I won’t even tell you how much I still owe in student loans. It rivals the amount we owe for our home. A soul-crushing six figure amount that basically says Hey Kim, have fun not retiring in a timely manner. Or maybe even ever. Muahahahaha! Ugh, you bitch.
So what is the only logical thing to do? Embark on a kitchen remodel. And what is an even better idea? Embark on one as the holidays wrap up and when I had a strict time frame including an end-of-January-birthday-party for my 4-year-old to host. Good stuff right there. My timing is awesome. Zoloft* take me away.
Needless to say, this past month has been pretty hectic, although I always kept my eye on the prize. We bought our home about three years ago knowing that we were going to have some upgrades to do in the near future. The house was built in the late ‘80s and we also have an unfinished basement. We thought the basement was going to be our first big project to knock off the list, but that changed. Want to know why? Food allergies.
So, now I cook. A lot. And I usually enjoy it. But I was getting to the point where I wasn’t enjoying it anymore because cooking in an outdated and inconveniently designed kitchen was finally wearing on me. Ok, first world problems a little bit here, but I spend a lot of time in the kitchen and I want to be comfortable in it. Not annoyed by it. I know Robb was a little bit disappointed that the basement bar had to pushed back, but ultimately homemade ice cream, lasagna, soups and steaks were victorious.
Prior to food allergies our meals involved take out somewhat frequently. Never a large amount, but usually once a week to give me a break from the planning, prepping, and cooking process. Now that number is close to zero. I deserve this and we’ll call this good debt if there is such a thing.
For most people picking up take out for dinner is a way to make things easier or for when you are in a hurry. Fast food always tastes better in the car. But when food allergies are involved it can actually make having a quick meal much harder and more stressful than to just cook something. There’s researching what restaurants you trust. Having the conversation with the restaurant staff member and decide then if you ultimately trust it in the moment. On more than one occasion one of us has walked in to a fast food restaurant or to get a to-go pizza or some sort of take out and then walked right out empty handed because the current atmosphere just didn’t feel safe. Maybe the restaurant was busy or even chaotic. Maybe the worker looked at you like a deer in headlights when you mentioned a food allergy. Maybe you were told point blank that they couldn’t—or wouldn’t—accommodate to make sure your meal was free of your allergen. Lots of factors.
So, being I was without a kitchen for about 2 ½ weeks how do you feed your family when take-out options are drastically limited? You prep like crazy and you set up a makeshift kitchen in your den. (Now if you don’t already follow me on Instagram go do it. I will post before and after pics on Monday in addition to my temporary kitchen environment and some of the other middle-of-the-road updates).
Here are 6 random tips for anyone (allergies or not) who takes the kitchen remodel plunge:
- Screw the environment. For this short (and it will not seem short while you are in the throes of it) period of time you will want the least about of dishes as possible. Remember you will have no kitchen sink and you will never realize how much you use your kitchen sink until this happens. The dishes you will need to do will have to be done in the bathroom or laundry room. And it sucks. We used paper plates, plastic (gulp) silverware and cups, and Styrofoam (double gulp) coffee cups. So yes, I felt guilty, but my sanity was far more important during this time.
- Food prep freezer meals like your about to take up residence in a bunker. If you are already a food-prepper this step isn’t so bad, but if planning and prepping ain’t your thing, then good luck to ya. You need to plan and prep your plan and prep time. Things like lasagna, enchiladas, soups, meatloaf…anything that can freeze well. Freeze meals in disposable foil pans and containers. Again, minimize those dishes. My makeshift kitchen included a convection oven (my savior), a single burner, toaster, and slow cooker. I used the slow cooker zero, the burner twice, but the toaster and convection oven I used a ton. If your regular appliances are getting hauled away you’re especially gonna need these things. If you don’t have a spare fridge or freezer then cross your fingers that you are doing the remodel in Minnesota during the polar vortex and you can toss your stuff in a cooler outside. And I haven’t joined the Instant Pot** craze, so I can’t give input there, but guessing this may be a great option, too.
- You’re not moving, but you’ll need moving boxes. You will be amazed at how much stuff you have in your cabinets. I filled one box with the stuff I needed and the rest went in boxes in the basement. If you need inspiration watch some Marie Kondo*** and get rid of stuff now before the process starts. You’ll thank yourself later. I wish I had watched that show about 2 weeks earlier. And yes, my new kitchen does spark joy.
- Plan some activities or pick up a hobby. Your house is going to be torn up and it will drive you a bit nuts. Get out if you can. Or have a safe room in your home where you don’t have to look at the madness. My “hobby” was coloring in books with swear words and that served double duty. Venting in a beautiful and artistic way. Winning.
- Prepare for the unknown. When I told people we were starting the process and that it was supposed to take about two weeks everyone gave me a chuckle and said to take whatever time the contractor told us and basically double it. Well, maybe we just got lucky, but we stayed right on schedule. There were a couple of things that popped up, like when I realized last minute that I needed to run to the store to pick out my light fixtures the night before the electrician was coming, but that was my own fault for spacing out that detail. I did leave myself enough free time to address these unknowns and I am thankful I did.
- Remember you and your family are in it together. It is an inconvenient process and you will get pretty frustrated at times when you have to clean the pizza cutter in the sink again, but remember everyone else is there for the ride right along with ya. Focus on the light at the end of the tunnel and find ways to relax during the process.
It’ll all be over soon, I promise! Ours was done the day before the birthday party and apparently I work well under pressure as I got all party prepping done in time. And I celebrated with a few heavily poured cocktails.
*I’m assuming this brand name is trademarked and I have no rights to it
**I’m also assuming this brand is trademarked and I have no rights to it
**I also have no rights nor am I getting paid to mention this show
Peanut Free Me by Kim Farley 