Remodeling your kitchen (or other room in your home) is exciting. It can also be quite stressful. From demolition to design decisions, there are numerous factors to consider. With careful planning, though, you can emerge from your remodel with a stunning new space that exceeds expectations.
As you might imagine, with more than 40 years of experience working with customers and contractors through projects big and small, Holland’s Custom Cabinets has much insight to share. For the purposes of this article, we’ve focused primarily on the kitchen—just know that many of these tips apply for renovations in other parts of the home. We’ve also left out aspects of the actual building process to spotlight ways to minimize impact on you and your family’s regular routines.
1. Plan for Weather
Before anyone swings a sledgehammer, take the time to meticulously plan every aspect of the remodel. Just as you’ve considered various budget, material, and design preferences, also factor in the prevalent weather for the time when the work will occur—and for how long. Planning for how you will manage the effect of weather (or avoid it altogether) will ensure a smoother, less stressful process.
For example, you’ll want to avoid rainy or cold seasons if at all possible, for several reasons:
- Parts of your home may be open to the elements for a period during renovations.
- Severe weather can disrupt delivery and work schedules.
- Alternate arrangements for cooking meals, cleaning dishes, and performing other essential tasks typically done in the kitchen may involve the outdoors. Rain, snow, and other weather challenges can prove disruptive.
2. Consider Seasonalities/Holidays
Do you really want to have your house torn apart over Thanksgiving and December Holidays? On the flip side, if you’re planning a family trip away over the summer, might that be a great time to have the renovation work done?
3. Consider Upcoming Family Events
Is there a family wedding, graduation party, or other milestone on the horizon? Is this the kind of event where friends and family from out of town might be looking to you for lodging for a few days before and afterwards? If so, planning your remodel for an alternate time might be prudent so you don’t bring in more people and create greater disruption.
4. Move Out of the Kitchen Completely
Some people try to retain a foothold in their kitchen (or other room) during a remodel. We get it. It’s hard to break old habits and you want to use the space—even a little corner of it—if possible. It’s what you know and it’s convenient, but it can also slow down progress.
You should plan to move completely out of the kitchen (or whatever space you’re renovating) to make room for the trades to do their work. That means finding alternate storage for dishes, small appliances, and even food items in places like the garage, basement, a friend’s house, or storage facility. Be mindful of how weather or pests might affect what you store. Also, you might use this as an opportunity to cull unwanted or seldom used items.
5. Create a Temporary Kitchen
During the remodel, your kitchen will likely be out of commission for several weeks or even months. Setting up a temporary kitchen in another area of the home is a great way to maintain some semblance of normalcy. Utilize a microwave, toaster oven, Foreman grill, and/or electric skillet to prepare meals. Designate a space for washing dishes and storing essential items to make meal prep and cleanup more manageable.
6. Rely on the Hospitality of Others
Does a close neighbor have facilities you could use or share with them? Neighbors, friends, and family members might have items like folding tables or chairs you could borrow and set up in a garage or other living space while the work is being done.
7. Go Camping (sort of)
Break out the camping gear (or the RV) and treat your remodel like an extended camping trip. Well-equipped RVs can provide adequate alternate kitchen, dining, and clean up arrangements. Alternatively, simply use your outdoor grill or griddle to do some barbequing. There are tons of recipes online for using grills and griddles for cooking a wide range of meal types beyond just burgers and steaks!
8. Use Paper Goods
While we want to do right by the environment, the strategic use of paper goods can cut down on the amount of dish washing required to get through daily meals.
9. Think of Your Pets
Even if the remodel affects only a small portion of your home, the impact on dogs, cats, and other pets could be significant. Pets won’t understand what’s going on and could get stressed—especially with strangers in the home and loud noises. If possible, consider temporarily relocating them or isolating them in another part of the house.
10. Be Flexible
Remodels of any kind are disruptive, no matter what rooms are involved. There will be some levels of noise, dust, and inconvenience during the process no matter how well you prepare. At some point, stress will likely get to you or a family member. Instead of letting it boil over, the best advice is to accept the situation, stay flexible, and have a good laugh. Just think of how good the space will look and function when it’s done!
Transform Your Space with Hollands
Following these tips on careful planning, creative re-purposing, and flexibility can help you and your family survive and thrive during a kitchen remodel with grace and ease. Rest assured, if Holland’s Custom Cabinets can share any insight on how to make the overall process of transforming an old space into something new, more enjoyable, and less stressful, we will!
To discuss your project in greater detail, call us at 619.443.6081 or contact us through our website.
