Wallet-friendly ways to give your kitchen-diner a spring refresh

Work through your cupboards, taking everything out, giving the interiors a good clean and then replacing everything you use. Put little or never-used items aside and then be ruthless: sell, donate or bin things you honestly never use, and pack anything you are havering over in a box. If by this time next year you’ve never retrieved anything from it, wave it goodbye too.

Why else do you have newly cleared cupboards? Pop things away and revel in the feel – and prep space! – of a clean and clear worktop.

Now is a good time to re-order your kitchen by placing items where you need them most. A utensil holder next to the stove could change your life – or at least your cooking time! Pick an elegant pot for the task, and stick to items you use most often.

Give your cupboards a new look by wiping them down and switching out the handles. Just ensure that your new ones have the same fixings as the old so you don’t end up with unsightly holes in the doors or drawer fronts.

Introduce some greenery. A row of fresh potted herbs will look beautiful, and be useful too. Place them in a pretty planter on the windowsill and snip as you need.

Tackle the dining zone. Pack paperwork neatly into files and stack elsewhere in your home – and reclaim your table for its primary purpose. Voilà: revamped eatery.

Dining chairs with upholstered seats can easily be given a makeover: unscrew the seat, attach beautiful new fabric with a staple gun, refit carefully and you’ll have nearly new chairs for a steal.

A beautiful display can be as simple as an arrangement of crisp green apples or pears on a plate. Or try a row of mini bottles or jars (try The Reject Shop) along the centre of the dining table, each bearing a single bloom.