What I remember most about my first visit to Costco way back when was the canoe for sale hanging from the ceiling of the warehouse. This, I realized, is not your typical grocery store. I also remember thinking I would not want to be inside if an earthquake hit. Interestingly enough, years later, I WAS shopping at our local Costco when a wee earthquake happened and am happy to report that all pallets stayed nicely in place.
Over the years I have filled many many carts - both the normal and pallet sizes - with Costco products and have been happy. In fact, I have grown to love Costco. Not quite like my older sister and my cousin who are passionate about it but quietly delighted that it is in my neighborhood. It is easy, on the most part inexpensive, and the Econ teacher in me is delighted with their corporate culture. You know they treat employees well by the fact that you get to know many of them by name - they don't leave.
I was pleased to discover that the local Costco here in Portland was even closer than the one in Pacific Grove - only about 3 miles away. I shop there probably once a month - the usual toilet paper, paper towels, garbage bags, cleaning products, whole chickens, cheese, frozen stuff, etc. I also found things for my duplex - my favorite being a storage unit for my upstairs attic room.
I cantilevered that really heavy package from the cart into my car (first removing Wesley's child seat, then wedging the package so that the last little bit hung out the open window), dragged it from the car onto the front porch then into my living room, took the package apart and lugged the individual pieces up to the attic where I assembled it - along with 2 glasses of wine to get me through the process - and loved it. Thank you, Costco.
I had lots of space in the basement so storage was no problem - I simply opened the basement door and tossed the large non-breakable stuff down where it all landed in a pile at the foot of the steep steps. On laundry day I would move it all to the basement's Costco corner. Easy peasy.
But everything changed when I moved into my new 421-square foot studio. That wonderful Costco storage unit came with me but it soon became apparent that I no longer had space for all the other Costco stuff. Where do you put 30 rolls of toilet paper, 12 rolls of paper towels, 36 eggs, gallon-size jugs of detergent, 6 tubes of toothpaste, 4 frozen chickens???? Not in my small unit.
It was with shock that I recognized my Costco days are numbered. There just isn't room. But I also now know exactly how long Costco-sized products last. I know this because I know my arrival date (3 months and 10 day ago) and know that I opened many new packages the day I moved in. So, here goes - one large tube of toothpaste, when used by one person, lasts 3 months. I am 3/4 of the way through the original paper towel roll I unwrapped the day I moved in (shows how little cooking I am doing), just started a new deoderant (and yes, I do use it everyday, thank you very much!), and, based on my new projected use of dryer sheets, my large double package will last 5 years!
I also realize how much more space I will have when I finally use up all my Costco multiples - I think I still have 8 sticks of deoderant, 4 large tubes of toothpaste, many quart size containers of laundry detergent (the original size packages would not fit into my shelves so I poured them into empty plastic containers), lots of dental floss, 10 bars of soap, 6 boxes of kleenex, and so on.
But no Costco? It is almost unthinkable and yet I just can't store the stuff. But oh my goodness. No Costco? Really? I called last week and found out that my membership cycle stops at the end of this month. I told them to not renew. I now have 21 days left. 21 days. I may go hang out and walk the aisles, remembering. Ah yes, that wonderful cheese (in a 3 pound package that would now fill my small refrigerator), the 36-can package of Diet Coke (where would I store all those cans?), the large box of crackers that Wesley loves (really? In my small cabinets?). Ah, the reality of my new living space. This is going to be a bit traumatic.
Oh wait . . . I just remembered. Stephanie has a Costco card! I know she will let me come along and add things to her cart. Of course she will. I won't have to go cold turkey after all. When so much is changing it is good that at least one thing can change a bit more slowly. Phew!
Over the years I have filled many many carts - both the normal and pallet sizes - with Costco products and have been happy. In fact, I have grown to love Costco. Not quite like my older sister and my cousin who are passionate about it but quietly delighted that it is in my neighborhood. It is easy, on the most part inexpensive, and the Econ teacher in me is delighted with their corporate culture. You know they treat employees well by the fact that you get to know many of them by name - they don't leave.
I was pleased to discover that the local Costco here in Portland was even closer than the one in Pacific Grove - only about 3 miles away. I shop there probably once a month - the usual toilet paper, paper towels, garbage bags, cleaning products, whole chickens, cheese, frozen stuff, etc. I also found things for my duplex - my favorite being a storage unit for my upstairs attic room.
Here it is in my new unit
I cantilevered that really heavy package from the cart into my car (first removing Wesley's child seat, then wedging the package so that the last little bit hung out the open window), dragged it from the car onto the front porch then into my living room, took the package apart and lugged the individual pieces up to the attic where I assembled it - along with 2 glasses of wine to get me through the process - and loved it. Thank you, Costco.
I had lots of space in the basement so storage was no problem - I simply opened the basement door and tossed the large non-breakable stuff down where it all landed in a pile at the foot of the steep steps. On laundry day I would move it all to the basement's Costco corner. Easy peasy.
But everything changed when I moved into my new 421-square foot studio. That wonderful Costco storage unit came with me but it soon became apparent that I no longer had space for all the other Costco stuff. Where do you put 30 rolls of toilet paper, 12 rolls of paper towels, 36 eggs, gallon-size jugs of detergent, 6 tubes of toothpaste, 4 frozen chickens???? Not in my small unit.
It was with shock that I recognized my Costco days are numbered. There just isn't room. But I also now know exactly how long Costco-sized products last. I know this because I know my arrival date (3 months and 10 day ago) and know that I opened many new packages the day I moved in. So, here goes - one large tube of toothpaste, when used by one person, lasts 3 months. I am 3/4 of the way through the original paper towel roll I unwrapped the day I moved in (shows how little cooking I am doing), just started a new deoderant (and yes, I do use it everyday, thank you very much!), and, based on my new projected use of dryer sheets, my large double package will last 5 years!
I also realize how much more space I will have when I finally use up all my Costco multiples - I think I still have 8 sticks of deoderant, 4 large tubes of toothpaste, many quart size containers of laundry detergent (the original size packages would not fit into my shelves so I poured them into empty plastic containers), lots of dental floss, 10 bars of soap, 6 boxes of kleenex, and so on.
But no Costco? It is almost unthinkable and yet I just can't store the stuff. But oh my goodness. No Costco? Really? I called last week and found out that my membership cycle stops at the end of this month. I told them to not renew. I now have 21 days left. 21 days. I may go hang out and walk the aisles, remembering. Ah yes, that wonderful cheese (in a 3 pound package that would now fill my small refrigerator), the 36-can package of Diet Coke (where would I store all those cans?), the large box of crackers that Wesley loves (really? In my small cabinets?). Ah, the reality of my new living space. This is going to be a bit traumatic.
Oh wait . . . I just remembered. Stephanie has a Costco card! I know she will let me come along and add things to her cart. Of course she will. I won't have to go cold turkey after all. When so much is changing it is good that at least one thing can change a bit more slowly. Phew!
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