10-Point Pandemic Kitchen Rating Guide

This period of time – unique in our lifetimes – is a serious stress test for our homes. How is yours faring? How are you faring?

If you're following your children around with Clorox wipes and juggling counter space between calculus and cooking dinner, work-from-home files and trying to work a few more cases of Costco staples into your kitchen, you might not have time to respond with more than a grimace. Understood!

It's likely that when we move beyond this virus, at least beyond its first wave, we'll be looking at how well our homes supported us during this difficult time. It's not a bad idea to start thinking about that now, while dealing with its shortcomings at what may be the most stressful weeks or months of your life. Make note of what's working well and what's not. Save it to your phone, tablet, computer or journal — wherever you're likely to find it most readily later — and update it as new issues and opportunities for improvement occur to you.

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Kitchen-First Rationale

Why start here? There are a few reasons:

First, because of its primary role as food preparation center, the kitchen's functionality and sanitation play an important role in health and safety. Second, kitchens get some of the highest activity levels in any home. Studies show that people not only cook, eat and clean up after meals there, but also use them for socializing, web surfing, studying, crafts and hobbies, pet care, family meetings and games, bill paying and working from home. Third, it's the room that sees the most remodels and upgrades, with often the highest returns on those investments.

Whether you were planning an appliance replacement or remodel before the pandemic, or you're now looking at how poorly your kitchen is serving you at this moment, it's a good time to consider future improvements.

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Rating Points

Here are some features on which you can rate your kitchen as you work through this challenging period:

  •  Is your kitchen's layout user-friendly, with fresh and packaged food storage convenient to each other; pots, pans and utensil storage convenient to the range or cooktop; dishware close to the dishwasher, and sufficient countertop space for prep and cleanup?
  • Are its work aisles wide enough to accommodate your tasks and possibly a second user at the same time?
  • Do you have enough storage for the groceries required to make at least three healthy meals a day, seven days a week between less-frequent shopping trips?
  • Is that storage in good condition, easy to keep clean, and easy to see and reach contents at the back?
  •  Is your storage organized so that you can quickly find the utensil or lid you need for the cooking task at hand?
  • Are your appliances all working properly, including its ventilation hood? Are they properly sized and equipped for the cooking, fresh and frozen food storage and cleanup you need to do now?
  • Are your surfaces – from countertops to floors, cabinet fronts to appliances, sink, faucet and drainboard areas – easy to keep clean and germ-free?
  • Does standing for hours prepping, cooking and cleaning up afterward make your feet, hips, back or knees ache?
  • Is there enough task lighting for safe knife use and reading recipes accurately?
  • Is your kitchen accommodating any physical limitations you or another household member may have, be they drawer handles that are easy to grip or appliance controls that are easy to operate?
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    Post-pandemic

    All of these considerations should factor into future kitchen improvements, based on shortcomings that became problematic during this high-use, high-stress period in your life. You may not remember all of them at that time, or they may be overtaken by other personal or career issues as the weeks drag on, so noting them down now will be helpful later when you are ready to plan a project.

    In decades past, many kitchen remodels were completed using magazine pictures or 'Jonesian' envy as their inspiration. "Resale" is still 'Realtorese' for keeping up with the Joneses, and your home's value will suffer if you opt for laminate countertops when all the comps have engineered stone.

    At the same time, if you prioritize functionality and wellness features over high-maintenance frills, future pandemic waves may see your kitchen serving you and your household to much better advantage.

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    PSA Grocery Shopping Tips in COVID-19 (See Important Notes Below) www.DrJeffVW.com

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