Hacks for living without a kitchen during your remodel
You have finally decided to do the complete kitchen remodel you’ve always dreamed about. Then it hits you – you’re going to be living in your home during this complete room remodel. Your kitchen is the hub of the household, and you won’t have access to most of it for the duration of your kitchen remodel in Phoenix Arizona. How are you going to prepare meals during your kitchen remodel? Eating out for every meal is not healthy, and then there’s the cost of restaurant food. But if you plan and prepare, you can survive, thrive and even have fun while waiting for your new kitchen to be completed by your favorite professional contractor in Phoenix AZ.
Your home definitely has more than one sink. Figure out which sink is used the least and designate it as your “kitchen sink” for the duration of the remodel. This might mean some family members will need to share a bathroom sink for a while, but identifying the use of this new kitchen sink will save much aggravation when it comes to actually using this newly designated room. If you have enough space, set up a platform for stacking and storing dishes and some other Essential (minimal) items. One easy was to do this is to ask your licensed contractor to place one of the cabinets from your old kitchen near your temporary kitchen sink. Then keep commonly used kitchen items in clear plastic storage containers and label them accordingly. This will make it easier to find what you need during your home remodel. Box up stuff that you use only occasionally and store it in an out-of-the-way place.
If it is possible, arrange for your kitchen appliances to be replaced last. This way you can move your refrigerator and freezer into another area and it (or they) will still be available for use. If you can keep your freezer, prepare several large meals ahead of time and freeze them in smaller portions. If you have an over the stove or built in microwave oven, it will probably be one of the first items to be removed. If it is possible, simply place the microwave somewhere that is easy to access for use during your kitchen remodel. We have had customers use both outside patio tables and garage work benches. If the microwave is not useable, a small replacement can usually be found for around $50. Placing an oven somewhere else in your home is usually not possible due to the specialized wiring necessary for ovens.
So, you don’t want to microwave all your meals. Be VERY grateful your home remodel is in Phoenix Arizona! We can bar-b-que year round, and there’s so many options for delicious meals. Our clients who have already gone through a kitchen remodel in Phoenix AZ have found that pretty much any meal can be bar-b-qued. Learn how to make aluminum grill pans (you fold over each of the four ends, and squeeze the corners to make a pan lip. If you don’t have a bar-b-que, invest in a camping cook stove. Better yet, borrow one from a friend or check online to see whether you can get a secondhand. You can also use pots and pans on a grill or a cook stove, but we suggest that you not use any expensive pans because the soot will be difficult to remove. Like an inexpensive microwave, many pot and pan sets can be found for under $100.
Aside from the preparing for meals, it’s a good idea to put away breakables and valuables in rooms adjacent to the kitchen during your remodel, especially things on the shared wall to the kitchen. Stuff in the next room may suffer damage during construction or when the contractors work crews are carrying equipment in and out. Also, map out the path your licensed contractor will take from your door to the kitchen. Rise Above will help protect those floors by laying down carpet scraps, old rugs or plastic drop cloths.
If you have pets, keep them out of the way of the work crew. They could disrupt work, or worse, get hurt.
If you think of this time as an adventure rather than a challenge you can keep this time in your memory as a happy experience. Above all else, remember to keep it simple.
Categorised in: Kitchens, Remodeling