Part of the planning for a kitchen remodeling project should include setting up a temporary kitchen for use during construction.

The average kitchen remodeling project, ones without major structural changes or additions, can be expected to take a minimum of 14 to 21 working days to complete. It’s easy to see that restaurant meals, two or three times a day, would add substantially to the expense as well as inconvenience.

The first rule of thumb to consider when setting up a temporary kitchen is to keep meal plans as simple as possible, relying most heavily on an outdoor barbeque, electric frying pan and microwave oven.

Try to locate the temporary kitchen out of the immediate vicinity of the construction area. Please seal off any doorways to the actual construction area with 4 mil plastic to keep the dust to a minimum. (There is no way to totally eliminate the fine dust that you’ll find covering everything during any type of remodeling project). 

Your temporary kitchen should be located in an area large enough to house the refrigerator as well as some type of work surface. A couple of rented or borrowed two-by-six foot folding tables  will keep utensils, spices and other accessories within easy reach. Plan to locate a trash receptacle close to the prep and cleanup area. If possible, choose a location with several electrical outlets for the small cooking appliances and a coffee maker.

Plan to keep dishwashing to a minimum by using disposables for the duration of the project. And do the dishes that you must use in plastic tubs, one for the wash and one for the rinse water.

Store as much food as possible in the refrigerator. Keep packaged goods tightly sealed from the dust and canned goods arranged by categories in cardboard cartons on a shelf or under the work table.

Most importantly keep your perspective during the project. The inconvenience will be short-lived and the finished project will be well worth the disruption and expense. With the average kitchen installation today expected to last from 15 to 20 years, there’ll be plenty of time to enjoy the fruits of your planning and patience.