HOT TIP: If your lightweight down jacket (see North Face down jacket or Patagonia Down Sweater) travels with you even in the summer months, stuff it in the pillow case.

Instant pillow.

If you have an unused bedroom in your home, you can turn it into a walk in closet by installing shelving and closet rods around the perimeter of the room. You can also use rolling carts and hanging rods if you want to avoid installing hardware. To maximize the utility of your new dressing room, include a comfortable sitting chair for putting on your shoes and a full-length mirror to give yourself a quick appraisal before heading out the door.

When you are the rugged type or you simply love to match delicate urban styles with some country stability, there are of course those lovely leather boots lined with sheepskin. While Uggs are definitely the most well-known brand of shoes that provide this look, don forget that they are far from the only ones. Not only are these shoes fantastically warm, they are also incredibly durable, meaning that you will be completely protected as you march through the cold. Check out what other manufacturers make these charming, highly comfortable shoes.

Look for thick veneers on wood. Veneer has been used for hundreds of years and is not necessarily a bad thing. However, older veneer is thicker than modern veneer and it was glued onto wood. Newer veneers are very thin. Modern manufacturing methods allow for thinner cuts. Modern veneers are often glued onto particleboard or base woods.

Homes and apartments are a reflection of the personalities of the people that live in them. The bathroom, bedroom, living-room and kitchen are often the most decorated. They become the canvas on which the art of the personality can be fully expressed. These are the rooms most often seen by friends and relatives. Some people choose to not only decorate their living spaces with animal prints, but themselves as well.