How to cope when your kitchen is being renovated

Installing a new kitchen is an exciting prospect. Updating your cooking space can help improve the look and feel of your home, and it could even help increase the value of your property. 

However, the reality of going through the renovation process might appear somewhat inconvenient. Without a functioning kitchen, you might be wondering how you’ll cope without access to this all-important area of your home.

In this blog, you’ll find a number of simple steps you can take to make the process feel less unsettling and how you can continue to live as normal while the work is ongoing.

How to live without a kitchen during a renovation 

The thought of living without a functioning kitchen is daunting - but it needn’t be as challenging as you think it might be. Here are some simple, straight-forward tips on how to live without your usual cooking space during a renovation.

Create a temporary kitchen space

While you’re getting ready for your renovations to start, it’s a good idea to find an area in your home where you can set up a temporary kitchen space you can use while your usual spot is out of action. This could be in your garage, utility room or even just a corner of your dining room. Creating a make-shift kitchen means you can still enjoy meals while you wait for the work to be completed. 

Your temporary kitchen area doesn’t need to be elaborate - a simple folding table will suffice as a countertop where you can place the essentials, including a kettle, toaster and a coffee machine. Leave room for other appliances that may come in useful too, such as a microwave or even a single electric hot plate. You might also want to give some thought as to where your fridge freezer will be positioned during the renovations. 

If you’re not confident in setting up your temporary kitchen setup, it’s worth speaking to the company installing your new kitchen for advice. At Merilyn Phillips, our team is able to loan out appliances, including mini cookers, and assist you in creating a cooking space to make your life easier during the renovation process.

Plan quick, simple meals

Without access to your usual cooking area for a prolonged period of time, you might be panicking when you think about what you’re going to eat during your kitchen renovation project. Let’s be honest, you’re not going to be in a position to put together gourmet meals while the work is being carried out - and that’s OK.

Instead, it can be helpful to plan how you can prepare quick, simple meals that are easy to make with minimal ingredients and basic utensils in your temporary kitchen space.

The good news is, it is relatively easy to knock up delicious, filling meals even when you haven’t got a full kitchen to work with. For example, plugging in your slow cooker allows you to create hearty dishes you can share with the whole family, from casseroles and curries, to stews and soups.

Meanwhile, an air fryer is also a great tool to use for mastering meals when you’ve not got much else at your disposal. Whether it’s the perfect jacket potato for an easy lunch or you need to cook a chicken for salads and sandwiches, there’s so much you can make in one of these handy appliances. Don’t underestimate the importance of your microwave either. Rustle up scrambled eggs for breakfast or steam vegetables to put alongside any meal you like in a matter of minutes.

If the sun is shining, why not head outside and fire up the BBQ for a different kind of meal? Getting out into the fresh air for a little al fresco dining could be just what you need.

Use the opportunity to declutter

Undergoing kitchen renovations can be overwhelming. With so much going on in your own home, it can feel like there’s little left within your control. So, to regain that control, and feel like you're being productive during this time, why not use the opportunity to declutter?

Since you’ve already emptied the contents of the room to make way for the new kitchen, this is the ideal time to go through everything you own to decide which items you want to keep and which items you could get rid of.

Think about the layout, style and colour of your new kitchen setup and whether you need to let go of anything, whether it’s an old dinner set or cutlery you’ve had for a while. Donate or recycle the items you no longer need to enjoy a more organised, minimalist kitchen.

How long does it take to renovate a kitchen? 

Generally speaking, it could take anywhere from six to eight weeks to renovate a kitchen. However, there are several factors that will determine the timescales of your freshly installed cooking space.

First and foremost, the size of the room will have a big impact on timings - a bigger kitchen will take more time to fit than one going into a smaller space. It’s also important to note that more intricate and complex designs, custom work or specific materials, such as granite worktops, can mean that the process takes longer. 

The best way to get a good idea of how long your kitchen renovation will take is to speak with the renovation team. They should be able to give you an estimate specific to the work you need doing - and they can give you updates throughout the renovation process to let you know if there have been unexpected delays or time savings along the way.

Even though it can feel like a lot to deal with, having your kitchen renovated doesn’t need to be stressful. If you plan ahead, use a reliable and efficient renovator, and you know what to expect, going through this process will be completely worth it when you’re left with a beautifully designed kitchen to enjoy.