Renovating a house is an infinitely costly process, and one which is made considerably more expensive once the bills for labour and design management arrive on your doorstep. Unless you believe the project is an absolute necessity, you might want to consider giving your home a superficial face lift, instead of totally refurbishing it.
This will allow you cheaply, quickly and on your own, to improve the interior of your house. You might also treat the decision as a good opportunity to begin a savings plan towards a more thorough renovation. This will save you from having to take a loan in the future and will thus help to keep you debt-free.
A new coat of paint is always a good idea when you're giving your home a face lift; it won't cost more than a month's supply of dog food and instantly improves a shabby, tired interior. Do some research when you're choosing your palette, and go for something timeless and attractive.
Instead of purchasing new suites of furniture, consider the pieces you already own. Get rid of the ones that are too tired to be saved and have the rest reupholstered in a great, durable fabric that compliments the paint work and won't date in the next couple of years.
While you're considering fabrics, it's also a good idea to throw out any moth eaten or ugly window coverings and replace these with smarter alternatives. If you're tired of curtains, research the cost of custom blinds online: you'll be surprised by how reasonable some of these are.