I’ve had a lot of time to gather tips and hints about cooking and how to run a home because I’ve lived in a house for quite a long time. This book is a collection of some of the ones you’ve probably already thought of yourself.

The kitchen

This is the heart of any home and will normally contain a fridge, a cooker, a sink and some cupboards. When planning a kitchen, try to make sure all these items are in the places you want them.

The fridge

Having a freezer compartment can be very useful for storing food that you don’t want to eat immediately. I always think a bag of frozen peas can cheer up any meal. Rather than have a tomato soup for supper, why not put in a bit more effort and make a tomato and pea soup? When cleaning your fridge, it is a good idea to wait until there is not much food in it. If you wait until you have just done a big shop, you will have to take everything out again.

The cooker

My assistant, Lucy, and I always like to use an Aga. Do check out some of my Aga cookbooks for recipes. But if you don’t have the space or a few thousand pounds to spare, you can always buy a cheaper gas oven.

The sink

Always remember to situate your sink near a water supply. There is nothing more frustrating than turning on a tap and finding nothing coming out of it.

The store cupboard

I always make sure my jars of spices have their labels pointing towards the front. That way, I don’t have to turn them round to make sure I have picked up the right one.

• Don’t believe the old housewives’ tale that a watched saucepan never boils. Providing the gas is turned up high enough, a watched saucepan will boil.

• Keeping a list of things you need to buy is a good way of making sure you don’t either forget to buy something or buy something you already have.

• When baking, don’t use any of Prue Leith’s cookbooks. She really doesn’t have a clue what she is doing.

Cleaning

Every house gets a bit dirty from time to time, so it is important that you have the right utensils to clean. Never use a yellow duster as they can dye all your clothes yellow when you come to wash it. Instead, use a white one. When dusting shelves that are out of reach from ground level, either use a stepladder or attach the duster to a stick.

Cleaning carpets can be hard work, which is why I normally get Lucy to do it for me. Before cleaning a carpet, it can be a good idea to think about vacuuming it first.

• If you have a Hoover on every floor of your house, it saves you having to carry one up and down the stairs, which can get a bit tiring.

The living room

When buying a sofa, make sure you choose one that fits into your living room. Not all sofas are the same size and it can be hugely disappointing to order one that you have to leave outside on the pavement. To measure a sofa properly, use a measuring tape. For many people, the television is the focal point of the room. Try to choose one that doesn’t get Channel 4. It’s gone downhill dreadfully recently and features programmes with that awful, money-grabbing Paul Hollywood.

• A coffee table doesn’t have to be just for coffee mugs. You can also use it to store newspapers and the remote control devices.

Personal possessions

Hats and coats can be hung on hooks in the hallway. If you have small children, it can be useful to situate some hooks at a lower level so that they can reach them. Books can be stored on bookshelves. It’s also useful to have a spare set of keys in case you lose your main set. If you label the spares as “Spare set of keys”, you won’t confuse them with the main set you use in your day-to-day life.

The bedroom

At the centre of the bedroom is the bed. The bed should be comfortable, so make sure you test one out before buying. If you want to read in bed at night, it can be useful to have a bedside light. Otherwise you will have to get out of bed when you’ve finished reading, to switch off the main overhead light.

The garden

This is the patch of land outside the house. The green bit is a lawn and the side bits are the flowerbeds. Though you can also grow vegetables in them if you want. When choosing what plants to grow, it is always a good idea to select ones you quite like.

• Don’t worry if you don’t have a garden. You can always buy some flowers from the local garage to cheer you up.

Digested read digested: The Great British Rake Off.