Five months into 2011 and people are still scrimping, saving and making the most of every dollar.

Since many are conserving their disposable income and spending more time at home rather than traveling and eating out, why not make the most of your kitchen and do it in an affordable, efficient way? Undoubtedly, you can make the most popular room in the house a place to enjoy family and friends every day of the year.

Remodeling your kitchen does not have to include loans and second mortgages. All you have to do is decide how much you want to spend and design your project around your budget.

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Refacing, for example, is an efficient way of updating your cabinets by giving your existing cabinets a “facelift.” The exterior of the cabinet boxes are completely resurfaced with your choice of material; and doors, drawers and hardware are replaced. From the outside, your kitchen will look entirely new. Even better, refacing your kitchen means that the disruption to your daily life is minimal (the average project takes 8-10 days) and the cost is less than half of a total cabinet removal and replacement.

During a refacing project, you can usually cook in your kitchen at night. When you spend less on the cabinet facelift, you can spend more on upgrading the counter-tops. New countertops are stain resistant, scratch resistant, heat resistant, and super easy to keep clean and new.

Perhaps your appliances need upgrading as well? Modern appliances are much more energy-efficient and will pay for themselves in the long run on the electricity savings alone.

Have a problem cabinet? Do a combination by replacing that one problem cabinet and refacing the rest so that they all match in the end.

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Need more storage space? Add a pantry cabinet or add a lazy susan to that inaccessible corner cabinet.

If all new cabinets are what you need, Essential Cabinets builds new custom cabinets in its shop — keeping the price very affordable. Since each kitchen is custom-made, there are no limits on sizes or styles. Essential Cabinets encourages you to get at least three estimates from licensed contractors because it wants clients to be confident that they are getting a fair and competitive price.

Ask an Essential Cabinets consultant to give you all your options laid out in writing and make your decision in the privacy of your own home.

Essential Cabinets is located at 212 Mohonua Pl. #C3, and its showroom is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, call 847-7835.

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