DanielleRiggio
Danielle Riggio Blog

Subscribe and receive email notifications of new blog posts.




rss logo RSS Feed
Agent Promotion | 1 Posts
Agent Spotlight | 1 Posts
Awards | 1 Posts
Buy a Home | 1 Posts
Laffey Knows | 333 Posts
Outside the Box | 22 Posts
Things to Do Transportation Laffey Real Estate Long Island Real Estate Historic Landmarks Montauk Lighthouse Buy Luxury Home Luxury Living Luxury Lifestyle Citi Field New York Mets Family Fun Historic Homes Forest Hills Queens Real Estate Queens homes for sale Oheka Castle Realtor Real estate agent Golf Courses Local businesses Area information Local attractions Restaurants Nassau County Community Events Homeowner Tips holidays Open house Home improvement tips For sellers Local wineries Area photographers For families Fitness centers New Year's resolutions For Buyers Mortgage First-time Buyers Buy a House REALTORS® Top Producer Oyster Bay NY Charitable Events Curb Appeal Home Seller Tips Festivals Sell Your Home Agent Recognition General news Relocation LeadingRE Moving Inherit a House Real Estate Agents Agent Awards Careers Personal Health Senior Community Downsizing Luxury Portfolio Leading RE Follow The Orange Social Media Suffolk County Homebuying tips Gated communities Finance a home Queens County Landscaping Online classes For Owners Home Tech Virtual Tour Gardening Home Maintenance Real Trends 500 Philip Laffey Mark Laffey Donnamarie Chaimanis Melville NY Fernand Leger Steve Schappacher Shappacher White DPC Virtual Home Showing Virtual Open House Bakeries Northport, NY Port Washington, NY Smithtown, NY Levittown, NY Rockville Centre, NY Offers Great Neck NY Huntington NY Farmingdale, NY Babylon, NY Astoria, NY Long Island City, NY Centerport NY Albertson NY Briarwood NY Atlantic Beach NY Bayville NY Bellmore NY Brookville NY Carle Place NY Centre Island NY Glen Cove NY Nissequogue NY East Hills NY East Williston NY Staging Roslyn NY Roslyn Estates NY Roslyn Harbor NY Roslyn Heights NY Sands Point NY Sea Cliff NY Syosset NY Uniondale NY Upper Brookville NY South Huntington NY Stony Brook NY Rego Park NY Rockaway Beach NY Springfield Gardens NY Sunnyside NY Saint James NY Amityville NY Asharoken NY Commack NY Bayside NY Bellerose NY College Point NY Central Islip NY Glen Head NY Hempstead NY Hewlett NY Hicksville NY East Northport NY Fort Salonga NY Hauppauge NY Huntington Bay NY Huntington Station NY Elmhurst NY Floral Park NY Flushing NY Fresh Meadows NY Glen Oaks NY Jericho NY Lattingtown NY Laurel Hollow NY Locust Valley NY Manhasset NY Matinecock NY Merrick NY Mill Neck NY Mineola NY Muttontown NY Kings Park NY Lloyd Harbor NY Lloyd Neck NY Jackson Heights NY Jamaica NY Jamaica Estates Little Neck NY Malba NY Middle Village NY North Hills NY Oceanside NY Old Westbury NY Plandome NY Westbury NY Williston Park NY Woodbury NY Wheatley Heights NY Wyandanch NY Queens Village NY Whitestone NY Deer Park NY Dix Hills NY Douglaston NY Richmond Hill NY Cold Spring Harbor NY Copiague NY Parades Non-profits Outdoors Recreation Food & Drink
January
26

A Practical Guide to Living Through a Kitchen Remodel | Laffey Real Estate

A kitchen remodel can boost your home's value and change how you live day to day, but redoing your kitchen can feel like a lot to handle. Our REALTORS® at Laffey Real Estate know that going without a working kitchen calls for good planning, staying calm, and smart ways to keep your cool during the work.

Creating a Short-Term Kitchen Area

\You need to set up a different spot to cook and prep food for your family before the tear-down starts. The trick is to pick a place with easy water access and enough power outlets while staying away from dust and mess from the work.

Must-Have Items for Your Temporary Kitchen

Your short-term setup should have the tools and items you use most often. Think about moving these things to your chosen area:

  • Microwave, toaster oven, and electric kettle
  • Portable induction cooktop or hot plate
  • Small fridge or big cooler with ice
  • Key dishes, utensils, and cooking gear
  • Paper plates and throwaway items to cut down on washing

Many Long Island homeowners do well to set up in a guest room, basement, or garage where they can stay away from the work zone. Having a specific table or fold-out surface to prep food makes the temporary arrangement much easier to handle.

Meal Planning Tips That Get Results

Smart meal planning can help lower stress while you renovate. Pick easy recipes that need little cooking gear and prep time. Keep healthy, quick food on hand, and use this chance to check out Long Island eateries you've wanted to try.

Ways families can handle kitchen renovations include:

  • Making meals for the freezer before work starts
  • Using crockpots and pressure cookers for one-pot dinners
  • Planning takeout once a week to give yourself a break
  • Cooking outside when the weather's nice

Protecting Your Home During Construction

Kitchen makeovers create a lot of dust, mess, and noise that can affect your whole house. Taking steps ahead of time to keep the mess in check and cut down on disturbances, protects your belongings, and helps keep life normal in other parts of your home.

Dust Control and Safety Measures

Your contractor will install effective barriers between the work zone and the rest of your house. High-quality plastic sheets and temporary walls can stop tiny particles from spreading to your living areas. Covering the kitchen HVAC vents prevents dust from circulating through your home's air system.

Key safety steps to talk about with your contractor include:

  • Put up zip walls or plastic barriers at all entry points
  • Place floor protection in nearby hallways and rooms
  • Create a specific path for workers to enter and exit

Keeping Your Routine and Lowering Stress

A kitchen remodel disrupts more than just cooking. It shakes up your whole house's daily rhythm. Building structure amid the mess helps everyone adjust better to short-term hassles.

Talking and Setting Expectations

Keep in touch often with your contractor about the schedule and any surprises. Knowing the project timeline lets you plan around more disruptive stages, like installing cabinets or measuring for countertops. If you work from home, try to arrange quieter work times with your contractor when possible.

Getting Ready for Your New Kitchen

Living through a remodel can be a hassle, but it pays off. You'll end up with a kitchen that looks great, works well, and makes your everyday life better. Plus, it'll boost your home's value if you ever decide to sell.

Planning Beyond the Renovation

Whether you are upgrading your current home or considering a property that better suits your needs, exploring Port Washington homes for sale and other Long Island communities can help you find the perfect fit. Contact us today to discuss how Laffey Real Estate can assist with all your real estate goals.

Disclaimer: All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. All properties are subject to prior sale, change or withdrawal. Neither listing broker(s) or information provider(s) shall be responsible for any typographical errors, misinformation, misprints and shall be held totally harmless. Listing(s) information is provided for consumers personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. Information on this site was last updated 03/06/2026. The listing information on this page last changed on 03/06/2026. The data relating to real estate for sale on this website comes in part from the Internet Data Exchange program of Delta Media Group MLS (last updated Fri 03/06/2026 12:00:22 AM EST) or OneKey MLS (last updated Thu 03/05/2026 11:53:19 PM EST). Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than Laffey Real Estate may be marked with the Internet Data Exchange logo and detailed information about those properties will include the name of the listing broker(s) when required by the MLS. All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy / DMCA Notice / ADA Accessibility

Login to My Homefinder

Pixel