Here's a genius way to make it look as though everything's been freshly painted - when in fact all it needed was a good clean.
When you've got children, pen marks, scuffs, hand prints and general grime quickly accrue on surfaces, making everything look and feel a bit dingy.
Think of this as a brilliant money-saving tip, because once you've cleaned all of that off, the walls and woodwork will look as though they've been repainted, with very little effort and zero expense.
All you need are two damp clothes and some scouring cream. Use one cloth to apply the cream and rub away the dirty marks. Wipe over with the clean damp cloth so that no powdery residue is left once it dries.
Don't worry about making patches on the walls - as long as you wipe over properly with the clean cloth the wall will dry evenly. Just keep rinsing out the clean cloth so that it stays clean.
* Tip taken from Simply Wonderwoman: A Survival Guide For Women With Too Much To Do (Kyle Books) by Joanna Gosling, Dh103, www.amazon.com