5 Tips for Surviving a Kitchen Renovation
The kitchen is often called the heart of the home. During a kitchen renovation, you have to keep your home running without its heart. That can be beyond challenging. To get through the process in one piece, consider these tips:
1. Clean Out Your Kitchen First
Before the renovation crew comes in to start the work, schedule some time to clean out your kitchen. Get rid of appliances and dishes you no longer want. If you have to pack up your kitchen because you are getting new cabinets, this cuts down on the amount of stuff you have to pack up.
Also, go through your foodstuffs, and donate whatever you don't plan on using. Then, choose a few essentials to move to your temporary kitchen.
2. Set up a Temporary Kitchen
You will need to eat, and even with a lot of restaurant meals and take away, you will likely still end up needing to make some meals at home. So that's possible, set up a temporary kitchen. You simply need a big table for appliances and a cabinet for storing food.
If you don't have access to your fridge during the renovation, it may be worth your while to buy and set up a mini fridge. Post-renovation, you can use that fridge to store drinks in your lounge. You may also want to invest in a lot of dry goods such as crackers or other easy snacks.
3. Use Crock Pots, Grills and Microwaves
Weather permitting, you may be able to rely on your barbecue for home cooked meals during your renovation. Otherwise, consider putting a microwave in your temporary kitchen for heating prepared frozen dinners.
Finally, consider putting a crock pot, a knife and a cutting board in your temporary kitchen. That allows you to make all kinds of dishes while the renovation crew works on creating your new kitchen.
4. Lean Into Disposable Dishes
Beyond cooking, you also lose access to the kitchen sink during a major renovation. You can wash dishes in a laundry room tub or a bathroom sink, but that's not convenient. Just consider using disposable plates, cups, bowls and cutlery during this time in your life.
5. Consider Going on Holiday
If possible, you may just want to get out of the house. If your kitchen is completely torn up and it's in the middle of your home, you may not even be able to walk through the space. Consider scheduling a holiday during your renovation or taking a mini "staycation" at a nearby hotel. Your renovation team can let you know which days are likely to be the most intense.
Contact a home renovations company for more information and assistance.