5 Steps To a Successful Kitchen Makeover

Starting a kitchen makeover can be very overwhelming. It's very difficult to know where to begin. These steps will bring clarity to the process.

When it comes to a kitchen makeover there are so many different ways you can approach the process.

For a kitchen remodeling the possibilities are endless. You can redesign, upgrade and update your kitchen in any way you want to.

This means that you can really put your own personality and style into the space. If you are planning a kitchen makeover and want some inspiration for how to complete it, these 5 steps for success will help you get started and avoid some potential pitfalls.

This post is all about the steps you will need to take in order to have a successful kitchen makeover.

The Best Kitchen Makeover Process:

1. Clear out the clutter.

Clearing out the physical clutter in your kitchen can make a tremendous difference in improving your creativity and productivity when it comes to organizing a kitchen makeover. Make sure you get rid of everything you haven't used in the past year.

What are the odds you will use this again? This could also be a great time to ask friends and family if they need anything you are not using.

Go through everything, and set up a keep, throw away, and give away pile. You will realize a well-organized and well-stocked, clean, and the uncluttered kitchen is way more functional. Have everything you need to complete your tasks within arm’s reach, and keep the rest in storage.

Try not to procrastinate by putting off unpleasant tasks. Remember that it’s not the task itself that you dislike; it’s the fact that you associate it with negative emotion. If you applied that same negative emotion to something else, you’d probably be able to deal with it just fine.

Don’t let yourself feel overwhelmed by this. Focus on one thing at a time, and try to complete your task before moving on to the next one.

You'll realize how much space you really need in your kitchen, and most importantly this will clear out the mental clutter as well.

2. Budget For Your Kitchen Makeover

This is the most important step of the process. It's so easy to get carried away and spend way too much money on your kitchen. I'm not saying you shouldn't spend money on it, but before you make any purchases, take a deep breath and decide how much you're willing to spend on your kitchen makeover.

Before you start looking at kitchen remodel ideas, it’s important to have a realistic budget in reference. A good rule of thumb is to spend no more than 20% of the value of the home on remodeling projects.

Once you've decided on a kitchen makeover budget, respect it! You can always buy something later if you decide you need it.

You can start by taking measurements of your kitchen overall space as well as kitchen cabinets & appliances measurements in order to either go to a hardware kitchen cabinet makeover department with your measurements or contact contractors in order to have quick estimates of a standard kitchen makeover.

Since we are only at the budgeting step, please do not commit to any company or contractors at this point.

The next step is to take inventory of what you already have and will keep, like countertop, island, sink, etc.

Will you be refurbishing existing cabinets or doing a kitchen cabinet makeover ? Those are all questions you will need to ask yourself.

3. Plan Your Kitchen Design

Plan your kitchen design, so that you can then buy all the appliances, furniture, and accessories for your new kitchen.

If you are going to hire a kitchen designer, this is the time to do it. A kitchen designer will help you to plan your kitchen, choose the layout and the design of your new kitchen. We often work with kitchen designers in order to provide the 3D rendering services for a project, in order for you to be able to visualize your kitchen in a photo-realistic way.

All we need for the 3D rendering is your floor plan, elevation plan with measurements and material and color choices.

If your kitchen designer or general contractor is not familiar with 3D rendering, it might be a good idea to refer them to a 3d rendering agency for your and their future projects they might have in the pipeline. It will save you time and money when they buy the services for multiple projects at a time.

You can find a kitchen designer online, at your local hardware store, specialized stores or hire a general contractor. Please note that most general contractors will provide you with measurements but won't help you with the design aspect of the kitchen makeover.

Your kitchen designer will also be able to help you choose the best materials for your new kitchen and of course your budget. The designer will provide provide you with several kitchen makeover ideas. It will be a good idea to have a few 3d rendered options in order to see which one you like the most prior to planning the demo.

If you are going to install your own new kitchen, this is the time to buy your new appliances, furniture and accessories. Once you have bought everything it can take a while to receive your material because of backorders and transportation issues we are facing.

4. Book a general contractor

You will hear of many horror stories when it comes to general contractors. Please use the following pointers to choose the right one and avoid a nightmare kitchen story.

First, have multiple estimates done, and at first do not look at the price. Hiring the cheapest contractor can end up costing you a lot in the long run, if the work isn't done properly the first time.

Choose a contractor with the proper licenses and certifications for the job. Look for general contractors that have insurance and the resources to pay for any mistakes that occur during the course of construction.

Also make sure the contractor is compliant with the applicable worker's compensation program.

Never hire a contractor who does not have an amazing reputation in your area or that you can trust. In addition to making sure that you have a good relationship with your contractor, you will also want to be sure that your references have had good experiences with the contractor as well.

It is important to hire a contractor who has experience in the type of work that you need completed. If you need something such as a kitchen remodel, you want a contractor who has done this type of renovations in the past.

If by any chance you have decided to hire a kitchen designer, him or her will be able to refer you to a great contractor.

Sometimes it's better to wait a few months before proceeding with the kitchen makeover if a good contractor is not available immediately.

Depending of where you live it will be easier to find a contractor in the winter during low season than during the summer when everyone is planning their renovation.

5. Buy your supplies

Believe me, you will have to plan way in advance to buy your appliances, material, and accessories. Some stores will have a backorder of about 4 to 6 months and trust me you do not want your perfect contractor to be ready when you are not.

Planning is the name of the game for any renovation, remodeling, or makeover project you might have in the near future.

Whether you are doing a 70's old kitchen cabinet makeover or a refreshing of an outdated kitchen, you will have to think about the fact that you will not have a functional kitchen for at least 4 to 6 weeks.

If you are working from home, it would be a good idea to plan on moving out during that period. Not having a kitchen while working at home or with children can turn the experience in a very difficult time.

Planning on renting a place on Airbnb, furnishedfinder.com or any other website ?

Please reserve an extra 2 to 4 weeks, because lets face it, renovations just never go according to plan no matter how much planning you do. Make sure you advise the host in advance of your particular situation in the luckily event you need to cancel that extra month.

This post was all about the steps you need to take in order to plan a successful yet peaceful kitchen makeover.