How to Survive a Kitchen Renovation
Washing out mugs in the bathtub and getting hooked on take-away – here’s what to expect if you live on-site during renos
Becky Harris
13 February 2021
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia.
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe... More
Serial renovators and people who work in the building and design industries agree that the best way to survive kitchen renovations is to flee the scene and stay somewhere else. But this option is not always viable, so if you plan to live on-site, here is what to expect and how to prepare for it.
Don’t kid yourself
It’s going to be messy. It’s going to be noisy. For about a full week, you’re going to walk into a gutted kitchen expecting to turn on the coffee machine and then realise that you are barefoot in a construction zone (it’s fine, it happens to the best of us).
There will likely be frustrating delays and unexpected changes. Unable to make anything else for breakfast, you may become addicted to Pop Tarts. You will find yourself rinsing a dish in a small powder room sink or the bathtub – if indeed you have running water. You won’t be able to imagine ever wanting to dine out again, and your wallet is going to feel the hit of all that dining out and take-away.
It’s going to be messy. It’s going to be noisy. For about a full week, you’re going to walk into a gutted kitchen expecting to turn on the coffee machine and then realise that you are barefoot in a construction zone (it’s fine, it happens to the best of us).
There will likely be frustrating delays and unexpected changes. Unable to make anything else for breakfast, you may become addicted to Pop Tarts. You will find yourself rinsing a dish in a small powder room sink or the bathtub – if indeed you have running water. You won’t be able to imagine ever wanting to dine out again, and your wallet is going to feel the hit of all that dining out and take-away.
Concentrate on letting go of control, because if you try to hold on to it, you’re toast. This would be a good time to take up yoga or learn to meditate. In addition to helping you find a calm mental place, it’s a great excuse to get out of the house. Find some good classes or apps and head to the park.
Thinking of renovating? Find a builder near you on Houzz, browse images of their work and read reviews from previous clients
Thinking of renovating? Find a builder near you on Houzz, browse images of their work and read reviews from previous clients
Get organised
Plan to do the following tasks before demolition begins:
Plan to do the following tasks before demolition begins:
- Pack up your kitchen contents: This takes time to do properly so allow yourself a few days to carefully pack, label and move items. If it’s too big a task, arrange for professional movers to pack everything for you.
- Think about refrigeration: Perhaps there’s an old fridge in the garage you use for wine or a mini-fridge elsewhere in the house. If not, it’s worth renting a small one or buying one secondhand. Just be sure there is a place you can plug it in outside the works zone.
- Factor food into your budget: That’s right – your renovation budget should include the average cost of dining out or take-away food for the duration of your building works.
Change your attitude
Tell yourself and anyone who usually listens to you vent that you’re adopting a chic, healthy European lifestyle that involves stopping by the fresh food market for that night’s dinner provisions. These shopping trips will require some time management, but on the plus side, they will get you out of the construction zone.
Tell yourself and anyone who usually listens to you vent that you’re adopting a chic, healthy European lifestyle that involves stopping by the fresh food market for that night’s dinner provisions. These shopping trips will require some time management, but on the plus side, they will get you out of the construction zone.
Set up a makeshift kitchenette
If possible, set up a mini-kitchen in another room. Think about what equipment might come in handy for throwing together some meals. Suggestions include:
If possible, set up a mini-kitchen in another room. Think about what equipment might come in handy for throwing together some meals. Suggestions include:
- Coffee maker
- Electric kettle
- Toaster
- Slow-cooker
- Barbecue
- Microwave
- Mini-fridge
- Portable electric grill or frying pan (if you have a place to clean it).
If your house has a kitchenette, you’re in luck. For the rest of us, it’s more of a challenge. Your makeshift mini-kitchen can go just about anywhere in your house where there’s access to water and electricity; but cleaning up is the catch. So think about how you’re going to handle a small-appliance cooking mess beforehand – it may involve washing up on the porch with a hose.
Menu plan
You won’t be making soufflé or even mixing pancake batter in a corner of the construction site – now’s the time to get used to the reality of your new menu. It will consist mostly of food you can microwave, toast indoors or barbecue outdoors – think soup, cereal, sandwiches and pre-prepared or packaged heat-and-eat meals.
Clean up immediately
Keep dishwashing detergent, a scrubbing brush and a tea towel at the sink you’ve designated as your clean-up site. The designated food rubbish bin should have a lid to contain odours and keep pests away. Scrape dishes into the bin, wash them, dry them and put them back in their designated spots.
You won’t be making soufflé or even mixing pancake batter in a corner of the construction site – now’s the time to get used to the reality of your new menu. It will consist mostly of food you can microwave, toast indoors or barbecue outdoors – think soup, cereal, sandwiches and pre-prepared or packaged heat-and-eat meals.
Clean up immediately
Keep dishwashing detergent, a scrubbing brush and a tea towel at the sink you’ve designated as your clean-up site. The designated food rubbish bin should have a lid to contain odours and keep pests away. Scrape dishes into the bin, wash them, dry them and put them back in their designated spots.
Make a list of items to keep on hand
Figuring out what not to pack is key because once you box up your treasured possessions, it will be virtually impossible to find anything you need until after your renovations are complete and the boxes are unpacked.
See more inspiring kitchens
Figuring out what not to pack is key because once you box up your treasured possessions, it will be virtually impossible to find anything you need until after your renovations are complete and the boxes are unpacked.
See more inspiring kitchens
The essentials (from folks who have been through this recently)
- Barbecuing tools
- Carving knife, bread knife and paring knife
- Chopping board
- Two or three platters
- Coffee, tea, sugar and a few mugs
- Paper plates and napkins
- A set of cutlery and a plate, bowl and glass for everyone in the household
- Liquid detergent, scrubbing brush, washing-up tub and tea towels
- Salt, pepper and your favourite spices
- Foil, plastic wrap, a storage container or two
- Can opener and bottle opener
- Pet food and bowls
- Large tray for carrying food from wherever it is prepared to wherever it will be served.
A word about paper and plastic
A lot of people go strictly paper and plastic for dishes and cutlery, and if that’s what you need to do to get by for a short period of time, that’s fine. Keep in mind, however, that using paper or plastic plates and cutlery gets old quickly, can become expensive, and is bad for the environment. You will need only one plate, bowl, mug, glass, fork, spoon and knife for each family member because without a kitchen, clean-up will be immediate.
And no extras are required – no-one else wants to be a dinner guest at a house undergoing a kitchen renovation. It’s like the Seinfeld episode in which Kramer revealed he had prepared all the food in the shower.
A lot of people go strictly paper and plastic for dishes and cutlery, and if that’s what you need to do to get by for a short period of time, that’s fine. Keep in mind, however, that using paper or plastic plates and cutlery gets old quickly, can become expensive, and is bad for the environment. You will need only one plate, bowl, mug, glass, fork, spoon and knife for each family member because without a kitchen, clean-up will be immediate.
And no extras are required – no-one else wants to be a dinner guest at a house undergoing a kitchen renovation. It’s like the Seinfeld episode in which Kramer revealed he had prepared all the food in the shower.
Continue paring back
While packing up your existing kitchen, put aside appliances and utensils you don’t use. As you hold each item, ask yourself if it is worth wrapping, packing, storing, unpacking and then finding space for in your beautiful new kitchen. When was the last time you used it? Does it, as Marie Kondo asks, spark joy? Where are you going to put it in the new kitchen? Can you imagine yourself using it often? The answers to these questions will tell you if you should wrap it up and pack it or pass it along to someone who needs it.
While packing up your existing kitchen, put aside appliances and utensils you don’t use. As you hold each item, ask yourself if it is worth wrapping, packing, storing, unpacking and then finding space for in your beautiful new kitchen. When was the last time you used it? Does it, as Marie Kondo asks, spark joy? Where are you going to put it in the new kitchen? Can you imagine yourself using it often? The answers to these questions will tell you if you should wrap it up and pack it or pass it along to someone who needs it.
Designate a room as a construction-free zone
In the film Under the Tuscan Sun, Frances Mayes’ advice for surviving a renovation is to “pick one room and make it yours”. This concept is key to reno survival.
Designate one room as your sanity-saving space and be very clear with your builder that it is off limits for cutting through and for storing tools, supplies and the items that have come out of your old kitchen.
The best options are rooms that are not bedrooms and not directly adjacent to or above the kitchen. Workers will want to spread into the closest spaces when they need to stash new cabinets or boxes of tiles, so if the room is kitchen-adjacent, be vigilant because it will be a slippery slope. One day, it’s one box of tiles being stored there; the next day, it’s four major appliances.
In the film Under the Tuscan Sun, Frances Mayes’ advice for surviving a renovation is to “pick one room and make it yours”. This concept is key to reno survival.
Designate one room as your sanity-saving space and be very clear with your builder that it is off limits for cutting through and for storing tools, supplies and the items that have come out of your old kitchen.
The best options are rooms that are not bedrooms and not directly adjacent to or above the kitchen. Workers will want to spread into the closest spaces when they need to stash new cabinets or boxes of tiles, so if the room is kitchen-adjacent, be vigilant because it will be a slippery slope. One day, it’s one box of tiles being stored there; the next day, it’s four major appliances.
Designate a place for meals
Whether you’ll be eating take-away, using the barbecue or becoming an expert with the slow-cooker, eating off TV trays on the sofa or picnicking on the living room floor will get old pretty fast.
Some people prefer to eat outside during nice weather; others set up a card table or a drop-leaf table with a pretty tablecloth. Wherever it is, be vigilant about cleaning up crumbs after meals.
Whether you’ll be eating take-away, using the barbecue or becoming an expert with the slow-cooker, eating off TV trays on the sofa or picnicking on the living room floor will get old pretty fast.
Some people prefer to eat outside during nice weather; others set up a card table or a drop-leaf table with a pretty tablecloth. Wherever it is, be vigilant about cleaning up crumbs after meals.
Get grilling
Camping and living without a kitchen have a lot of things in common, including cooking under the stars. If you’ve ever wanted to improve your barbecuing skills, this is your big opportunity to shine.
Research recipes and techniques, follow inspirational chefs on social media, and try barbecuing some new meals to expand your repertoire. Keep the utensils you’ll need out of the packed boxes, and the accompanying condiments in your makeshift kitchen.
Camping and living without a kitchen have a lot of things in common, including cooking under the stars. If you’ve ever wanted to improve your barbecuing skills, this is your big opportunity to shine.
Research recipes and techniques, follow inspirational chefs on social media, and try barbecuing some new meals to expand your repertoire. Keep the utensils you’ll need out of the packed boxes, and the accompanying condiments in your makeshift kitchen.
This story was inspired by this kitchen, which belongs to the author’s parents, Joy and Dan Harris. This was the state of it during their renovations in the USA summer of 2018.
Your turn
Have you made it to the other side of a kitchen renovation alive? In the Comments, tell us what got you through and which kitchen utensils were must-haves. And while you’re at it, like this story and share it with everyone who will be living under your roof when renovations start.
More
Want more practical renovating advice? Read the 10 Dos & Don’ts of Designing a Kitchen Island
Your turn
Have you made it to the other side of a kitchen renovation alive? In the Comments, tell us what got you through and which kitchen utensils were must-haves. And while you’re at it, like this story and share it with everyone who will be living under your roof when renovations start.
More
Want more practical renovating advice? Read the 10 Dos & Don’ts of Designing a Kitchen Island
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@HU-420637236 - in the last photo? Those stools are from Palacek.
I’m going through a kitchen renovation at the moment. We have a medium sized dining room so I have carefully planned out our makeshift kitchen. We’re using chairs and glass table from the garden for the kettle, toaster and tea prep. Got a designated tea and coffee station for the builders. Using our dishwasher as a work top by placing one of our cabinet doors on top and using one as a backsplash. We have a cheap IKEA hot stove unit and cooking on there. Fridge is in the dining room too.
Dining table is large and pushed this against the wall utilising underneath the table to store posts, pans, food. On top is the microwave in the corner and breakfast/ snack items. We’re lucky to have a closet underneath the stairs using our IKEA wire rack to place plates and food items including the emergency wine.
Unfortunately our bath is the sink using a washing up bowl to wash dishes and tipping excess into the toilet bowl. It’s not fun but I’m racking up those steps 🙌. We sealed the living room off with a plastic sheet that has a zipped door to isolate dust and to provide sanctuary when you need an area that’s not cluttered. So far though it’s going well and not as bad as I thought it would be though I do miss my oven.
this is really nice I am new in this field but I want to do some freelance projects in interior design as to start my passion job work. can you help???