Remodeling the kitchen with kids is possible. Because guess what? I am still alive to blog about it. – Yahoo!!!
I have three children, five and under, and I recently finished remodeling our kitchen. That’s right! For six weeks we cooked dinner on a hot plate and ate breakfast in the playroom.
The main floor pretty much looked like a college dorm room. As we were in the thick of things, I jotted down what worked and how to share these kitchen remodeling tips with you.
Renovations can be chaotic and messy, and I am here to help you prepare. Ready to start remodeling your kitchen with kids?
RELATED: Need simple activities for kids during the remodel? Our activity cards have it all!
How to Remodel Your Kitchen With Kids
1. Find someone you enjoy working with.
I met with only a couple of designers to make sure we hired the right person for our chaotic household. This kitchen renovation may be a lot longer if you use someone who doesn’t have a solid game plan from the get-go.
Keep in mind you may have other workers entering your home when you are not there. You want to hire a contractor that will have trustworthy help. Go with who you think will be able to execute your kitchen renovation best.
2. Leave your house.
I wish I could take credit for this plan, but it actually fell right into my lap. I had been working with our kitchen designer for some time, and it just so happened that my in-laws invited us out of town during the second week of the demo. This was perfect timing for our kitchen renovation.
As we were away, cabinets got installed and the floors were refinished. – All without little people running in and out of the kitchen. It seems like the more we said, don’t go in the kitchen, the more they had to get there.
Did you also know that you cannot walk on floors 3-4 days after finishing? Being out of the house for this was key. When we returned, the contractor had completed the puzzle’s main pieces, and the kids were finally allowed to walk back in without danger.
3. Find essentials that will keep your cooking streamlined to your habits.
I do not use a microwave. Gasp, I know this is not the norm. I knew that I didn’t want to spend money on purchasing one. I wanted to carry on as normal without changing my routine. We also have a peanut allergy in the house, so eating out for the next couple of weeks was not an option.
We created a game plan to eat at home during the kitchen remodel.
I knew there were plenty of tools available to continue carrying on how we typically prepare food. My essentials were a stovetop, a toaster that would also heat frozen food, and a kettle to heat water. You can also find most of these kitchen items on:
- Facebook selling groups – You can find loads of second-hand and budget-friendly stuff on the Facebook marketplace.
- Craigslist – The things I’ve found on Craigslist! Have patience and see what you can find when searching.
- Amazon – If there’s something you can’t find, then Amazon will most likely have it.
- Neighbors that also went through a kitchen renovation – Sometimes your neighbors will have things they’ll gladly want you to take off their hands!
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Stovetop
Whether you’re cooking at home, office, dormitory, or on the go, this single-burner hot plate adds additional cooking space and practicability wherever you need it.
Toaster
From toast for breakfast and open melt for lunch to roasting for dinner, you can use it throughout your day.
Kettle
This is an ideal choice for making instant drinks like coffee, tea, and hot chocolate.
4. Ask if you can keep the fridge in the kitchen.
We redid some of our floors and had weeks when kids could not be in the kitchen. Since we were away for one of them, this was completely manageable.
A quick tip: Make sure anyone that moves your fridge also levels your fridge in the new location.
Since the fridge remained in the kitchen area, it was easier for me to set up a cooking zone in the dining room.
5. Use tape for new kitchen table ideas.
We used tape to mark the table or anything else we looked at places in the kitchen. This was a great way to gauge sizing.
6. Clear out a room, and add your kitchen table.
You know our mornings run on Breakfast Invitations. I needed a parking place where they could sit down and still remember that things are moving right along, just like normal. But things were far from normal. This leads me right to tip number seven!
7. Let things go when remodeling your kitchen with kids.
Okay, Elsa. We hear you. I am 98% sure that Let it Go was written as a secret message to us parents. Let. It. Go.
Let it go that crumbs are now on your playroom carpet. Don’t fret over toys surrounding your children distracting them from your Breakfast Invitation. Let it go that you are washing dishes in the bathroom sink with lukewarm water.
In the end, you have a new chapter to dive into with your family. We are all much happier in our new space, and looking back, I recall maybe 2% of what may have felt like 110% of a problem then.
Safety is an important consideration in any home renovation, read how to keep your children safe during a home renovation.
RELATED: Our playroom also got a mini makeover. See what’s new here.
Now, Who Wants to See the Kitchen?
Here is our kitchen before we begin the remodel. The middle island was difficult to get around as we prepped meals and gathered together. Quick links to what’s inside the kitchen remodel:
- Cabinets: Color Moonstone
- Ceiling Light: Home Depot
- Counters: White Quartz
- Faucet: Kohler Tournant®
- Kitchen Island: French Bistro Black Kitchen Island
- Refrigerator: Kitchenaid Counter-depth refrigerator
- Rug: I found one similar at the outlet; here is what is in stock now
- Side wooden table: Home Goods
- Sink: Farmhouse Sink
- Stove: KitchenAid commercial-style oven
- Tiles: Walker-Zanger
- Vent Hood: Zephyr
RELATED: Try this simple toddler activity with all the kitchen supplies you take from the drawers!
Who’s Ready to Start Their Next Renovation?
Remembering why I started the renovation and learning to relax when things didn’t go perfectly was what I needed to get through those weeks. When I bore all these thoughts in mind it really wasn’t so bad. And waiting for the new kitchen? Worth it!
Need Tips on Parenting?
- How Kid Activities can Help with Parent Burnout
- How to Make a Daily Schedule with Kids
- How to Reframe Power Struggles with Kids
- 3 Powerful Ways to Say, Good Job
Frequently Asked Questions
My boys were 15 months, older than two, and four. It was a hiccup in our daily routine, but we could maintain a rhythm using the steps listed above.
We still use them! The stainless kettle and toaster oven have been used every day since 2018. I use the kettle to boil water for tea and we use the toaster oven to bake, reheat, and toast.
If you are new to remodeling a kitchen, begin by asking friends in your neighborhood who they used and what they experiences. Websites like Nesting with Grace and Remington Avenue.
