Tips for Setting Up a Temporary Kitchen

When considering how to set up a temporary kitchen, the main issues are location (preparation of meals and a place for eating meals), equipment, storage, and cleaning up.

Location

The dining room is an ideal location. Folding tables or rolling carts can be set up to hold small appliances and for food preparation, leaving the dining table available for eating meals.

Equipment

• Refrigerator – move it into the dining area (or use a second refrigerator or mini-refrigerator if available)
• Microwave oven, toaster oven, coffeemaker – these are the essential appliances, and they can be set up on a separate table or rolling cart (it is worth purchasing a toaster oven if you do not own one or wish to have one in your new kitchen; you can always donate it to charity or bring it into work)
• Slow cooker, electric frying pan, hot plate, countertop grill – these can also replace use of a stove
• Outdoor grill – this can also provide many meals and decrease clean-up time
• Disposable dinnerware – sturdy plastic or heavy-duty paper plates will eliminate the need for washing plates
• Silverware, glasses, and mugs – although you may prefer to use disposable plastic utensils and cups, “real” silverware, glasses, and mugs make the meal experience more enjoyable (especially if you are already using plastic or paper plates) and washing utensils, glasses, and mugs (even in a bathroom sink) is not that much trouble
• Dish towels, paper towels, and disposable antibacterial wipes – have lots of all these available, as you will be drying dishes without a dishwasher, and you need something for cleaning your hands off periodically when handling food
• Disposable microwavable cookware – save the sturdier take-out containers for several months before your kitchen renovation begins or buy disposable storage containers. These can be lifesavers, and you can freeze meals in them before your renovation begins, then microwave the meals and discard the containers
• Cookware – only keep out items that will fit in your microwave oven (e.g., glass baking dishes) and toaster oven
• Daily-use items – items may be kept out on the table that you use everyday such as salt and pepper, napkins, measuring cups (for boiling water in the microwave), selected knives, large serving spoons, and a cutting board

Storage

When placing the food in your cabinets into boxes before the renovation begins, organize the boxes by how often you use the food items. For example, the “high-use” box might contain coffee and tea, cereal, sandwich ingredients (peanut butter, tuna), vitamins, etc. These items can be stored in a large plastic bin under the table for easy access. The low-use box might contain items such as baking ingredients (as it may be difficult to bake without a “real” oven). Boxes can also be labeled by type of item to make it easier when you organize your new kitchen (e.g., canned food and soups, spices, baking items).

Cleaning Up

Not having a kitchen sink is probably one of the worst aspects of a temporary kitchen. Not being able to rinse your hands periodically while preparing food is frustrating, so have plenty of paper towels or disposable antibacterial wipes available. Washing dishes in a bathroom is also inconvenient, especially as the sink is usually smaller than a kitchen sink, and it requires a trek to the bathroom each time you need to wash something. You might consider having a small plastic tub available on the table for the silverware, mugs and glasses to be placed in after they are used. This can then be transported to the bathroom for washing. If you are used to having a garbage disposer in your sink, it is a noticeable inconvenience to be without one.