Throughout part the remodel process we haven't had a kitchen. November marks the beginning of our seventh month with no kitchen. Whenever anyone hears this they say things like "I just can't believe it, how have you survived?" Well, I am here to tell you that we are still here and are surely not malnourished, probably the opposite actually. So here is the answer to "how we've done it" for those of you out there wondering.
Dishes-We started by washing dishes in the bathtub while the new bathroom was being constructed in the old kitchen's place. When the tub got torn out we moved to washing dishes in the front yard with a hose and bucket. I didn't want to make the new bathroom into a make shift kitchen. I could have washed dishes there, but just couldn't bring myself to do it. After it started snowing and getting cold, the yard washing became obsolete. Throughout the process we have used paper plates and slowly decreased the amount of actual dishes we use by decreasing the amount of cooking we do overall. We are down to silverware and a cereal bowl with a box full of dirty dishes sitting in the garage waiting for a dishwasher. Gross yes, convenient yes, clutter managed. A box in the garage is the best place we've found for dirty dishes we don't want to wash. We just don't have many places to store things and the garage is out of sight out of mind. The more things we have "out of mind" the saner we can stay until the kitchen is back.
Cooking- we did a lot of grilling to start and then we found a camp stove and a griddle at rummage sales so we set up a garage kitchen (check it out here). The garage kitchen worked well with the yard dishwasher, but alas cold and clutter took over again. Our garage has been a kitchen, paint station, tool shed, workshop, and storage area. Cooking with no space again posed a problem. We've been cooking in the microwave for the past few weeks. It is horrible and the food we make isn't even enjoyable to eat.
Food-Here is what I am sick of eating in no particular order: microwave burritos, easy mac, microwave udon soup and Asian noodle bowls, yogurt, granola bars, sandwiches, subway, pasta with sauce, brats, hot dogs, chips and salsa, apples, and bananas. These foods have composed the majority of our diet and don't even taste good anymore. We've tried not to eat out that often and keep it as healthy as possible but with no motivation to cook or eat, even though you feel hungry, it has been a struggle. We've even discussed the first meal we want to make in the new kitchen. Sweet potato hash is in the lead so far.
Any questions? It has been a long seven months and it hasn't been easy. My advice though is to remodel in summer so you can utilize your outdoor space. That made it WAY easier. I am sure we will look back on the process and wonder how we ever did it. Our cabinets went in today and we are less than a week away from a home cooked meal on a real live stove. Cabinets made my week. It is starting to feel complete.
Cooking- we did a lot of grilling to start and then we found a camp stove and a griddle at rummage sales so we set up a garage kitchen (check it out here). The garage kitchen worked well with the yard dishwasher, but alas cold and clutter took over again. Our garage has been a kitchen, paint station, tool shed, workshop, and storage area. Cooking with no space again posed a problem. We've been cooking in the microwave for the past few weeks. It is horrible and the food we make isn't even enjoyable to eat.
Food-Here is what I am sick of eating in no particular order: microwave burritos, easy mac, microwave udon soup and Asian noodle bowls, yogurt, granola bars, sandwiches, subway, pasta with sauce, brats, hot dogs, chips and salsa, apples, and bananas. These foods have composed the majority of our diet and don't even taste good anymore. We've tried not to eat out that often and keep it as healthy as possible but with no motivation to cook or eat, even though you feel hungry, it has been a struggle. We've even discussed the first meal we want to make in the new kitchen. Sweet potato hash is in the lead so far.
Any questions? It has been a long seven months and it hasn't been easy. My advice though is to remodel in summer so you can utilize your outdoor space. That made it WAY easier. I am sure we will look back on the process and wonder how we ever did it. Our cabinets went in today and we are less than a week away from a home cooked meal on a real live stove. Cabinets made my week. It is starting to feel complete.
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