We spend a lot of money doing up our homes. In the U.S., the amount spent on furniture more than doubled between 1985 and 2005, going from $29.3 billion to $78.5 billion. To put that in perspective, the average American household spent about $721 per year on furniture. While there are years- moving home, having kids- that require some additions to our furnishings, it’s tough to imagine we actually need to spend all we do to accessorize our homes.

To avoid the waste of discarding old cabinets, shelves, beds and bookcases, we can hold onto things longer with simple refurbishing. A coat of paint or a bit of repair might do the trick. Or reupholstering can completely transform a couch or chairs.

While there are plenty of DIY solutions for recovering your old sofa (or you could hire a seamstress), pre-made slipcovers are a very simple way of giving your goods a makeover in minutes (for as little as $30, though can be closer to $100).

In this video, Jennifer Archer shows us how she turned an old, faded denim couch (well-worn by her three children) into a new corduroy number.

• Time invested in recovering: 3 minutes