How to Survive a Kitchen Renovation

When you make the decision to have your kitchen renovated, you are choosing to disrupt your family’s life for days or even weeks. Beginning with demotion and continuing through construction, your home will be transformed into a noisy work zone filled with strangers traipsing in and out.

So what’s the best way to prepare for all this upheaval? There are basically two options: Stay and deal with it or abandon your home until the work is finished.

Planning to Stay

If you opt to remain in your home during your kitchen renovation, make plans to be patient, avoid the construction area, and compromise. Depending on the size of your home, you may be able to relocate temporarily to an area far away from the turmoil, such as a basement, a back office, or pool or carriage house.

Another consideration is that you won’t have use of your kitchen during its renovation. So that likely means no cooking, no easy access to your refrigerator, and no central gathering space for your family until the work is done. It’s often a good idea to temporarily move your refrigerator to an easily accessible area, such as a hallway or nearby room. Of you might purchase a small, dorm-style refrigerator you can use until the work is done.

Similarly, meal planning during construction likely will involve either take-out, visiting restaurants, or making use of your microwave.

Temporary Relocation

Another option is to leave your home until the work is done. Moving in with relatives, friends, or a nearby motel or renting an Air BnB can relieve you of having to deal with the disruption of a kitchen renovation.

Keep in mind that you aren’t the only ones affected. Children, pets, and other family members will also need to find ways to deal with the temporary inconvenience.

In the end, it will all be worth it. But in the meantime, do your best to prepare for the disruption your kitchen renovation will temporarily cause.