October 1978

MAIL-ORDER BUYING: HOW TO ZIP THROUGH CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

Shopping by mail can be convenient and fun, especially when your alternative is hand-to-hand combat with the holiday crowds. You can order almost anything through the mail, from stocking stuffers to furniture. Here are some special tips for carefree Christmastime shopping, plus some general advice for all year long.

ARE WORKING MOTHERS ATTEMPTING TOO MUCH?

Holding down a job and pursuing a career while sustaining a marital relationship, nurturing children, and running a household add up to roughly a 32-hour day.

Preparing your windshield for sloppy weather

With fall and winter right around the corner, it's time to make sure that rain, sleet, dirt, road spray, and snow won't obscure your car's windshield or seep into your car.

Firewood buying tips

When you buy firewood for your fireplace or wood-burning stove, keep these tips in mind:

HOW TO MAKE YOUR FIREPLACE MORE HEAT EFFICIENT

To cope comfortably with lower thermostat settings, more and more families are using their fireplaces. But the conventional open-faced brick or stone fireplace is an inefficient way to keep a room cozy-- 90 percent of the heat just goes up the flue. Fortunately, there are ways to propel more wood-generated heat into living areas and keep precious heat from escaping up the chimney.

Small-scale dining

A STANDOUT DIVIDER

THE ENERGY DILEMMA WHAT'S HAPPENED TO OUR INITIATIVE?

Is your family living better each year? Saving more money? Probably not. And you don't have to look any further than your utility bills to realize why. Home energy costs are cutting more and more into your pocketbook.

WHERE TO START SAVING HOME ENERGY DOLLARS

Has another season of high utility bills played hob with your family budget? Help is on the way! This drawing shows many of the spots where your home may be oozing expensive heated or cooled air.

Window-wall shelves

Spot Decorating

KNITTED PATCHWORK

Who says patchwork has to be quaint? Here it goes all out in a kaleidoscope of vivid fall colors. You knit these free-spirited sweaters patch by patch, using amounts of leftover yarns if you wish. The stitches and techniques are easy enough for a beginner to master, so go ahead and knit sweaters for all your family. For complete how-to, see page 150

Fireplaces A beautiful way to warm your home

The beauty and romance of a built-In fireplace will make you want to curl up and soak in the warmth. But while you're basking next to the fire's radiand heat, your furnace may be working harder to replace all the warm air that's being pulled up the chimney. There's a big difference in the efficiency of fireplaces--both in the amount of wood they consume and their net heat output. That difference is crucial if you're installing a fireplace to help cut your winter heating bills. Here's a look at the units that are efficient heat-producers.

What to consider before installing a fireplace or stove

Heating our homes with nonrenewable fuels such as natural gas, coal, and oil is getting more and more expensive. Not only that, we may soon reach the point where those sources are simply no longer available-- at any price.

Steps to take before you insulate

"Slash your energy bill by 50 percent!" "Save up to 20 percent on heating bills!" "Reduce your heating and cooling costs by as much as 30 percent!"

Minute Rice

Small, mighty speakers

Tree trimmer

Hose fixer

Sewing with air

Press-on drywall tape

Smooth and speedy roller

How to strip wood furniture

A furniture refinishing project usually starts with getting down to the bare wood. Here's how you can get the messy job done quickly and efficiently.

How to redo a room in three stages

Let's face it. Any room that sees a lot of living is going to wind up looking the worse for wear. The process is a slow one, but suddenly you can no longer tolerate the frayed or faded upholstery, the sagging sofa cushions, the old carpet, or even the color scheme you once loved so much.

Suddenly it's spring with EARLY-BIRD BULBS

Why wait for spring to enjoy spirit-lifting tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, and crocuses? You can force bulbs right now and be rewarded with mounds of glorious springtime color all winter long. Many bulbs will be blooming in only ten or 12 weeks with a minimum of care.

LIGHT UP YOUR KITCHEN FOR FUNCTION

A dimly lit kitchen is not only dispiriting to the cook, it's downright dangerous. If your kitchen has a case of the drearies, it's time to effect a cure with the right lighting. This kitchen/eating area demonstrates how you can brighten your work centers and still enjoy a soft, romantic setting for nighttime dining.

HOW TO CHOOSE A RECLINING CHAIR

Until recently, about all the reclining chair had going for it was comfort. Sitting in the chair was relaxing, but melding it into a room scheme was next to impossible. Today it's a different story. Thanks to major design changes and mechanical advances in the last few years, many recliners are good-looking as well as comfortable. Here's how to find the model that's right for you. And for a look at some of the newer recliners, turn to page 179.

How to cook whole cauliflower

How to order material from the magazine

ON THE RUN TO BEAT THE BLUES

NEW EPILEPSY DRUG

HOW TO ESCAPE MONTEZUMA'S REVENGE

VACCINE FOR PNEUMONIA NOW AVAILABLE

OLDER PERSONS NEED WARMER ROOMS

WORTHWHILE HEALTH BOOKLETS

BIRDS THAT MAKE GOOD FAMILY PETS

Although dogs and cats are the conventional candidates for family pets, birds are well worth considering, too. These sociable little creatures offer affection, entertainment, and companionship. And with proper care and attention, they can be beautiful to look at and delightful to listen to.

Build-it-yourself birdcage

Move your feathered friends right into this classy birdcage, its size and wood construction make it particularly suited to canaries and finches. Our parakeets made themselves right at home, too. But if your budgie is a "born chewer," stick with a metal cage or protect the interior wood with a thin lining of aluminum or plastic.

What's new in recliners

GREAT VACATIONS IN AMERICA'S RESTORED CITIES

New life is stirring within many of America's cities. All over the country historic buildings are being snatched from the wrecking ball and restored. The result: revitalized neighborhoods where the past intermingles with the present and a great architectural heritage is preserved.

TIPS TOOLS & TECHNIQUES

A REGULAR FEATURE DESIGNED TO MAKE AROUND-THE-HOUSE JOBS EASIER FOR YOU

Dealing with energy

Emergency money

Craft wish book

Quick 'n easy platform

Mail-order decorating

Your message to tomorrow

A NEW FACE FOR A FRUMPY HOUSE

SPEND-THE-NIGHT SOLUTIONS

Shopping editor's choice

Discover the ease and pleasure of shopping by mail. Order from the convenience of your own home with complete confidence. If not delighted, each company will happily refund your money.

The Man Next Door

"We can be thankful that Moses didn't work for the government," the Rev. George Hall observed last Sunday, "or there would be at least 150,000 commandments accompanied by at least as many administrative interpretations and regulations for us to heed."