The kitchen is the epicenter and most used room in the home for almost everyone who lives in the Chittenden County, Vermont area.  Some homeowners in Chittenden County 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 overwhelming.  Remodeling your kitchen is not always easy, but it is definitely worth it.  After homeowners in Chittenden County, Vermont 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 an inspired kitchen provides an excellent opportunity to organize what currently exists in your kitchen and that process will then help define storage needs for the future.  The number one regret among homeowners after they have renovated their kitchen is not investing enough in storage and organization.  We recommend sorting your kitchen gear into three categories:

1. Items you will need to store.
2. Items you will need to use during the renovation.
3. Items you want to recycle/donate/dispose of.

The recycle/donate/dispose of option is often most important.  If you no longer use and item that you once enjoyed, consider blessing someone else with it and passing it to the next person.   Homeowners 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 do 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 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 organization when conceiving  your new kitchen.  We encourage homeowners to give away the small appliances and gadgets that they don’t use or whose functionality is covered by other appliances.  Again, can you bless someone else with it?

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 organization 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 organized, 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.

Other items that can help you plan for life without your normal kitchen include things like: 

• 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 enables you to make one pot meals that can satisfy even the most finicky of palates.

While remodeling is not convenient, it is worth it for so many reasons!  Go into your remodel maintaining a positive attitude and a good sense of humor.  Find ways to enjoy this part of life’s journey.  Many people never get to do a big remodel in their lifetime, so you are participating in an exciting experience!  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 guidance for designing, organizing and choosing effective storage solutions in your new inspired kitchen, this is our specialty - we would love to meet with you!  We ask that you schedule an appointment to visit our showroom (located at: 27 Park Street Essex Jct., VT 05452) by calling 802-878-5333 or emailing info@woodstockkitchens.com.  Wishing you well!