5 Signs Your Kitchen Needs an Upgrade NOW
For most of us, our kitchen is a very busy place, and often it shows the wear and tear that reflects that fact.
After all, the average Waterloo Region home’s kitchen often serves as a hangout for hungry (and messy) kids, the gathering spot for conversation and socializing during holiday gatherings and simply the family catch up spot for the family at the end of another busy day. Oh, and people cook there too sometimes…
This has been amplified for most of us by the COVID-19 pandemic, as we have all been at home – and cooking at home – more than we have in years, maybe more than ever before. And two years in now, for most of us it's become the norm, even though the restaurants are open again (not that a meal out occasionally isn't a wonderful thing.)
Having a functional and attractive kitchen is a must in any home, but especially if you plan to sell your Waterloo Region home in the near future. To have this, there comes a time when any kitchen needs an upgrade or two. Here are five signs that now is the time for you to consider such a project.
1. Aging Appliances
Maybe your appliances came with the house when you bought it, or you purchased new ones at that point, but thinking about it, that was about ten years ago. You don’t give them too much thought as, mostly, they work fairly well and they don’t look too bad.
However, not only are older appliances often rather unattractive compared to their newer counterparts (especially if they are rusting or dented) but they are also often far less energy efficient.
If the cost of replacing your older appliances has been holding you back consider that the chances are they may be costing you money anyway, in the form of inflated energy bills.
2. Extra Wear and Tear
You can expect no kitchen to stay in showroom, like-new condition for too long, and signs of wear and tear are perfectly normal. However, anything that goes beyond that does need to be addressed.
Water damage from a leaking fridge or dishwasher can cause mould on and underneath the flooring or peeling on the countertops, floors and walls, depending on the materials.
Cracked, peeling or chipped countertops and floors are prime spots for dangerous bacteria to reside — and hide from cleaning supplies.
Even clean counters and floors with stains can cause your guests to think twice when they’re invited over a second time and would certainly alarm eagle-eyed home buyers .
3. No More Counter Space
If your counters are cluttered with appliances and utensils that have no other home to the point that it’s hard to prepare food efficiently (or at all) then it’s time for an upgrade in this area. Ideally efficient kitchen counters should be as clutter free as possible, for both aesthetic and practicality purposes.
Adding more counter space in your kitchen doesn’t have to mean tearing down walls and retooling the whole layout. Installing an island is a great and relatively simple way to add counter space and if it’s not a lack of space but general clutter that is the problem larger cabinets or deeper drawers will increase storage so you can reclaim your counters.
4. A Lack of Organization
How much of your cooking time in the kitchen is actually spent on food prep versus searching for the right utensils, appliances and dishware?
A disorganized kitchen makes it difficult to find anything, which renders your kitchen practically useless. If it’s just easier to order in than struggle to cook in a cluttered kitchen, then you really have a problem that needs to be addressed right now.
A new design and organization strategy as offered by a professional home organizer is an excellent investment that will get you eating in your own home again and enjoying the cooking process. Or, if you are planning to sell the space, look as neat and tidy - and functional - as home buyers expect a great kitchen to be.
5. Your House Isn’t Selling
Saving as much of your money as possible to invest in your new home is often the priority when planning to move, so making as few improvements as possible to the Waterloo Region home you are leaving may be at the top of your list. But upgrading your current kitchen before you go is an investment that may very well pay for itself.
Home shoppers usually gravitate first toward the kitchen and it is a very important factor in their home buying decision.
Again, this is something that has only gained importance in their minds after the stay at home orders that were such a huge part of our lives for about two years. So, if you’ve been having trouble selling your home and the kitchen’s outdated — that could be the reason.
These days more than ever Waterloo Region home buyers are more interested in move-in ready homes that require little or no remodeling. A more appealing, upgraded kitchen can be a motivating factor for buyers, resulting in less time on the market and a better selling price.
