If a kitchen remodel is in your future, here are 7 great tips to get you started.

Kitchen remodeling has turned out to be quite a stressful endeavor for some, but in truth, it is nothing that proper planning and thorough orchestrating cannot overcome. Soldiers don’t leave for battle unless they are armed and ready, and neither should you jump (head first) into a kitchen remodel without great preparation!

It is true that there are just about a million things you need to think about before you start—like whether you should get a new range hood, if you should change from your wooden counter to glass mosaic tiles, or if it is time to finally retire your decade-old fridge.

If you don’t want to lose sleep and grey your hair out over your kitchen remodel, here are a few things you must decide, before the big overhaul.

1. Take a look at your current kitchen, then set concrete goals.

It never hurts to be too detailed when planning for a remodel; the more precise your plans are, the better! Things could go different ways once you begin, but if you are committed to a set of goals, you will never have to panic. Chances are that last-minute decisions will only be required in extreme cases.

So before you begin, decide on what parts of your kitchen absolutely need to be changed or repaired, and to what extent they need refurbishing. Are you itching to add another sink? Is your wooden cupboard starting to look way too packed with wares, not to mention old-fashioned? Are you dying to switch to a glass mosaic tiles countertop for the sake of cleaning practicality? Just make sure to take note of what you currently have in your kitchen and what the best alternative would be.

2. Set a timetable.

Among the hassles that come with kitchen remodeling is not being able to perform ‘business as usual’ around the house. Depending on the extent of your remodeling, you may be kept out of your kitchen for a while.

There are some tasks that may take more time than others, and coming up with a timetable will at least ensure that you won’t be in the dark as to when you can start preparing meals in your new kitchen.

3. Set a budget.

We all know how easy it is to get carried away once you’re faced with 17 different shapes of sinks, 36 different prints of wallpaper, and 12 different patterns of glass mosaic tiles, but money is always a very significant factor to getting your remodel done.

The great danger of not being specific about your budget is the very likely possibility that you will overspend. Simple as that. Remodeling can be quite expensive, even when you’re already the penny-wise type, so deciding on a budget ceiling will spare you the worry over having spent too much.

4. Come up with keep-vs-retire piles.

You may not be ready to get rid of everything just yet. Some of your appliances and wares may be fairly new, and possibly difficult to part with. It is highly relevant and beneficial to take note of which items go into the keep and retire piles so you can prepare early on for how much space you will need to store those which will stay, especially for things that take up quite a lot of space.

 At the same time, sorting your things may be a good opportunity to decide whether some of your things need to be upgraded already, and if they still fit your cooking needs.

 5. Create a stylebook

Coming up with a look for your new kitchen is probably the best and most enjoyable part of a remodel. It will definitely help to go through interior design books and blogs about kitchen interiors to get some inspiration.

There are infinite fixtures and finishes to consider—from stone, to marble, to glass mosaic tiles, even to stainless steel—and going through some online pin boards can help get you closer to materializing the perfect kitchen for you.

6. Changing the inner workings of your kitchen

Will you need to break down that marble counter to re-route your pipes? Will the changing of your vents and ducts require you to sacrifice and crack some of the glass mosaic tiles on your backsplash? Your remodel may entail having to add some water lines and provisions for sockets, so do take note of those when working on a new layout.

7. Differentiate between needs and wants

Before you get totally excited and carried away with planning, do not forget to stay grounded about your remodel. It always helps to keep a separate list of wants, specifically those things that may not be as urgent and necessary, but remain to be part of your dream kitchen. Just so you know what to prioritize, make sure to have that list in hand.

While the nitty-gritty of kitchen remodeling is admittedly a demanding task, it is no doubt a very fun one too! With the proper preparations, it could even turn out to be quite recreational and therapeutic. Just remember that the ultimate target is for all the changes to meet your current needs and use, therefore functionality and practicality are key. Once you’ve thought the above concerns through, you can go on and enjoy sprucing up your kitchen!

Author Bio:

Aubrey Madrona is a Social Media Specialist. She loves Music and spends a lot of her time playing piano and reading. She’s currently building her reputation as an online writer of Marble Mosaics.

References:

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/1198907/list/Homeowner-s-Workbook–How-to-Remodel-Your-Kitchen

http://www.hgtv.com/kitchens/getting-your-remodel-off-to-a-good-start/index.html

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20526078_21050761,00.html

http://homes.yahoo.com/news/avoid-hating-kitchen-remodel-215327175.html

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