It’s time to start thinking about the holiday season. As we prepare, many of us look around our kitchens and wish they were a little more…something, maybe a little more workable or a little more beautiful. However, the holidays also include extra stress on the budget so for most of us, a brand new kitchen isn’t in the cards. Frankly, it’s also a little late in the game to contemplate gutting the kitchen, unless you’re willing to wash holiday dinner dishes in the bathtub.

So what do you do? Do you sigh and think that maybe some new plates will be enough to spruce things up? Do you frantically look for ways to get out of hosting family events? Or why not do a little planning, a little work and make some impressive changes in your kitchen that won’t blow the budget?

What is your main objection to your kitchen? Do you hate your cabinets? Would you like better lighting? Are your appliances difficult to use? Maybe you need more storage?

These are all things you can address without spending big bucks or demolishing your kitchen. You may still want to plan some upgrades, but these things can get you through the holidays or make the wait for a kitchen remodel budget more bearable.

If cabinets are your nemesis, there’s no need for a sledgehammer. Presuming you like the color and they are in good shape, new hardware can make a big difference. Additionally, some cabinets have doors with interior panels that can be removed. Replace the panels with clear or frosted glass, decorative metal panels, wallpaper or even fabric for a distinctive look. Or remove some of the doors completely and create decorative open storage. When the finish on your cabinets is in bad shape or a color you don’t like, paint is your friend. Consider painting the doors and the cabinets different shades of the same color or paint the top and bottom cabinets coordinating colors for a totally custom look.

Lighting can be an easy, yet high impact upgrade. Replacing a plain ceiling fixture over the sink with a smashing pendent light takes an afternoon and adds loads of style. Undercounter lighting is also easy to install when you use a kit that plugs into an existing outlet.

If your main gripe is about appliances it might be time to replace one or two. A new range and over-the-range microwave can upgrade your kitchen in both style and functionality and may not be as big of a kick to your budget as you think. (Check out the Amana brand Clever Combos.)

Need more storage or workspace? Create a kitchen island with a table or cart. Or use a pair of unfinished dressers. Paint or stain, place them back-to-back and top with a pre-fab piece of butcher block or countertop. Turn an unused bookshelf into additional kitchen storage. Put decorative china on the top shelves and hide more utilitarian storage on the lower shelves with fabric panels.

Use these ideas as a jumpstart for your own budget-wise kitchen makeover and when the holidays roll around your guests will all enviously wonder how you afforded it all.