How to Organize a Kitchen Remodel with Minimal Stress

The bathroom and kitchen are two rooms in the house most people believe must be functioning in order to live in a home. But you can remodel your kitchen while you still live there, and it doesn’t have to be the nightly take-out nightmare you might imagine. It just takes a little organization and planning.

Decide What You Want First

Once you decide you want to remodel your kitchen, it feels like you should start pulling things out and get the ball rolling. Start with a plan. Meet with an architect or contractor to ensure your vision works in the space you have. Decide on finishes and browse home improvement stores for the things you want most: new appliances, new hardware, or new custom kitchen cabinets. Think about getting inspections for your new hardware as well. Once you find what you want, order it and get it delivered before you start removing things from the current kitchen. Countertops are the only exception to this, as they can’t be measured for or designed until cabinets are installed.

Hire a Design Company

A design company can act as the general contractor, or go-between, to deal with all the specialty contractors that may need to come and go during your renovation. Without one, you’ll be the go-between and this will ratchet up your stress levels exponentially. Let the design company handle tiny details and only contact you when it’s necessary.

Section Off Your Kitchen

Use plastic sheeting or thicker plastic tarps to keep dust and debris contained to the kitchen. If your kitchen has a door that goes outside or to the garage, ask the work crew to use that door for entry and exit as well as removal of debris. This cuts down on cleanup in the rest of the house. According to Window Experts in Houston, one of the costliest mistakes in remodels is improper installation. Be sure you verify who is installing new equipment or custom-built materials and ask for references when necessary.

Create a Temporary Kitchen

Depending on the changes you’re making in your kitchen, your remodel won’t take less than a few days, and could be weeks. Eating out every day isn’t an option for most people. Create a temporary kitchen in another room of the house. You don’t need a full kitchen. Plug in a mini-fridge, add a toaster oven, and maybe a microwave. A folding table can serve as counter space. Use paper plates and plastic utensils to save on washing dishes.

Budget for kitchen essentials and accessories

Once you’ve designed and created your beautifully remodeled kitchen, you can start cooking up a storm with those favorite recipes. Leave room in your budget to fill your kitchen with fantastic quality accessories. A good set of pans or a set of the best Japanese kitchen knives to finally perfect those chopping skills. When designing your kitchen make a list of must-have items you need and budget for these.

A kitchen remodel while living in the home can feel like a never-ending process. With a little planning and preparation, you can get things moving along a little more quickly and smoothly. When it’s done, you’ll know that you won’t have to do it again.