October 1967

STORAGE IDEAS--ROOM BY ROOM

Now's the time to "put it all away" Unless you own a crystal ball, you probably underestimated your storage needs when you built or bought your present house. You're not alone. Nearly every family we know today owns more clothes, more appliances, more tools, more hobby and sports equipment-- more everything than they owned ten years ago, five years ago, even last year.

HOW YOU CAN TEST DRIVE THE NEW CARS

All of the U.S. auto manufacturers build good cars, capable of tens of thousands of miles of good service if properly maintained. You might still get a lemon, of course, as you might with any mass-produced item. But the chances are pretty slim, and the warranties are the best ever to protect you against that eventuality.

ORDER YOUR CAR WITH THE OPTIONS YOU'LL NEED

With the exception of the high-performance models, all cars are engineered and designed for normal service. This means they will perform, ride, and handle very well when subjected to normal family use, and will even accommodate the occasional extra weight of a full load of adults or luggage for a family trip. They are not set up for use as a truck or for dragging around a large trailer while loaded down with the whole family and their vacation luggage.

YOUR OWNER'S MANUAL IS WELL WORTH READING

Owner's manuals have really changed in the last few years. They're now thick little books that contain a gold mine of information. Plan to spend an evening reading the owner's manual for your new car. You'll be surprised at the information you'll pick up-- information that will help insure longer life and better performance from your car.

THOSE CRITICAL FIRST 500 MILES

The first 500 miles are still the most important 500 miles in the life of a car. It's true that breaking in a new model is quite different than it was a few years ago. Then the accepted method was to "baby" the car. Now, all manufacturers recommend more or less normal driving, but caution against fast starts and stops and wide-open throttle.

DON'T MISS THIS CHANCE TO BE HEARD!

Want your opinions to count? Then spend a few minutes on this Better Homes and Gardens Money Management Questionnaire. You could be $500 richer, too, since 50 of our respondents will receive a $500 sweepstakes bonus. Because the survey spans several financial areas, from insurance to food-buying, you'll want this to be as much of a family project as you can. Then you will be giving us information vital to a sound editorial program --and by the time you finish, chances are you'll be looking at your own family money planning in a new light.

AN EASY WAY TO ADD A FIREPLACE

HOW TO BUY A MATTRESS

You're moving. Or you're getting married. Or you've had a mattress so long you're anxious to junk it for a new one. All the major department stores are advertising "tremendous sales" of mattresses. Should you go to such sales? Or is the merchandise likely to be soiled or inferior?

HOW TO MAKE ACCESSORIES ADD UP TO SOMETHING SPECIAL

GOOD NEWS FOR MEN!

Speed and simplicity of installation are but two points in favor of this shower package.

USE EVERGREENS TO ACCENT... SOFTEN... CAMOUFLAGE... OR JUST BEAUTIFY

What's so great about evergreens? First of all, they look handsome all year long. Place them carefully in relation to your other shrubs and trees, and you get a balanced planting that never looks nude and stark even in the dead of winter.

DO SOMETHING SPECTACULAR WITH ORDINARY WINDOWS!

What to do about windows? The readers who ask us this question aren't looking for a panacea such as "hang curtains." They're seeking something special-- something to make a typical rectangular window really distinctive.

THIS BASEMENT IS PART OF THE UPSTAIRS

The cozy, finished look of this basement remodeling would do credit to any room upstairs-- including the living room. Through careful planning and wise selection of materials, what was once an ordinary, unfinished basement has become an attractive multipurpose living area. Add circular stairs and you've got a remodeling job that not only looks like the living room, but is actually part of it.

ARRANGEMENTS THAT GO ON AND ON

Winter needn't mean the end of magnificent flowers, greens, and leaves around the house. No, quite the reverse! We'll show you three ways to create long-lasting, radiant compositions from various fall materials.

STITCH IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS!

QUICKIE SNACK COUNTERS

A VERY SMART SMALL HOUSE

This classy contemporary tucks the basics for family living into a 1,700-square-foot rectangle. It includes a king-size living-dining area, kitchen, three bedrooms, and a "bonus" room which has a variety of uses.

OCTOBER GARDENING WHERE YOU LIVE!

Spring-flowering bulbs. There's a prize in every package! Not just a small, worthless bauble, but a truly fine treasure. Mother Nature does some very clever things, as witness the spring-flowering bulbs. Within one small packet called a bulb, there is an embryonic plant complete with flower and leaves.

CHILDREN'S FURNITURE THAT'S HERE TO STAY

TROPICAL ISLAND VACATIONS CLOSE TO HOME

An island's magic comes from the surrounding seas, and you will find no islands or seas more wondrous than in the Caribbean.

A KITCHEN DOESN'T HAVE TO BE OLD TO BE OUTDATED

WORKING WITH PLASTIC LAMINATE

Plastic laminate has a well-deserved reputation as a beautiful and trouble-free surfacing material, but an equally undeserved reputation for being expensive and difficult to apply. The convenience of having a surface so easy to clean and so durable more than makes up for the difference in cost over a painted surface, and, if you're only fairly handy, you can handle most laminate applications with simple woodworking tools.

HOW TO ORDER MATERIAL FROM THE MAGAZINE

SHOPPING EDITOR'S CHOICE

Discover the fun and convenience of shopping by mail! You can order with complete confidence any of the items shown: each company will refund your money if you're not delighted.

THE MAN NEXT DOOR

Representative Nick Hanfli isn't going to Vietnam. He says he gets the impression that one more Congressman is pretty low on the list of what the troops want over there.