When I think of a “kitchen renovation” my mind immediately goes to the fun finishing details like cabinet hardware, decor, and the blissful feeling of a “new” kitchen. We’ve saved funds for it, so let’s do it! Admittedly… embarking upon a full-scale kitchen renovation brought about a lot more to decisions and considerations than I was prepared for. If you’re about to begin a project at home, here are a few things I’d encourage you to think through before beginning.

• How can you prepare yourself (and whoever you share your home with) to live “well” during the transformation?

Kitchen- Ask your contractor up front and direct questions regarding how long you’ll be without cooking appliances or functionality. Get creative and consider alternative cooking methods - gas or charcoal grill, camping stove, a neighbors airbnb (we have the most generous neighbors in all the land), microwave set up in a different room, your basement, etc. You don’t have to eat out every meal to survive this, although a few takeout meals are entirely allowed.

Bathroom- Can you and your family members agree to share 1 bathroom for a period of time? Create a rhythm or rough schedule of shower times and who will need the space for what time each day. Create a makeshift “get ready” spot in another room of the house with a mirror, outlets, and natural light. Remember- this is not forever!

• What are the MOST important features of your project that you aren’t willing to budge on?

There are so many ideals when we consider a home project - gaining more space, adding storage, increasing functionality, improve hosting capabilities, etc. My husband and I narrowed down to 2 main priorities for our kitchen which provided good guardrails when making small and large decisions. We wanted to increase functionality and create a kitchen we could host in. Everything else was second-tier. This prevents everything from feeling like the most important thing when prioritizing budget and choices. If we were stuck on a specific detail or question- we could ask ourselves “Does it add functionality or improve our ability to host?” and if the answer wasn’t an obvious yes, we decided that was a low priority and cost decision to make which helped bring a little simplicity.

• Who can you trust to help you make decisions?

I personally found it tempting to want to google or create a poll for the whole world to chime in on some decisions, however, I’m so glad I didn’t. Do we really need the ideas and opinions of strangers guiding the decisions we make about our very own sacred home? No thanks. What I am glad I did, was invite a few close friends to speak into the project. I first shared my vision, the pain points, and our plans then asked if they see any gaps or have any suggestions. Select a very few trusted folks to do this with… too many voices can cause mental clutter and indecision. If you have a favorite designer or brand that you follow, stick with that for inspiration - not every influencer, trendsetter, or mom blog will be your vibe and that’s ok. Think of actual real places you’ve been and what you loved about those homes and consider what concepts you can take from them. Ask a friend in a season of life ahead of you what they wish they would’ve done differently in their own home.

• How will you adapt as timelines, budgets, or plans change?

Inevitably things change… due to supply chain issues, weather, product availability, etc. When things change there is often a cost (involving literally money and also time). Be prepared for this. Your contractors and designers cannot anticipate EVERYTHING. Especially if your home is older, there may be unexpected plumbing or electrical issues that need to be resolved. One thing you could consider is to aim to schedule the demo portion of your home project while your family (or even just children) will be out of town. Do you have friends or family you could “house sit” for while they are away? Get creative (if your budget allows) with where you spend your days and nights during renovations.

• What do you hope to feel/experience in your new space?

Start with the end in mind. What memories do you hope to make in your new space? How will the space be used day in and day out? Build from that vision. If warmth, coziness, and comfort is important to you- carry that through your color choices. If simplicity, clean lines, and minimalism is your style- let that guide your decisions around new items that will fill your space. If character and story are vital, then take your time to collect and hunt for the right pieces to fit your new space. Take your time and remember that things that are worthwhile, can take time.

• What are some ways you can save your sanity amidst the chaos?

The biggest secret I’ll let you in on is this - HIRE THE EXPERTS. Seriously, most anyone “can” pack up their kitchen and unpack after completion… but what if there’s a better way? I’m talking about getting fresh eyes, extra hands, and thoughtful organizational experts to make suggestions on how to best utilize your newly improved space. On my own, I would likely just put everything back as close to the way I had it previously. However, when the HYD gals stepped in I was given fresh perspective and new ideas about how to best set up my space in a way that improves functionality and eliminates wasted space. We talked through how our space is used, what items I grab most, and the flow of our kitchen throughout the day. With minimal expense of new “organizing supplies” - we were able to give everything a spot, create zones, and implement systems that I can utilize every day.

A few other ways to save sanity- adjusting your regular routine from nightly baths for your kiddos to every other night - everyone will survive. Pick up pizza or Chick-fil-a more than normal, that’s ok too. Remember this is a season and it will end. Making some adjustments to our normal day-to-day can save a little time, sanity, and effort. I can personally say I don’t recommend (your husband) trying out a new diet (Whole30) while trying to expand your infant’s exposure to new foods in the middle of a kitchen renovation- but, we survived. Shamelessly, we used a lot of paper plates (apologies to the environment, we promise to be better as soon as we have a working sink).

We are nearing the completion of our kitchen renovation and we are already LOVING our new space (literally we gained square footage). So even though everything isn’t quite “finished”- we have functional appliances and beautiful cabinets and floors… aka we are finally cooking! Seeing the vision that lived in your head, come to life is a pretty rewarding experience. I’m so glad we lived in our home for a year prior to making any major changes like this. And it feels pretty darn good to know that we are utilizing our space well, thanks to the help of the experts. Everything in the kitchen has a “home” and the best part is, everything is accessible and functional.