If you’ve made the big decision to renovate your kitchen, you may find yourself wondering what you’re actually going to do while it’s being renovated. Living without a fully functioning kitchen can be difficult to say the least, but don’t worry – you don’t have to spend lots of money eating out each night. While your main kitchen may be out of action, there are plenty of things you can do to make sure that you can still get by without access to your oven or dishwasher.
The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in the entire house, so it can be difficult to know what to do when you can no longer use it. For your convenience, we’ve put together our top tips for how to survive a kitchen installation, to ensure that the renovation goes as smoothly as possible.
Empty your kitchen
Before the renovation begins, you should do everything you can to prepare for it. This includes clearing and emptying your entire kitchen of everything to ensure that the tradesmen can get to work quickly and easily. Over time, you’ll more than likely have accumulated a lot of items in your kitchen – from baking equipment and pots and pans to appliances, utensils and food. You may also have different pieces of furniture in your kitchen that will need to be moved and protected.
Take the time to sort through your kitchen and clear out everything. This is the perfect opportunity to have a sort through all of your kitchen items and throw out anything that you no longer use or need. Perhaps there are old cookery books with recipes that you no longer use, or you’ve got a cupboard full of old appliances that don’t work properly. Take this time to get rid of anything you don’t need so that you don’t take any clutter into your new kitchen.
Be prepared for mess and noise
We’d be lying if we said that your kitchen renovation isn’t going to create a bit of mess and a whole lot of noise. It’s best to simply prepare for this; after all, you’re not going to be able to do anything about it. Before the renovation takes place, it is best to put a few plans in place – and keep the noise and mess in mind. For example, if you work from home, you may find the noise disruptive. Instead, it’s wise to find somewhere temporary for you to work from while the renovation is taking place – this could be a friend’s house or a cafe.
If the mess and noise of a renovation is going to bother you, it may be a good idea to organise some temporary accommodation while the work is being carried out. This doesn’t mean you have to fork out lots of money on a hotel – simply staying with a partner, friend or family member for a couple of nights can help you to escape the mess and chaos of a kitchen renovation.
Create a temporary kitchen
Just because your kitchen is out of action, doesn’t mean you have to hit a different restaurant each night or order takeaways. It’s important that you still have somewhere to eat while the renovation is taking place – so make sure you set aside some space to set up a temporary kitchen. This will help you save money and ensure that you can keep all of the hungry tummies in your family fed.
When packing up your kitchen, leave out the microwave, toaster and kettle to ensure that you can still have breakfast before the day begins. In addition, keep out the microwave to put in your temporary kitchen too. Ready meals are cheap and can be easily and quickly cooked up in the microwave. If you have a slow cooker, this can be a great option for cooking up flavoursome dishes without creating too much mess or needing too much space.
Moving your fridge to your temporary kitchen area is also a good idea to keep food chilled and ensure that everything stays fresh. If this isn’t possible, ask around to see if anyone you know has a small portable fridge you can borrow to keep essentials in, such as milk.
If the renovation is taking place during summer, why not have a barbecue in your garden while your kitchen is out of use?
Buy disposable crockery
When you don’t have access to your kitchen, you don’t have access to your sink or dishwasher which can make it hard to keep cutlery and crockery clean. We recommend stocking up on disposable cutlery and crockery to get you through this period. This can make eating ready meals easier and ensure that you’re not left with a big pile of dirty plates – especially if you have a big family to feed.
Don’t worry, stocking up on disposable crockery doesn’t mean that you have to throw away lots of plastic. Instead, there are plenty of eco-friendly and recyclable options on the market, ensuring that you can do your bit for the planet while making your kitchen installation that little bit easier. The last thing you want is to run out of cutlery or crockery at an awkward time (especially if you have lots of hungry tummies to feed!), so we recommend stocking up beforehand to make sure that you’ve always got some on hand in case of an emergency.
Create a safe space for pets and children
Don’t forget to think of your children and pets during this time. The noise and mess of a kitchen renovation can be stressful and unsettling for them, so make sure you pay extra attention to them. It’s important that children and pets are kept out of the way of the renovation and that they have a safe space where they can play. This will ensure that the tradesmen can get to work in your kitchen without being interrupted or worrying about the safety of your children and pets.
Ensuring that your children and pets are kept out of the way and that they have a clean, tidy space to play in is important for their health and safety. In addition, keeping them out of the way will help to maintain a normal routine and ensure that their day is not too disrupted. Asking a trusted family member or friend to look after your pet while the work is being carried out will ensure that your pet stays safe and is out of the way of workers.
Keep calm during the renovation
In the midst of the renovation chaos, it can be difficult to imagine the end result. When your home is covered in dust and you feel like it’s been taken over by strangers, just remember – in a few weeks time, it will all be over and you’ll have a beautiful brand new kitchen. A few weeks of inconvenience will lead to years of kitchen bliss!
James Dunn Roofing Ltd: expert kitchen fitters in Oxford
If you’re looking to renovate your kitchen, you needn’t look further than the team at James Dunn Roofing Ltd. We can work with you to bring your kitchen dreams to life and create a kitchen that works for you and your family. With over 35 years of industry experience, our kitchen fitters have the skills and experience to revamp your existing kitchen or install a brand new design from scratch.
We can deliver full installations from beginning to end, taking care of the electrical and plumbing work too. We’re proud to provide a full project management service to ensure your kitchen is completed on time and within budget. For more information about our services, visit our website or get in touch with us today.