. It can tell you that if you can’t pass your clenched fi st between the back of your calf and the front of your office chair that the chair seat is too deep. Solutions? There are several on page 57.

2. It can help you reduce landfi ll waste by telling you about a kind of carpet fiber known as Type 6 nylon (N6) that is recyclable. Learn more on page 80.

3. It can help convince you to keep an old-fashioned corded phone around the house, which could be a lifesaver in an emergency. Really! Check page 105.

4. It can help put power in your golf swing, thanks to some swift advice from Long Drivers of America Hall of Famer Art Sellinger; pages 136 through 138.

5. It tells you how to obtain a government report detailing what’s in your local water supply—and how to fi lter out the bad stuff. Page 206.

Just five ways this book can be of use? Hardly. I stopped counting somewhere beyond 2,000. How did I choose this list of fi ve? I simply opened the book at random fi ve times. Each time I had to choose from many pieces of useful information. (I call it “fun with reference books.”)

That’s the what of the Almanac, but what is the why of the Almanac? It is two-fold:

• To assist you in judging the quality of a product or service
• To help you get the most out of their purchases If we can do that, we will have succeeded in our task.

David W. Fuller is Publisher of the Costco Household Almanac.

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