Monthly Archives: July 2014

Remodeling is not for the faint of heart.

I know, because I’m living through one right now.

As I write this post, my kitchen is without a functioning sink or dishwasher and I’m missing half of my counter tops.  A few days ago, everything that belonged in my kitchen was all over my house and my refrigerator was in my living room.  A few days before that, the house was pretty much unlivable because of the unhealthy VOC’s emanating from the primer used on the cabinets.  

As you can imagine, our home is in a major state of upheaval and every day tasks aren’t easy.  Truth be told, it’s driving us all a little crazy.  Okay…a LOT crazy!

This “small” renovation that was supposed to take 2 weeks is now in week 5 — depending upon how you look at it.  If you count that it began on the day we signed the contract to begin work, we’re well in to month 3.  If you begin counting from the day work was scheduled to begin, we’re in week 9.  I’m choosing to count from the day my kitchen was first disrupted.  That makes it week 5.  I’m told things will be wrapped up at the end of this week.  Frankly, I’ll believe it when I see it.

For now, though, I’m using every zen-like strategy I have to keep from going over the deep-end.  Today, I’m sharing with you some lessons learned and what you can do if you ever decide to embark on a kitchen renovation project.  Yes, you can survive a kitchen remodel!

1.  Prepare yourself mentally that not everything is going to go according to plan.  

Even in the best of circumstances things can happen.  Sub-contractors are late, the gas line is sticking out too far and has to be moved, the drywall gets damaged when the backsplashed is removed and needs to be replaced, etc.  Things happen, costs go up, and schedules are a moving target.  Keep these things in mind and budget accordingly before you begin so these types of changes don’t send you over the edge right from the start.

2.  Even a small renovation with little demolition can cause a major disruption.

Our remodel is not a total gut job.  Even so, painting, re-modeling a few cabinets, replacing counter tops, adding a new sink…all these things are big disruptions in the kitchen.  Plan for the fact that your kitchen might not be functional for a few days or even weeks.

3.  Prepare some meals ahead of time and freeze them for when you can’t use your kitchen at all.

I wish I would have taken the time to prepare some casseroles or other foods to freeze before we began.  I did, however, buy some easy-to-heat foods for the kids so they could quickly make themselves a lunch or a snack.  I also stocked up on protein bars, granola bars and other easy to grab snack foods.  Doing that was a big help when we got hungry and couldn’t prepare lunch or have time to go out for a meal.

4.  Stock up on paper plates and plastic utensils.

For a few days, we could only use disposable plates and plastic ware.  Doing anything else just wasn’t feasible as our kitchen was completely inaccessible.  With throw-away bowls we were at least able to have a bowl of cereal in the mornings and saved ourselves the extra expense of dining out for every single meal.

5. Create another place to cook or heat up meals and keep some essentials nearby.

When the microwave came out of the wall, my husband moved it to another room so we could still heat things up.  Our outdoor grill also became a daily staple.  Even if our big meal consisted of hot dogs, it was great to have the option of cooking at home so again, we weren’t having to go to the extra expense of eating out every single day.

6.  Recognize that the process is going to be stressful and emotional.

This is by far the hardest part of renovating.  It is stressful.  When your daily routine gets disrupted, when strangers are coming in and out of your house in a steady stream, when unexpected costs come up, when contractors don’t show up, etc. your anxiety level increases.  And, even though you’ve planned and made choices that you like (chosen tile, paint, counters, etc.) it’s easy to start second-guessing your choices and it can be emotional.  If you prepare yourself up front for this it’s easier to deal with it when it happens.  Take a deep breath, take a walk, get out of the house, talk to someone so you can vent and …

7.  Remember, this won’t last forever! 

The project WILL come to an end.  It will be okay.  You will survive!

8.  Clean up with each phase and try to bring back as much normalcy to your routine as possible.

After the painters took down all the plastic and I saw all the dust and debris everywhere I decided to just wait a bit before cleaning because I knew more workers were coming that would create even more dust.  Then, when the new were delayed I decided to get busy and try to get our house back in order — even if it meant I would have to clean up again after they finally arrived.  I’m so glad I did!  It made such a difference to the entire family’s emotional well-being to have some things put away, some dust cleared and things in a more organized state.  Yes, I did have to clean my kitchen floors and dust all over again a day or two later, but it was totally worth the normalcy we felt for awhile while we were waiting.

9.  Focus on the end result.

When all the dust is cleaned up and the last worker is gone the updates you made will be worth it.  Even midway through this project I can see how the changes we’ve made really are improving my work space and it gets me so excited for the end result.  It’s been a long, frustrating road but I know I’m going to love my new and improved space when it’s finished.

10.  Take several deep breaths, practice yoga and/or get a massage.

I mean this literally.  Seriously…do something to relax your mind and body while you’re in the thick of things.  Today, my husband and I are sending the kids to  his parents house and we’re going to have a relaxing day — even get a massage!  And, we’re not spending a dime to do it.  We’re creating a spa at home and we’re just going to chill.  (We’re not even going to look at the kitchen!) It’s just the thing we need after a stressful few weeks.

Whether you are DIYing your remodel or hiring it out, it takes some patience and planning to get through the days of upheaval. expense and effort but you can do it!

If you’d like to follow me on our kitchen reno journey, follow me on Instagram and use the hashtag #kitchenreno.

Thanks for reading!

 

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