The start of the school year in Memphis and the surrounding mid south region of Mississippi and Arkansas, can bring lots of excitement to households with children in school–a new routine, new friends, and new activities and ideas can feel like a fresh start after the relaxing familiar pattern of the summer. Those changes might mean that you use your home differently, too–the kitchen countertops may become more of a potential source of trouble as hectic morning routines take shape. The Tub Pros, a Better Business Bureau and Angie’s List member, can fix this problem by resurfacing them to look and function like brand new. This fix is awesome when you may see that the kitchen counter or kitchen island is transformed into a homework station rather than simply a dining or food prep and catch-all surface.
Those changes in the kitchen can be especially noticeable–after all, the kitchen is called the heart of the home for good reason. In this central hub of family activity, your family sees a lot of each other–from making breakfast to cleaning up after dinner, the kitchen is the site of a lot of your interactions during the day, and often has warm, cozy associations that make it an enjoyable and functional place to spend time.
What is one way to make your kitchen work even better for your family during the school year? Make sure that the kitchen is as enjoyable and functional as possible for your whole family – and this includes the little ones too. While it might seem like getting kids more involved in the space could lead to more mess, more headaches, and a slower pace, it’s actually the opposite that’s true. Making your kitchen work for everyone can help all of you get out the door on time, and enjoy your time at home even more. Here, we’ll break down some ways to make your kitchen kid-friendly this school year, and let you know how we at The Tub Pros can make your kitchen dreams come true.
Tip 1: Think about the big picture
When you consider what you can do to make your kitchen a place that the whole family can use, think about going from your large fixtures to the small accessories. A sturdy countertop material, like quartz or laminate, is easy to clean and holds up to wear and tear for many years.
Consider the height of your counters, island, and table, too–investing on a two-tiered island might not be an option for everyone, but providing step stools that let your kids sit and reach without needing help from others, can make the kitchen more inviting for them, with less stress for you.
Tip 2: Consider all the things you use
Height might stop little kids from reaching counters or cabinets–even if you include step-stools. Think about the things that will still be hard for your kids to reach. Look at the things that you use every day as a guide–consider your morning breakfast dishes, favorite snack foods, and clean up sink tools. How will your little ones, being able to reach them, make your morning run smoothly? When a child can participate in making and cleaning up after their breakfast, they not only have a feeling of victory and competence, breakfast time runs quickly and efficiently.
For little kids, it might help to provide a space where they can easily access all the things they need every day, without asking for help. There are many options for doing this in a way that’s safe and effective at the same time. Some families might favor a table with easy-to-dispense water, snacks, and paper towels, which gives kids more independence in the kitchen. Older kids might appreciate something like a “yes basket”–a spot with healthy snacks are always available, and don’t have to ask for permission first, to have them.
As kids start to help around the kitchen, placing the tools they need–whether that’s a crinkle cutter, a small knife, or a small broom and dustpan–within reach can make kitchen activities much easier. This is also a good way to teach kids about chores and kitchen safety–make sure that they know kitchen tools aren’t toys, and ensure that anything you don’t want them to have access to is kept out of the way until they know how to use it properly.
Other adjustments—like faucet extenders–can also make it easier for kids to use and clean up in the kitchen. This will surely streamline everyone being able to help in getting daily tasks done. Placing dishes or lunchboxes in lower cabinets might be another adjustment that can shave time off of “getting ready to go” and make important daily tasks easier for kids.
Tip 3: Designate spaces and time for kids
As you make kitchen counter/sink improvements and tweaks to the space that make it more usable for your kids, consider helping them gain more independence by designating kid only areas. Taking a shelf in a pantry, a drawer, or a spot in the fridge and reserving it for kids only, will make your little one feel special and give them the opportunity to be responsible. Consider turning a spot into a lunchbox-packing station or creating a small snack spot that is tucked out of the way with small kid size chairs and a large bucket turned upside down for a table. Making these kinds of kid only spaces is a powerful way to help your kids safely be involved in chores and other kitchen duties.
But there are other ways to make the kitchen a space that works well for kids, too. Having them join you in planning out their lunches for the week, helping to make a grocery list, is another way to engage them in kitchen activities. A visible weekly meal plan kept on the wall and a schedule for meal prep, cooking, eating, and cleaning up can be a way to bring family together in the kitchen.
What can The Tub Pros do for my Kitchen?
Having a kitchen that works for your family–one that looks and functions at its very best–can take a lot of stress off your plate. Full kitchen remodel ideas might seem to offer solutions, but if your budget is limited and the structure of your space already works for your family, why waste money? If it’s only outdated or has damaged counter surfaces and a sink that is chipped, and fixtures that drip, that is an easy fix. Why not freshen up things with a new color on the kitchen counter tops. This will instantly change the look and feel of the room. Countertop resurfacing is often the best solution to get your space looking great and in line with the newest kitchen trends or your favorite traditional look.
At The Tub Pros, we offer a wide variety of services, including sink, tile, and countertop repair and refinishing. We also offer a variety of countertop options, like faux granite countertops and faux marble countertops, that you can choose to fit your style–whether you love the kitchen color trends for 2023 or want to express your own personal style.
If you need to repair kitchen and bath countertops, sinks, tile, need accessibility devices or spot repairs in your kitchen or bath, The Tub Pros have the answer. If you are searching for sink, tile, counter, or Corian countertop repair near me in the Greater Memphis area or throughout the Mid-South, call The Tub Pros today at (901) 871-8827. Or use our online contact tab to get a FREE ESTIMATE and Written Warranty. Additional free value added information can be found in our website article library.
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