8 Tips for Surviving a Kitchen Remodel

It’s finally happening- you are getting the kitchen of your dreams! For all gourmet cooks (and those who aspire to be), a kitchen remodel is the beginning of many exciting culinary adventures. However, before you can fire up your fancy new Viking range, you need to find a way to cope with the stress and inconvenience that comes along with upgrading your existing kitchen.

It takes a little creativity and a LOT of planning, but it is possible to still dine at home in the midst of a kitchen renovation. Here are a few helpful tips to guide you through the construction period as smoothly as possible.

1. Understand the Timeframe

 Discuss a timeline with your contractor to get a realistic estimate of how long you will not be able to use your kitchen. Make sure to find out if you can use parts of the kitchen for some of the renovation period, or if the entire area will need to be avoided. With these details in mind, develop a workaround for the areas which can still be used, if any. Is there space for the fridge to be plugged in until the flooring needs to be replaced? Will you still have access to the kitchen sink when the contractors have left for the day? Just remember that renovation can be a messy business and you may want to seal off the kitchen from the rest of the house until the remodel is complete.

2. Set Up a Temporary Kitchen

 Even if you’re planning to eat out at restaurants for the majority of the renovation, you still may wish to have an area in which you can make a morning cup of coffee or toast a bagel. You can set up a temporary kitchen space in a garage, basement or corner of a downstairs room, such as the family room. If you have an area with a wet bar or a utility tub, that would work well for any dishes that may need to be washed. Make sure there are plenty of available outlets for the appliances you may wish to plug in.

3. Stock Up

During your kitchen remodel, be sure to buy items like canned soup, cold cereal, breakfast bars and frozen meals that you can eat conveniently and relatively easily at home. You may also want to check into prepared foods at your supermarket’s deli for meal ideas- you will be amazed at the quality and variety of the foods they offer! Cooking meals ahead of time is another good option, provided you still have access to a microwave and a freezer during the remodel. Save yourself the headache of doing the dishes and buy disposable tableware until your renovation is complete.

4. Pack it Away…or Don’t

 Before the remodel is scheduled to begin, take the time to carefully pack up the contents of your kitchen. This is also a good time to purge any items you never use (hello, breadmaker wedding present!) and any duplicate, broken or mismatched items you may have. Don’t forget to set aside any utensils or appliances you may still need on a daily basis during the remodel.

5. Protect the Rest of the House

 Aside from the kitchen, think about the other high-traffic areas of the house that need to be protected from construction dust and workers walking through all day. Drop cloths can be laid down on the floors to protect carpet from stains, and breakable items such as pictures, sculpture and knickknacks, should be removed from any walls or shelves that could be accidentally bumped when cabinetry or appliances are being moved in.

6. Take it Outside

 If you are doing your kitchen renovation during the warmer months, your outdoor grill and patio table serves as a wonderful substitute for the kitchen. You can use your grill to roast veggies, bake pizza and make foil-packet dinners like you did at camp as a kid. With the addition of a picnic blanket and some s’mores, you and your family will think of the kitchen remodel as a fun adventure instead of a burden or inconvenience.

7. Don’t Forget Fido

 If your pet is used to his food and water bowls being in the kitchen, start moving his bowls to an alternate location about a week before the remodel begins. This will help them get used to eating in a different place. Also, if your pet is constantly underfoot or especially anxious around strange people and noises, be sure to keep him away from work areas at all times.

8. Get Away From it All

As long as you’re OK with leaving your kitchen remodel contractors in the house without you there, this is an ideal time for a family vacation, camping trip or long weekend at the lake. Being away from the remodel will not only recharge your batteries, but you will be amazed and surprised by the progress the remodelers have made upon your return.

All of you who have done a remodel, what other tips can you give? If you are about to do a remodel, what questions do you have? Leave them in the comments section.