Inside: Get practical tips on how to survive a kitchen remodel and feed your family during the process.
Almost 20 years ago, we fell in love with a small 100-year-old house on a pretty tree-lined street.
Mainly we fall in love with bones of the house.
The kitchen, not so much.
The counters were blue, the stove was black, and the refrigerator was off-white. It was functional but dated. Clean but narrow.
We bought the house thinking we would remodel the kitchen. Because how difficult could that be?
Yes of course!
The company we hired took the kitchen up to the studs, pushed out the ceiling, leveled the floors, dismantled an old coal chimney, opened up a wall, and found enough expensive surprises along the way to leave our original budget in the dust.
Did I mention I was also pregnant, sick with nausea and vomiting, and had a toddler?
Of course it was worth it. Today I look back at the “before” photos and feel grateful for our larger, more modern space.
But it wasn’t easy. And one of the hardest parts was keeping everyone fed without a working kitchen.
So I decided to go down memory lane with our own kitchen renovation in case you have a remodel in the future and need help surviving the process.
I also approached me Real Mom Nutrition Facebook Community for your best advice and I got so many great tips that I had to share them here too.
Plus, I’m sharing before and after photos of our renovation and the little “kitchen glow” we did recently.
6 tips to survive a kitchen remodel
1.Make a temporary kitchen
Our contractor moved our old refrigerator into the living room, where we set up a temporary kitchen space with a small table, microwave, and toaster oven.
A folding table or game table is useful for this. And before putting everything away, set aside some items that can help you in your improvised kitchen, such as:
- Coffee maker
- cutting board
- pots and pans
- Strainer
- Can opener
- Spatula and other kitchen utensils/tools.
- Spices and cooking spray
Here are some tips for the reader:
“It helped us find a dedicated place to have areas for different things. Kitchen area, preparation area, place to prepare lunches, etc. Fortunately, we have an enclosed side porch that worked perfectly.”
“We moved the refrigerator and microwave to our basement, bought a hot plate, a toaster oven, and my husband built a kitchenette.”
“I had my makeshift kitchen set up in the garage with a fridge, induction cooktop, toaster/convection oven and microwave. “I also had the crockpot and rice cooker on hand.”
“We closed our dining room and turned it into a makeshift kitchen. We had our refrigerator there, a table, instant pot, air fryer, etc. all set up so we could access it. We use paper plates and cups, etc. We also bought some large, sturdy plastic shelving to use as temporary pantries. We packed everything in plastic containers that we thought we might use (a cutting board, some knives, etc.). It was difficult, but we did it!
2. Keep your sink as long as possible
Everyone, including me, agrees that dealing with dirty dishes is the worst part of a kitchen remodel. So if you can, hold on to the kitchen sink for as long as possible.
You may also have a sink that you can use in the basement, bathroom, garage, or laundry room. But “don’t wash dishes in the bathtub,” one reader warned. “It will kill your back. I ended up in PT because of that.”
READER TIP: “I filled my freezer with crock pot dinners before I started work and used slow cooker liners.”
3. Lean on small appliances
While your oven is out of service, smaller appliances can save the day. Here are a few you can consider (borrow from a friend or neighbor if you don’t have one):
- instant pot
- Fryer
- George Foreman Grill
- Microwave
- Toaster
- Induction hot plate/burner
- Electric pan
- electric iron
- Camp stove for outdoor cooking
READER TIP: “Be very nice to neighbors and friends in the months/weeks leading up to the renovation so you can ask in a few favors and be invited to dinner.”
4. Calculate the right moment
If possible, schedule your renovation for the warmer months, when you can use your grill and eat outside.
Bonus: Summer is also when friends and neighbors travel. One reader suggested a trade where you water their plants and collect the mail in exchange for using their kitchen while they’re away.
READER TIP: “Our Blackstone grill is saving me right now. It basically does most of what you can do on a stovetop in a pan, it’s just a griddle: stir-fry style dishes, breakfast hash, etc., plus burgers and all that.”
5. Plan your meals and think EASY
Having some kind of plan can help reduce stress (you’ll have enough of it). Grab my free meal planning worksheet if you’re a pen and paper person.
Here are some readers’ suggestions for lower-effort meals:
- Prepared Dinners at Costco
- Sandwiches
- salad kits
- Trader Joe’s Frozen/Microwaveable Meals
- Prepared food delivery service
- Frozen meals that you have prepared in advance and that you can heat in the microwave
- Pizza delivery once a week.
Consider filling a plastic container with non-perishable items that you can use for simple meals and snacks, such as:
- Peanut butter
- Microwaveable rice and pasta bags, non-perishable
- Canned foods such as beans, soups, canned vegetables and fruits.
- energy bars
- whole grain crackers
- instant oatmeal
- Cups of applesauce and fruits
- cereals and granola
Get more ideas, plus 10 Easy Meals You Can Make Without a Stove, in my post 45+ Healthy Dorm Food Ideas
READER TIP: “Don’t think you have to cook; Cold foods are fine too. Treat it like an adventure.”
6. Let go of guilt
Give yourself grace while you remodel. Instead of beating yourself up over disposable plates and frozen dinners, channel that energy into picking up new appliances and choosing from 500 styles of drawer pulls. Here’s what Real Mom readers said most:
“Don’t try to save the environment in 3 months (which means you can use paper plates for a few weeks to save your sanity) and keep your sense of humor.”
“Plastic plates, glasses and cutlery. Release any guilt you think you should feel and call it “self-care.” Make a list of takeout or dine-in options at the restaurant you’ve been meaning to try, and budget that expense if you can.”
“There were MANY times where we only ate sandwiches and cereal for all 3 meals.”
“Keep it simple because life gets complicated when your entire kitchen is trashed.”
READER TIP: “You can always get compostable paper plates and bowls if you use a composting service.”
Our kitchen remodel
Here are some before and after photos of our kitchen space, which was renovated 16 years ago. What did you do:
- An upper block of kitchen cabinets and a peninsula separating the kitchen and dining area were removed to make one large room.
- I removed part of an old charcoal fireplace and turned it into one side of a decorative mantel above our stove (the side cabinets have shelves for spices, etc.).
- He opened a wall from the kitchen to the dining room.
- A false ceiling was removed.
- The laminate floor was removed and the original dining room floor was woven with matching hardwood in the kitchen.
- New perimeter cabinets and black granite counters were installed, along with a kitchen island with soapstone countertop.
- He relocated the back door.
Our kitchen “shines”
Now that our kitchen is old enough to drive, it seemed like a good time to freshen up a little.
So we replaced the backsplash and pendant lights to give the room a little lift without breaking the bank.
