6 weeks without a kitchen - no washing machine, fridge HELP

[outlanderish]

We’re about to start the next stage of our renovation: knocking through walls, moving a bathroom under the stairs, laying underfloor heating and getting a new kitchen fitted - EVERYTHING all in just 6 weeks. The kitchen install is booked in and can’t be moved, so the pressure is really on. We’re doing most of the work ourselves and also juggling full time jobs (plus I travel for work), and I honestly don’t know how we’re going to pull it off.

To make things even more chaotic, we’ve just finished major works on two bedrooms and now have piles of stuff everywhere ready to decorate those rooms. Our en-suite is still ongoing as we've done that all ourselves (it’s been 3 months), and we’ve had tradesmen in and out of the house constantly for what feels like forever.

I’m so stressed. We've also sold our kitchen, so need to rip that out and we will be living without a fridge, freezer, washing machine or dishwasher during the works for 5 weeks. How do we do it? The house is an absolute tip. We’re exhausted, and it still feels like there’s so much to do.

How do people cope living like this?! Please tell me it’s worth it in the end or at least that we won’t lose our minds completely

Surely you can plug a fridge in another room?
Do you have a garden?
BBQ, get a small marquee and put up a camp kitchen for the summer. Cold food/takeaways.
You'll have to do without a dishwasher. Do you have family nearby who can put on a wash for you?

I had this sort of hell. Put microwave and kettle into living room then ate out or takeaway as much as possible. Fridge can be plugged in somewhere else. Laundrette service wash for laundry.

Its fine, it's not forever.

However if you can afford it either get an airb&b or hire a caravan for the site.

Actually I saw a kitchen trailer thing outside someone's house recently. It must be possible to hire just a caravan kitchen.

Air Fryer

Plug the fridge in somewhere, buy paper plates and bowls to use whenever possible to reduce washing up and eat cold teas and takeaways. If your parents are nearby give them your washing and try to scrounge a hot meal a few times a week.

Thanks everyone - we're selling all our appliances with the existing kitchen, so need to order new appliances. I'm more concerned about where we are going to store the kitchen stuff and wash our clothes. Luckily we have a bar fridge in our living area so we can live out of that. I'm going insane and can't sleep 🤣

https://www.temporarykitchenpod.co.uk/the-standard/

I found it and I love it, even has a washing machine and includes water supply and power. No prices though.

thank you

Oh my goodness I didn't know these existed! Thank you - unfortunately we don't have a drive way to even use it 🫠

A caravan would be ideal, you can rent or borrow, but not v likely
launderette once a week for couple hours sorts the laundry
if you have a bar fridge all you really need is a microwave or air fryer
we lived a few weeks like that when I was heavily pregnant
youll cry at the time but soon laugh

We recently renovated and set up an instant pot, kettle and microwave on a small coffee table. I also got a mini fridge on market place. You can sell it on or donate after you are done. Cook and make double portions to eat a couple of days as instant pots are huge capacity. Made lots of pasta, curries, soup etc. wash in a bowl in the shower at night and order take aways when it all becomes too much.

We're currently going through something similar (swapping kitchen and main living room, DIYing majority of the work), so feel your pain!

The wall between old kitchen, utility and lobby came out (and steel went in) three and a half months ago - at which point DH said we'd have the shell of the kitchen done by Easter! For the past two months we've had no washing machine plumbed in so I've been washing smaller stuff in the bath/taking bedding etc to one of those garage laundrette places. Hopefully now the washing machine is in the new utility it'll be plumbed in this week, but DH has a day job so I'm having to rely on him working at home evenings/weekends whilst I do what I can during the week days.

We do now have a new huge fridge freezer in the new kitchen plus the cabinets are in situ, although not fitted properly/no worktops yet - but we're still prepping/cooking (mostly airfryer - can't believe we survived without one before this!) in the old kitchen and eating off picnic ware which feels slightly more civilised than paper plates! Our lovely new Lacanche range cooker has been sitting in the garage since October, but at least it's BBQ season now 🙄😁

There's stuff everywhere here as well, as it's a complete renovation project. I think it'll be another couple of months before we're finished these two spaces (then we're knocking through into the garage, so more chaos!) But it will be amazing when it's done - as I'm sure yours will be too - you know the old saying 'if you're going through hell, keep going!' Good luck with it all 😁

I bought an induction cook top when my kitchen was being done. I really liked it as I use induction anyway.

VonShef Double Induction Hob - 2800W Portable Dual, Twin Plate Electric Table Top with LED Display, Built-In Timer, 10 Heat Settings 60-240°C - Black : Amazon.co.uk: Home & Kitchen

Ahh thank you honestly, reading this makes me feel so much less alone in the chaos! We’ve also ordered a Lacanche and it's expected September!!! I completely get the excitement and frustration. Sounds like you’ve been through the wringer but are powering through, well done. I've been calm up until now as the kitchen is the biggest job and with just 5 weeks to do it all ourselves, I honestly haven't got a clue how I'm going to cope as I also work from home so see it. We've just decided to start built ins in the dining room for bench seating too. I don't know why I decide to do everything at once, I'm going to end up bald! Me and DP have started bickering over everything as he too has to do weekend and evening works. Fingers crossed we both make it out alive ☺️

We survived 4 months with no kitchen AND the back wall removed - whole back of the house open to the elements

Weren't ideal but we were broke and DH was doing the work at weekends/evenings ( he is a builder ) and we couldn't afford to rent and pay mortgage

We got through it because we had left it till last, we had finished the main bedroom and sitting room so we did have a nice space to retire to

We did get fed up very quickly of microwave meals and take aways - so yep, set up a BBQ in the garden and I cooked on that - even heated apple pie and custard on it :)

Find where your launderette is, and learn how to laugh

Was great when we finally got the floor poured, and I could use my washing machine again - stuck in the middle of a vast empty space, running on an extension lead, with the outlet pipe shoved down the outside dirty water outlet

The day the windows and doors arrived I could have cried with the relief :)

Gutting the bathroom was the worse. I can cope with dust and mess and wet plaster as long as there was a shower to jump into - 4 days no shower, I was ready to walk out lol