Saturday, April 6, 2019

Tips on how to survive a kitchen remodeling


Washing in the bathtub, toasting bread as a main meal - how to manage the mess when the kitchen is unusable
Have you decided to completely renew your kitchen? Congratulations! Nothing is more exciting than the great moment when you can finally marvel at the result. But until that happens, you still have a lot to go through, because a kitchen renovation literally goes through body and stomach. Both experts and homeowners, who have had dealings with kitchen renovation, agree: the best way to get through this phase is to escape chaos and settle elsewhere. And if this royal road is not possible? Then find out what awaits you here and how you can best prepare for it.
The author of this article was inspired by the kitchen chaos of her parents. This is how the kitchen of Joy and Dan Harris looked in the summer of 2018.
That depends on you, it is chaotic, and it is loud. For about a week, you will enter a more or less devastated kitchen - hoping to turn on the coffee machine, only to realize that you are standing barefoot in the rubble (that's okay and happens to everyone). You will most likely be annoyed by delays and there will be unforeseen changes. Because you can not make a reasonable breakfast, you may become addicted to prepackaged cookies from the grocery store. You will be in the sink of your guest bathroomor do the dishes in the bathtub. You will not be able to imagine that you ever want to eat in the restaurant again. In addition, all this will be financially noticeable.
Be aware of the control. Because if you try to hold on to old processes, your nerves will eventually go blank. Use the time for yoga or meditate. Of course you need a quiet place - the perfect excuse to leave the house. Look out for a suitable course or app, and then off to the park!
Before your home sinks into chaos, you should note the following points:
1.            Allow plenty of time to clear out the kitchen, or hire relocation helpers if that's too much trouble for you.
2.            Consider whether there is a possibility to refrigerate food for the time of conversion. Maybe you still have an old fridge in the garage, where the beer is otherwise stored, or there is a mini-fridge elsewhere in the house. If not, it is always worthwhile to rent one or buy second hand. The important thing is that you place it in a place where there is also a power connection.
3.            Plan takeaway meals and restaurant visits in the overall renovation budget.
4.            Think about it. Tell everyone that you want to eat a healthier diet from now on, which requires, among other things, daily fresh food for dinner. Although some time management is needed, but the advantage is that you stay away from the construction site for longer.
5.            Set up a small transitional kitchen. If possible, build a makeshift mini-kitchen in another room. What things do you need for your daily meals? Here are a few suggestions: coffee maker, kettle, toaster or mini-oven, portable electric grill, mini fridge. If you already have a small kitchen corner or a bar with sink - luck! This is the perfect place for your transitional kitchen. For everyone else, it's a bit more complicated. Theoretically, you can set up the mini-kitchen anywhere in the house, the catch is just cleaning. So think in advance in which room the chaos after cooking is easiest to eliminate. Our tip: near the porch - with the help of a hose and bowl for washing dishes.

Make a meal plan

A meal plan during the conversion, especially of things that you can bake and toast indoors or barbecue outside, as well as soups, cereals and cold sandwiches. "High on the list are ready meals that you do not have to cook big," says my father Dan Harris, who has successfully completed the renovation of his kitchen.

After the meal: clean everything immediately

Put dishwashing liquid, brush and tea towel on the sink you have chosen for dishwashing. The future trash can for food scraps should have a lid so it does not start to stink and no vermin finds itself. Scrape the scraps of food off the dishes into the trash can, wash and dry it, and return it to the makeshift place.

You Make A List Of Things To Keep Out Of The Box Think carefully

about what you do not want to put in the boxes: once you've packed the bags, you're guaranteed not to find anything again before the new kitchen is ready and the boxes are all unpacked again. The following things are recommended by people who have just finished a kitchen remodeling:
o             barbecue utensils
o             Meat knife, bread knife, paring knife
o             cutting board
o             two or three serving plates
o             Coffee, tea, sugar or sweetener, a few coffee mugs and teacups
o             Paper plates and napkins
o             enough cutlery, glasses and dishes for all household members
o             Dishwashing liquid, brush, dishwashing bowl and tea towels
o             Salt, pepper and your favorite spices
o             Aluminum foil, cling film, one to two storage cans
o             a few serving spoons
o             Can opener, bottle opener, corkscrew
o             beverage cooler
o             Animal feed, feeding and drinking bowl
o             Placemats and tablecloth
o             a large tray to bring the food (wherever it was prepared) to the table (wherever it may be)
Measuring cups and mixing bowls are not without reason in our list of kitchen utensils that you should have ready. When preparing pancakes or other meals for which you need these things, the subsequent cleaning is quite elaborate: rinsing a dough bowl in the small sink of your lovely en-suite bathroom is not so much fun.
On the subject of cardboard and plastic paper plates and plastic cutlery are bad for the environment, expensive and will not last long. For every household member, all you need is a plate, a bowl, a large cup, a glass, a fork, a knife, a spoon, and a placemat, because you always have to do the dishes right after eating. You really do not need more, because during your kitchen renovation you probably will not invite anyone to dinner. (If you're a fan of the Seinfeld series, you might remember the episode in which Kramer admits he made the food in the shower ...)

Less is more

When it comes to packing, provide an extra box for mucked things. Every single part will go through their hands anyway, and it's worth it if you're wondering if you still need it. When did you last use the part? Did it (as the clean-up advisor Marie Kondo would ask) inspire you? Where would it be in the new kitchen? Can you imagine using it in the new kitchen? If you answer these questions for yourself, you know if you really want to wrap it up or give it to someone who really needs it.

Designate a space as a clean zone

In her biography "Under the Tuscan Sun," Frances Mayes recommends for the renovation, "Choose a space that is yours alone." A piece of advice that you should follow. Search for a room just for yourself, so you survive this time unscathed. Tell the site manager clearly that this room must neither be entered nor used for temporary storage of building materials and other things. Ideally, rooms are suitable where nobody sleeps and which are not directly next to or above the kitchen. The new kitchen cabinets or the boxes with the new tiles are always stored in the nearest rooms. And once there is a box in it, more will be added soon ...
Whether you're fetching food from the outside, tossing the grill or becoming a steamer professional, you'll soon be tired of eating at the side table or having a picnic on the living room floor. Some use their sheltered terrace when the weather is nice, others eat at the gaming table or at the folding table with a nice tablecloth on it. Wherever you take your meals: Do not forget to remove the leftovers after eating.
Living without a kitchen has something in common with camping, for example, cooking outdoors. So, if you've always wanted to be a grill pro - the opportunity has never been so cheap. Get new grill recipes, look for grill variations of well-known dishes, be inspired by experienced grill professionals on the internet, and prepare grilled dishes that you did not even suspect would work. Provide the necessary utensils and spices in your transitional kitchen.

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