How to find out who your friends are!

Although no one likes a liar, most of us are adept at those little white fibs that keep the world going round. ‘Does my bum look big in this?’ is never asked by someone who wants the answer to be ‘Yes’. And yet sometimes, you need a friend to tell you the truth – you just have to be big enough to take it on the chin if the answer isn't quite what you were expecting.

Does this room look a bit tatty?

The chances are that if you think the room looks in need of a makeover, then it is! Living somewhere every day does make us a bit blind to its shortcomings but there are often certain moments – when a ray of sunshine suddenly illuminates a spider’s web in the corner or a hole appears in your previously treasured traditional rug – when you realise that things may have gone a bit downhill. Choose your friend with care – you want to ask someone who loves you and your house despite your faults and will not just say something nasty but will give you an answer as well, such as, ‘I think if you replaced that runner with a nice new shaggy rug the room would look great.’

Does this house smell?

Well, there’s a tricky one if you like! There are so many adverts on TV about housewives worrying about their smelly loos and other parts of the house but we don't always realise when things are not too fresh any more. Rather than spray scents everywhere it might be best to look down – an old wool rug will matt down and get full of crumbs and other smelly detritus without your noticing. Your honest friend will be doing you a favour because no one wants to think that their home is smelly. Replace your rugs if budget permits, but a good shake and a brush with some bicarbonate of soda does wonders.

And finally does your bum look big in that?

If your friend tells you the truth about your tatty living room or your smelly hall, perhaps you have found the right person to ask the million dollar question, because after all, when you bend down to look closely at your patterned rugs, you want to be sure that your rear end doesn’t look too enormous!