When your appliances are falling apart, your cabinets are worn, and your laminate countertops are peeling apart, it is pretty easy to figure out that you need to renovate your kitchen. Besides the cosmetic issues, there are several other reasons that are more important than whether or not the cabinets are outdated. Here are some additional reasons which can help you decide if it is time to renovate your kitchen.

Location: Creating an open space that incorporates outside living space is a big trend in newer homes. By Incorporating a door into the layout of your kitchen it would help create a nice flow to an outside deck or patio. You also may want to rearrange the position of windows to allow more or less sunlight or to watch your children play in the yard. Keep in mind that a cooking surface should never be located under an operable window.

Efficiency & Eco-Friendly: In today's real estate market, everyone wants eco-friendly features in the home to reduce their carbon footprint. Outdated appliances can actually be costing you money due to inefficiencies. New technological advances with dishwashers, disposals and refrigerators could save you a considerable amount of money and may be well worth the investment. For example, purchasing a dishwasher with low-energy consumption, delay timer and economy cycle or half-load button will result in saving water and money.

Traffic flow: If there's more than one cook in your household, you may want to consider making more room around the main workspace. If you entertain family and friends, you will certainly want an open floor plan that allows the cook to interact with guests. By most standards the width of a walkway should be at least 36" and the width of a work aisle should be at least 42" for one cook and at least 48" for multiple cooks.

Sufficient space: Counter space and storage space can dramatically change just by rearranging the layout of your kitchen. The position of your refrigerator or shape of your counter may be taking away useful workspace. A good rule of thumb when replacing a countertop or changing the shape of your kitchen, is that you should have a total of 158" of countertop frontage, 24" deep with at least 15" of clearance above, to accommodate all uses, including landing area, preparation/work area and storage.

Handicap Accessibility: Is your kitchen accessible to individuals with disabilities? While you may not have a need right now, if you plan on staying in the house a long time or plan on selling the house, it is important to keep this aspect in mind. Will you be able to use your kitchen safely as you get older? While it is often overlooked, this is a key design element in any kitchen remodel.

Before you remodel your kitchen, make a checklist of major and minor problems and keep notes of the features you dislike and like the most. Whether you are planning on working with a designer or taking on the task yourself, a prioritized list of needs and wants will help you better organize your remodeling plans.