Fresh Start for Your Kitchen

Are you looking for a fresh start in your kitchen? Have you experienced a new move, a loss or are you just ready to replace the old items in your kitchen? If you are I completely understand, in the beginning of 2020 my 10-year relationship ended and I left our apartment with just two bins of kitchen items. Then my sister and I lost almost everything in a fire in our apartment complex a little over a month ago. (You can read about it here).

Since we will have to replace everything from the kitchen we want to have a purposeful fresh start, not just buying random things that aren’t what we want. Sometimes we just buy stuff to fill the gaps even if it’s not what we want. By following my steps below it should help you identify what you need and want so you don’t waste time and money getting stuff you will never use.

I want to share how we are doing our fresh start to help anyone else who needs a fresh start.

Steps to A Fresh Start for Your Kitchen

Make a list of everything that was in your kitchen or check out my kitchen checklist here.
If you have nothing, remember that in an emergency situation you may have to buy some filler things to get buy. We quickly ordered a set of inexpensive pots and pans from Amazon, plus some kitchen utensils. It is hard to make a decision of exactly what you want to replace in that moment so I preferred to spend a little to get by until insurance paid out and we could buy what we really wanted.
Look at the list of what you had and think about what you used. Do you really need to replace an item that you used one time? Maybe not, unless it was a macaron kit (cause I had plans to make more).
Decide on a budget of what you want to spend. Do you plan on replacing everything at once or do you want to buy it over time? This can really affect what your budget is. For example, we have been wanting to replace our blenders with a Vitamix, so we are going to keep an eye out for a good deal and wait until then to replace it.
Start researching the items you want to replace, this is where we are right now.
Once you choose what you want to replace then you get to start the fun: Shopping!

Over the next few weeks I am going to share what items we are wanting to replace. This week I will focus on the small kitchen appliances. Stay tuned for more posts to help you get your fresh start in your kitchen.

Small Kitchen Appliances

What are the things that you miss the most in the kitchen? For me it is the small kitchen appliances. The day after the fire we bought an inexpensive toaster to have in the hotel. I am so glad that we did. Below are the small kitchen appliances we want to purchase to replace what we lost.

Blender

Vitamix – Ascent 3500 Series 64-Oz. Blender – Metal Graphite

Over the years I have used many different brands of blenders, but I always come back to Vitamix as my favorite. I love the features of the Vitamix and how well they work. Plus they have great customer service.

Coffeemaker

Cuisinart – PerfectTemp 14 Cup Coffeemaker – Silver

My sister and I aren’t really big coffee drinkers, but we always have a coffeemaker for when we have guests. Our Mom loves coffee and I prefer to have a nicer coffeemaker for her when my parents visit.

Crockpot

Crock-Pot – 7qt Digital Slow Cooker – Platinum

A crock-pot is a must for me. I love to make beef stew in it or even apple butter. Instant Pot’s are great but I like to have both on hand for different things.

Food Processor

Cuisinart – Elemental 8-Cup Food Processor – Stainless Steel

In the destroyed apartment we only had a small 2-cup food processor but I always found myself wanting a bigger one the more I cooked. They are great for some many things especially making graham cracker crusts.

Handheld Mixer

KitchenAid – KHMB732VB 7-Speed Cordless Hand Mixer – Blue Velvet

Even though I love my stand mixer, I still keep a hand mixer in the kitchen. There are times when you need both or when the hand mixer just works better for the recipe you are making.

Immersion Blender

KitchenAid – Cordless Variable Speed Hand Blender – White

Years ago I was gifted an immersion blender for my birthday. I had no idea how often I would use it. When I started making homemade potato soup I realized it was a must have in the kitchen.

Instant Pot

Instant Pot – 6 Quart Duo Plus 9-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker – Silver – Silver

An instant pot is a great addition to any kitchen. If you meal prep this is essential in order to be able to prep quickly. You can make anything from eggs to chicken to brown rice and so much more.

Stand Mixer & Attachements

Best Buy KitchenAid – KSM150PS Artisan Series Tilt-Head Stand Mixer – Ink Blue

Of course I love and miss my stand mixer. I can’t wait to have one again. The KitchenAid ones are so versatile and I had a bunch of attachments for mine. Remember, KitchenAid stand mixers come in different sizes and price ranges so you can get exactly what you want.

KitchenAid – KitchenAid® 5 Blade Spiralizer with Peel, Core and Slice – Metal

If you want to make spiralized veggies this is the perfect attachment. It also works great for peeling apples or potatoes. I used mine a lot and the cleanup is so quick. Plus the box it comes in makes it so easy to store.

KitchenAid – Pasta Cutter and Fresh Prep Attachment Bundle – White/Metal

Homemade pasta may seem so scary to make but attachments like this make it a breeze. I love to make homemade spinach pasta.

KSMVSA Fresh Prep Slicer/Shredder Attachment for KitchenAid Stand Mixers – White

Do you like to make fondue? This is a great attachment to use to make fondue. It is so easy to use and comes in handy so often.

Teakettle

Breville – the Temp Select Kettle – Brushed Stainless Steel

I love hot tea and having an electric kettle is the best way to make hot tea. For a few months I have been looking at this kettle and can’t wait to pick it up.

Toaster

GE – 2-Slice Toaster – Stainless Steel

A toaster is an essential appliance in the kitchen. The one we bought to get us through has really small holes so we want to upgrade to this really nice one.

Waffle Maker

Cuisinart – Belgian Flip Waffle Maker – Stainless Steel

If you really love waffles why not make them at home. This is a great waffle maker to indulge any day of the week at home.

Starting over and rebuilding isn’t easy but if you take it step by step you can get through it. Sometimes you will feel so overwhelmed but know that it will get better each day. I hope the list above helps you get started on your fresh start.