The kitchen is the hub of your house. Regardless of how often you cook or entertain, or the size of your household. This also makes it the most stressful space to renovate. Especially if you plan to stay in your house during the entire construction process. The reality is, even with a lock-tight plan, that’s carried out to perfection, there’s no way to avoid at least some inconvenience. Dust and drop cloths. Paper plates and the microwave. You’ll know them well. Read on for some tips to help keep your home machine humming.
Pack up everything you can live without
Hopefully your new kitchen layout includes more or improved storage. In the meantime, you’re going to lose some. Which means you’ll want to pack up and move out everything other than the essentials. Remember it’s only temporary, so all your tools and gadgets will be out at full disposal soon enough. This is a great time to trash anything that’s past the expiration date!
Setup a temporary kitchen space
Relocating old essential appliances into another room or even the garage can help minimize the impact of the kitchen upheaval. At bare minimum having a setup which includes a slow cooker and microwave could be beneficial. And don’t forget food prep. A sturdy, spare table will do for this, it doesn’t need to be anything fancy. Have it up against the wall and near an outlet and you’re good to go!
Plan your meals
If it’s warm outside, fire up the grill. Who doesn’t like a BBQ? And if you’re feeling social, it’s a great excuse to invite friends or family over for potluck picnics. Or for more rustic types, dust off that camping gear and those tried-and-true recipes from the glory days of campfires and stargazing…don’t forget the ‘smores! If outdoor dining is not an option, consider exploring the wonderful world of slow cooking. It’s come a long way from mom’s chili! For those who are running dawn-to-dusk or expect to be time-challenged, it could be time to master the fine art of batch cooking. Whether it’s pre-renovation in the form of frozen portions, or weekly meal plans—either method works!
Communicate with the contractor
As with any project, large or small, healthy two-way communication is key. Be familiar with the project timeline and general workflow. Understand how the related services and sub-contractors’ roles fit into the larger picture. Knowing the overall construction sequence allows for planning and more importantly the baking in of contingencies and delays that will be inevitable parts of your kitchen renovation. Clear lines of communication ensure there will be no last-minute surprises both in terms of labor or money!
In the end, working with a reliable, trustworthy contractor and the memories of the temporary disruption will be 100% worth it. Replaced by new memories of treasured times spent with family and friends in your new kitchen.
