The kitchen is the epicenter and most used room in the home for almost everyone who lives the Upper Valley. Homeowners the Upper Valley come to our showroom armed with months of research, having scoured design magazines, home improvement television shows, the Internet and friends and family who have recently renovated. They finally make the decision to move forward. It’s both an exciting time, but also a bit disconcerting. Remodeling your kitchen is not always easy, but it is definitely worth it. After homeowners the Upper Valley make the decision to remodel, there are certain steps we advise that they take to make the renovation process less stressful, costly and time consuming.
Creating a dream kitchen the Upper Valley provides a great opportunity to curate what currently exists and that process will help define storage needs for the future. The number one regret among homeowners the Upper Valley after they have renovated their kitchen not investing enough in storage and organization. We recommend sorting your kitchen gear into three categories:
- Items you will need to store.
- Items you will need to use during the renovation.
- Items you want to recycle/donate/dispose of.
The recycle/donate/dispose of option is often most important. Homeowners the Upper Valley should determine how many sets of dishes they actually need or want. Do you really want to keep dinnerware and serving dishes that are faded, cracked or chipped? How often to you use a saucer with your coffee cup? If never is the answer, do you really need to keep saucers? If you have serving pieces or fine china, real silver and large pots and pans that are used occasionally – think turkey roasting pans – then determine if you can store those items in other rooms in the house to make more room in your kitchen for the items that you use daily.
Mugs and food storage containers are additional items that most homeowners the Upper Valley have in abundance. Many mugs have sentimental value if they were acquired from trips, art shows, etc. Determine if they are needed or wanted in your new kitchen. Also determine how many storage containers you actually use and the right sizes.
Small appliances and cooking utensils are additional categories ripe for curation when planning a new dream kitchen. We encourage homeowners the Upper Valley to give away the small appliances and gadgets that they don’t use or whose functionality is covered by other appliances.
Looking toward the future and what your lifestyle is likely to be in the next three to five years and beyond can aid in the curation process. What items will you need? What items do you love and can’t part ways with and what new items will make your life that much easier and enjoyable?
After you have curated, the next step is to create a temporary kitchen in your garage, basement, utility room or other location to simplify cooking, eating and cleaning up at home during the renovation. You will minimize the expense of dining out and ordering takeout by creating a place to cook and store groceries. You may use a combination of the following to create a temporary kitchen:
- Grill
- Microwave
- Hot plate
- Camping stove
- Refrigerator (If you are replacing your existing refrigerator, the renovation provides a perfect opportunity to move the fridge to the basement, garage or other location that provides additional refrigeration space).
- Toaster oven
- Sandwich press
- Stick blender
- Pressure cooker and/or slow cooker
Depending on the scope, a kitchen renovation can take several weeks to several months. Simply replacing what currently exists in the same footprint can take less time than expanding or reconfiguring space, ventilation, plumbing, electrical and structural components and systems.
Planning For Life Without a Kitchen
- Coffee maker
- Electric skillet
- Folding or portable tables and chairs
- Temporary trash and recycling bins
Your grill, toaster oven, microwave or camping stove offer functionality comparable to an oven. A pressure cooker or slow cooker enable you to make one pot meals that can satisfy even the most finicky of palates.
Maintaining a positive attitude and a good sense of humor help. Remember that the inconveniences you experience during the renovation process are temporary and the reward of having a brand-new kitchen that serves as the epicenter of your home is long lasting and priceless.
If you would like additional guidance for curating your kitchen, effective storage solutions in your new dream kitchen and creating a temporary kitchen, please call our showroom at 603-448-9700 or make an appointment to visit us at 105 Hanover Street, Lebanon, NH.
