Tips for Surviving a Kitchen Remodel

There’s a deep dark secret behind every beautiful kitchen remodel that most are reluctant to talk about; and that’s the fact that you will have to live in a house with no kitchen for weeks or even months. Between scraped away drywall bits on the floor and gutted out appliances, this is not a pretty or fun environment to be in.  

When you’re in the middle of making last-minute and major decisions when it comes to your remodel and working hours on end to get it where you want to be, the last thing you want to worry about is where you’re going to make the kids’ lunch or whip up some dinner. Luckily for you, the Appliance Educator has not only done major research but has some first-hand experiences when it comes to a kitchen renovation. As the first in this blog series, here are 5 survival tips for your next kitchen remodel.

1.     Set Up A Temporary Kitchen

You are definitely going to want a place to make and pour your coffee when you wake up in the morning, not to mention a place for a temporary fridge and your other small kitchen appliances. Since it is typically right by the kitchen, a great place to situate your temporary kitchen is your dining room. You can always lay out plywood to create make-shift countertops for a work surface.

2.     Stay Organized

When you’re packing up your old kitchen in preparation for your new one, you will need to sort out what stays, what you’ll need for a temporary kitchen, and what you will toss/donate. These should be stored in bins with detailed labels so you can locate what you may need throughout the process (or you can use clear storage containers). It is also a good idea to prepare essential dry foods and a set of dishes packed in plastic tubs – labeled accordingly. These are some essentials that we recommend not packing away:

-       A solid kitchen knife

-       A microwaveable container

-       Salt, pepper, and other spices

-       Food storage containers and baggies

-       Hand towels

 You’ll want to pack away as many kitchen items as possible, but there are some you just can’t live without on a daily basis. Be sure not to pack those away to where you can’t access them easily.

3.     Food Prep, Food Prep, and More Food Prep

Without your major kitchen appliances like the oven and stovetop, food prep takes a whole new meaning. Making an elaborate dinner is almost always out of the question during a kitchen renovation simply because you are exhausted and there isn’t enough time in a day. You will want to make meals in bulk and keep the leftovers for a quick reheat. These items will become your new best friends:

-       Microwave

-       Crockpot

-       Tupperware

-       Bottled water

-       Paper plates and plastic cutlery

Try to select foods and snacks that are ready-to-eat (fruits, veggies, hard-boiled eggs, crackers, etc.) so that you don’t have to worry about prepping and cooking them.

 

4.     Dishes 

With cooking food comes dirty dishes. Although your goal is probably to avoid dishes altogether, it is inevitable to have to clean a dish or two. If the only available sink is the shallow bathroom sink, you may have to result to the bathtub or an outdoor hose. However, with a washbasin and a drying rack, this is not as bad as it sounds. If you get a wash bin with a drain, your life can be even easier. Wash them in the wash bin so that water continues cycling through and draining without submerging cleaned dishes back into dirty water.

5.     Control the Dust and Debris

Your home will – without a doubt – be covered in dust, debris, and chaos. However, there are a couple of things you can do to manage it a bit more and protect your carpets and floors. We suggest creating a pathway for the contractors to take from the door straight into the kitchen. This can be done by laying down tarps, old carpet scraps, and rugs, or plastic drop cloths. You can also hang plastic sheeting around the demo site that’s taped to the floor to contain the dust.

A kitchen remodel can be incredibly intimidating, we know. But we hope these tips and tricks help make it a bit more manageable for you. It will all definitely be worth it in the end when you have a brand new kitchen you worked hard to create.