There are, however, many things you can do in order to not only create the illusion of space, but actually make physical room in your home as well. You just need the right kinds of compact furniture and the correct accessories.

Furniture

Modular furniture is a great option as you can combine it in many different ways such as with the seating arrangements with modular sofas ñ you can actually cater it to your own space, something you might not be able to do with traditional living room suites.

A corner sofa can also help to make the most of your space as well as providing more seating than traditional 3 seater sofas. A corner sofa bed with storage is the ultimate buy for smaller homes as it provides a place to sit, sleep and store your belongings.

Strategically placed armchairs are a great addition in open plan rooms. They can act as a room divider or can be used to create a ‘feature area’ alongside a small table.

Do you want to have overnight guests stay but donít have the space to put them up? Investing in a small sofa bed could be the best thing if you have a small spare room (or none at all). Adding a 2 seater sofa bed to your lounge arrangement will create seats as well as a place to sleep. You can even get chair beds which are perfect for really small rooms and will allow 1 guest to stretch out in comfort.

Accessories

Using a light colour of paint on the walls is quite a standard practice for making smaller rooms look bigger, and if you donít want to use white or beige tere are a lot of beautiful pastel colours which will work just as well. Kitchens can especially benefit from a pastel yellow or green which will make the room feel light and airy as well as giving it the appearance of being larger than it is.

Mirrors are your best friend in small homes. Putting up large mirrors in strategic places will pick up natural light and make your room seem more spacious.

Storage and stacking accessories are great for saving space. A coffee table with storage compartments or a nest of tables that you can use when guests visit, can all help towards making the most of your space.

Lighting is also something you can use to create the right atmosphere and increase the appearance of space. It’s important to understand where your natural light sources are and to compliment them with the right kind of electric lighting and use of accessories.

For men, Ludlow loose fit jeans are the ideal clothing for a journey, comfortable yet trendy in a choice of Vintage or Grey. Add a short sleeved Faded Tee shirt or Icon long sleeved Tee shirt worn under a Sabrosa red, white and black checked 100% cotton shirt. A reversible beanie hat such as Jackson, Landon or Thunderstruck will keep you warm and looking the part. A zip hoody like Corporate is both trendy and practical, with fleece lined body for extra warmth. Footwear should be selected with care, for comfort and lightness, ensuring the sizing is just right. A pair of Dasit Skate Shoes with elastic tongue centering straps and maximum impact protection will ensure comfort while travelling or just playing and a pair of Electric Maxwell sunglasses with UV400 are a must.

Women’s footwear includes an extensive choice of Chelsea Skate Shoes, lightweight footwear with all the trendy features. A Billabong Ladies Pivoine white hoody with V front and buttoned panel can be worn with a pair of DC Banshee Snowboard Pants in Black which will deal with resistance to snow, wind and rain, trapping body heat while allowing perspiration to escape. A pair of cool Electric Vol sunglasses with 100% are an absolute necessity on the beach or the snowy slopes.

If you are travelling light, a backpack, such as the McKall or Trooper, will suit your needs with several pockets for water bottle, passport and all those other items you need to lay your hands on in a hurry. Or a split roller travel bag will accommodate heavier luggage. A wallet with flip out ID section and separate coin and note compartments for your cash and cards is essential.

You can’t be too careful when it comes to protecting your belongings. Ensure that your passport, cash cards and important documents are packed out of reach of pickpockets and use a safe on location if possible. Always take out travel insurance including extra cover if you plan to take part in sports such as scuba diving, skiing or snowboarding. Leave an address or contact phone number with a family member or friend and keep in touch via email or telephone if you plan a long vacation.

Take an active role in the community

Whether it’s volunteering at the local school or planning a neighbourhood party, getting involved in your local community can be incredibly rewarding. Your local authority website may be a good place to start when searching for local events and activities. You can search for what’s going on in your local area at the gov.uk website.

Keep fit

Keeping healthy and fit can be the key to enjoying a longer life, regardless of whether you’re still working or have taken early retirement. You can improve your fitness by spending just 30 minutes a day on a physical activity such as gardening, swimming, or walking. You can speak to your physician to find out what forms of exercise will work best for you.

Reducing stress and worry can be another component of good health. Researching over 50s life insurance cover, which could be used towards funeral costs or could pay for a small gift to leave your loved-ones, may help give you peace of mind.

Become a book worm

Short, dark days may make you want to curl up on the sofa with a good book. Local libraries are free and can also be home to local reading groups. Whether you would like to rent a DVD or CD, use the internet or improve literacy skills, many local libraries offer these services.  What’s more, the majority of libraries are also online so you can search catalogues from the comfort of your home.

Learn a new skill

You don’t have to be an academic to learn a new skill. There is a wide range of talents you can pick up, such as mastering a new language, developing your IT skills or perfecting a more hands-on skill, such as joinery.  Learning can be informal and gaining a qualification is not a prerequisite; it is a fun and a great way to relax and socialise.

Research your history

Interested in history and want to find out more? There are more TV programmes than ever dedicated to the subject. The history of your family, locality or house may also interest you.

Explore museums and galleries

An activity more suited for winter might be to visit a museum or gallery. Across the UK there are hundreds of galleries and museums catering for many interests. From local history to modern art, dinosaurs to space rockets, there’s something for everybody. Best of all, since 2001, entrance to national museums in the UK is free of charge.

Traverse the great outdoors

You can find many green and pleasant open spaces in the UK where you can have a picnic, play cricket or watch out for wildlife. These range from a small village green to one of the many vast National Parks. Have a picnic, play cricket or go hiking in the hills – there’s a whole host of activities for you to enjoy. Whether you’re a committed hiker or a casual rambler, you’ll find something suited to your interests and abilities.

This guest post was written by Andy Moore on behalf of Money Matters, the Sainsbury’s Bank blog. Though it may include tips and information, it does not constitute advice and should not be used as a basis for any financial decisions. Sainsbury’s Bank accepts no responsibility for the opinions and views of external contributors and the content of external websites included within this post. All information in this post was correct at date of publication.

The shoe trends for this autumn and winter are as diverse as ever. Women should be able to find something that fits not only their personalities, but also their wardrobes. The trendiest tones for the upcoming seasons are black, white, beige, burgundy, stone, chocolate, dark blue, red, khaki and deep violet. The brighter colours will not be as prevalent. Those colour tones are more often seen during the spring and summer. In the autumn, it is safer to choose shoes in darker colours.

There are many different popular materials when it comes to autumn and winter shoe trends. You will see regular leather as well as suede, satin, reptile skins and even patent. There are also a few lace options and occasional shoes that include fur this season.

Each fashion season chooses a type of toe formation that is popular to wear. This season, however, both pike and round toes are in style. This is a great thing for the buyer because everyone can choose their favourite shape and still be within the fashion guidelines.

If you want to be at the front of the fashion line, choose reptile leather shoes. These types of shoes are going to be very trendy this autumn and winter. There are dozens of different designs on the market with snakeskin being the most common. Crocodile leather is not quite as easy to find, but it is also very trendy.

Patent leather is the second trendiest material in terms of autumn and winter fashion trends. This type of leather is less practical than regular leather and it is also less versatile, but the overall appearance is gorgeous. Autumn and winter style dictates that you should go with bold colour combinations such as burgundy shoes with a blue ensemble or black with white.

You will also see suede materials on many of the boots and shoes this year. Good suede shoes will have an overall luscious appearance in any style. Suede has become trendier over the years and it is not being made in a large variety of shades.

In order to go along with the autumn and winter fashion trends, watch for shoes with plenty of buckles. Fashion tends to repeat itself and several seasons ago, buckles were the hot item on shoes. The trend disappeared, but it is back once again and in an even larger diversity.

How your fashionable shoes fit will greatly depend on what you wear underneath.

Hunter Welly Socks are great options to keep your feet warm, dry and happy as the weather get colder.

Check out the Guardian’s Autumn/Winter 2012 picture guide.

Being in debt can have a detrimental effect on a person’s mental and even physical health. The weight of an unaffordable debt and the necessary financial juggling that can follow tends to cause great stress, as can the letters and phone calls from creditors seeking payment. If you are in debt and are struggling to meet your repayments, you should always speak to your creditors, as they will do their best to help you meet your commitments.

One way in which a reduced monthly payment can be arranged is through debt consolidation. When consolidating debt, a new loan is taken out for the exact amount of all the smaller debts added together. A new term is arranged for repayment of the debt, depending on the circumstances of the borrower and how much is affordable as a monthly payment. Although the borrower will end up paying a greater amount in the long term, the new monthly payment can substantially reduce outgoings in the short term. If circumstances improve before the new loan is fully paid off, there is always the option to rearrange the loan again in order to reduce the remaining term, thus reducing the overall amount of interest that has to be paid.

Once you manage to clear existing debt, there are a few tips on staying out of debt that will help in the future. The most important step is to make a realistic budget and to stick to it. Factor in a few treats in the monthly expenditure and you are more likely to keep to your budget. Also put some money aside each month with the goal of building up an emergency fund. No matter what you can afford, it is better than nothing and even a small amount can soon build up. Another tip is to use the ‘want it, need it’ idea. Decide whether you actually need a new purchase before buying it. Never buy on impulse. If there is an expensive item that is needed, always do research online to see which is the cheapest method of purchasing. A little time spent on research can result in substantial savings.

People often do not realise that they may hold a skill which will already give they a foot in the door for an adventure job. For example, for those with an interest in water sports, why not look into becoming a water sports instructor. This job would require that you become a professional in instructing water sports and this is something that can be achieved from companies such as the UKSA who specialise in providing courses involving yachting, powerboats, kayaking, windsurfing and many more.

Interested in adventure jobs with a bit more of a solid base? (that means snow as opposed to water). The growing popularity for ski holidays in recent years has created waves and waves of jobs in accommodation, events organisation and sales at popular ski resorts. For those who are fond of skiing and want to live and work in the shadow of snowy mountain ranges, the “ski host”, “chalet manager” and “ski event manager” jobs that are available through a number of companies (such as Crystal and Flexiski) require that applicants are experienced in skiing and have an enthusiasm for the slopes.

One of the more general jobs within this field is the “activity instructor” or “activity manager” job which is usually involved in looking after children, teenagers or families that are taking part in some sort of adventure activity such as camping or some sort of holiday such as a quad biking expedition. Surprisingly, to be eligible to train on the courses that are tailored for this type of job, companies such as Kingswood actually require you to have minimal qualifications so that their course is a natural progression from your school life. These courses will provide you with the relevant insight into the adventure activities industry so that you are in the know when it comes to anything from which tent to buy to the dos and don’ts of map reading.

Many dogs fear car rides as they associate them with a negative event such as a trip to the vets or a stay at the kennels. This means it is worth making extra effort to make the journey as enjoyable as possible in order to make future trips easier. Before going on a long journey it is advisable to take your dog out for a short journey to a destination they will enjoy, for example, to a favourite walking area. This will make longer journeys far easier as they will learn to associate a car ride with a pleasant event.

Never give your dog a heavy meal before getting in the car. Eating before travelling is likely to make them feel sick. Also refrain from providing them with too much water, as the need to urinate will make them feel uncomfortable. It is also essential to make sure they have relieved themselves before you leave.

To make the car feel like a safe environment, put one of their favourite toys and perhaps a small treat in the car. This will help them enter the car positively. Talk in a positive tone, giving them plenty of praise for getting into the car. Your own feelings will significantly affect the way in which your dog behaves. Behaving calmly and positively will teach them that there is nothing to fear. In contrast, an owner talking in a nervous or negative tone will make any dog feel uneasy and agitated. If your dog is reluctant to get in at first, walk away and try again a few minutes later.

It is important to ensure any dog is securely contained when in the car. This is important for safety reasons and will make your dog feel calmer. If your dog appears nervous when in the car, make sure you do not leave them, this will only increase their anxiety levels. Perhaps surprisingly, playing music quietly in the background will also help to settle them down but avoid that ‘rock for the road’ CD!

In some circumstances you may need to travel by air with a dog. You will need to put your dog in a crate or kennel for the duration of the journey. Make sure you familiarise them with any container well before you leave. They should also have an identity label on the collar and do ensure that you have any relevant vaccination documentation such as rabies injection cards with you.

A fitted bedroom can also prove better value for money than buying separate items and can be less time-consuming to put together. The process usually involves deciding on a particular theme and colour and then the store will provide you with practical help and installation. Fittings will be made to measure, so awkward corners can be fully utilised and you can discuss ideas and design solutions to suit you as an individual.

Sliding wardrobes are a key trend at the moment, with entire walls providing you with easily accessible storage space. Panel materials range from classic woods such as pine and mahogany to high-gloss finishes in bold colours such as red or green. Another effect employs tinted lacquer glass so that you can view the contents of your units. This provides an attractive aesthetic statement.

More traditional layouts still hold mass appeal, however. Fitted double-door wardrobes, dressing tables, mirrors and shelves can all be arranged according to function and taste. This means you can indulge in a rustic style with wood or plump for a bit of modern glamour with minimal black and white aluminium. You could take a specific period as inspiration, such as Georgian moulded frames, or go for a country-cottage feel with a natural finish and a canopied bed.

Fittings have a more practical side as well. Because most units will run from floor to ceiling, there are no gaps to clean and dusting is kept to a minimum. If you do have any slopes or niches in the walls, these can be covered to give a more tidy impression. There are usually options such as over-bed cupboards for bedding, towels and tie and shoe racks and extra rails for children’s wardrobes which make the best use of the space.

Both functional and stylish, a tailored bedroom may be the solution to storage problems you’ve encountered previously. It can be a good way of designing your own bedroom from scratch without the hassle of furniture shopping, particularly if you are moving into a new home.

During pregnancy women’s breast naturally grow in size and to accommodate this increase in size and weight most women wear maternity bras, also known as nursing bras. Choosing the right nursing bra can be a tricky little task, so here are some helpful hints and tips to get you on your way…

First of all, if buying your nursing bra (or bras) before you start to breast feed (which most women do) then make sure you can place your hand flatly on top of your breast inside your bra. This will make sure that you have enough room for your breasts to swell further, which they are likely to do after you have given birth. A well-fitting maternity bra should always have cups that cover your breasts right up to your upper ribs, as this will ensure the most comfort and support. Making sure the seam around the bottom of the cups fits closely around your ribs will also ensure that the bra is as comfortable and supportive as possible.

When buying a nursing bra is it particularly important to buy one with straps that are both comfortable and adjustable. Wider straps are also a good idea, as your breasts will become heavier than you are used to and will need as much support as possible. Finally, when buying a nursing bra you should always check that you will be able to do up and undo the drop down cup with ease and ideally with just one hand!

As is true of maternity bras, the pants, knickers or boy-shorts you wear during and after pregnancy must be comfortable above all else. You might need to try a few styles to find out what is most comfortable for you, but going for pairs with a wide, expandable waistband is often a good option!

Although pregnancy is of course of beautiful thing and is deemed by many to be life’s greatest miracle, it is also true that many mums-to-be and new mothers find themselves feeling less than fabulous during their pregnancy and after giving birth. Naturally is can be difficult to feel like a sex kitten when you think you look more like a beached whale, but without question part of the problem is frumpy maternity underwear. You can, however, get back to feeling fantastic again, as hotmilk maternity underwear does not just offer everything you need in the way of comfort and practicality, but also comes in a range of fashionable, feminine and sexy styles (including some rather beautiful chemises that will accomodate your bump!). With maternity underwear this gorgeous, there really is not excuse for not looking and feeling like the yummiest of mummies!

This is never more important than when booking a ‘holiday of a lifetime’ in an exotic location such as Thailand. Chances are you have always wanted to travel to that destination and now that you are getting the opportunity, it is vital that you make sure every little detail is just right. Choosing the correct type of accommodation can make all the difference here.

Many people feel that an important part of going on holiday is the hotel experience itself. For many, part and parcel of going away is the fact that you don’t have to clean up after yourselves and the close proximity to a pool, gym or other facilities. However, holidays to Asian locations tend to be longer than a typical sun holiday so staying in a hotel for two weeks or more is not always the ideal situation. Some people prefer to have a little more freedom to come and go as they please and prefer to feel a bit more comfortable where they are staying.

Additionally, consideration should be made to your budget. You will likely have spent a sizeable sum getting everyone to your location so an ideal way to save a bit of money is to eat in every once in a while – a luxury that is available if you have chosen an apartment or villa for your accommodation. A family meal is always more enjoyable when no one has to dress for the occasion or worry about not understanding a menu. You still get the opportunity to experience local cuisine when you feel like it but can also have some comforts from home when you want as well.

Organising a private villa may be the best way to accommodate all of your holiday needs. Often you can combine the best of both worlds and organise a villa that also includes some hotel services like housekeeping and either access to or an onsite pool and gym. Best of all you and your party will be free to enjoy your holiday amid the comforts of a home and can gather round the table to share stories of your day in peace.

For some top tips and more information on holiday accommodation check out the Daily Telegraph’s hotel guide.