Ideas for making kitchen refit easy??

[sunny67]

Kitchen refit due to start next week for three weeks!! Anyone got any handy tips for coping, other than drinking mire wine :-)

I'd get plenty of stackable translucent plastic crates. Put all your stuff in them, out of the way. They can even go outside, the plastic lids fit tight, but best not in the rain for anything that water might damage. Get ones small enough for you to lift off the top of the stack. If they are translucent you can see what's inside. Keep out kettle, toaster, microwave, minimum set of dishes, lots of mugs, minimum cutlery.

If you have a futility room you can set up in there to prepare food. If not, get a couple of plastic washing up bowls, and a couple of buckets. Keep out of the kitchen while the fitters are in. Hide your vacuum or they will clog it with builders dust. Hide the attachments separately. If they ask to borrow tools or vac, open your eyes wide and say "haven't you got your own?"

A camping table will also help. Kids can play at camping in the garden.

No portable gas stoves inside the house.

Decide if you are going to cook or not. If you are, how? Camping cooker? Will you get the fridge rigged up? How will you wash up/get water? Will you use the bathroom? How will you make cups if tea/coffee? Do you have a utility room for all the above, if not, where will you do what must be done? You must decide what you want to be able to do and what is not vital for a bit. Do you need to empty a freezer and clear the old kitchen out? If so, think about storage and what you may want to keep handy. Store other utensils, pans, mixers, the chocolate fountain and bread maker anywhere out of sight. You won't be needing them! Hope you enjoy the end result!

Thanks very much PigletJohn. Hadn't thought about the vac!! The utility is being done as the same time so I think its makeshift kitchen in the dining room. I've put some things in boxes but the plastic crate idea seems way better! Time to fish out the camping tables too!

We are 11 weeks into our extension/new kitchen I second the stackable plastic box thing. For washing up I have bought 3 of those soft buckets that builders use. I keep one in make shift kitchen and the other two in the bathroom. When it is washing up time I line the 3 buckets up in the bath - one full of dirty dishes, one for washing up in and one for clean dishes. These seems to work well. Paper plates are also a good idea.... We have been eating slog of ready meals - cant wait to have a kitchen and be able to cook again. Good luck with your project!

*Lots not slog!

Millymollymama thanks too. I will be cooking, we've got an Aga and that's the only thing staying. Utility is being done as well so can't use that. Got a freezer in the garage so that's ok but TBH I'm not quite sure what's going to happen with the fridge/freezer in the kitchen. I'd asked about how long we'd be without a fridge as it's summer and the company said the fitter would rig us up a working area ASAP but quite where and how I don't know. I can get water from the sink in the downstairs loo for washing up and coffee etc and I've got a big plastic crate for dumping the washing up into.

Builders trugs! Damn good idea marmite. Eleven weeks? I think I'd be pulling my hair out, three seems long enough. Thanks. I really hope yours goes well.