Your Guide to Stress-Free Thanksgiving Prep
by Laura Gaskill · 12 photos · 4 comments
One Month Ahead
by Witt Construction
- Figure out a few basics: How many people will you be inviting? Do you want it to feel elegant, cozy, casual? Start a list that you can add to over the month as you think of things you need.
- Order your turkey early, especially if you are planning to get a heritage bird (they do sell out).
- Choose recipes and figure out who will be making what.
- Do a walk-through of your house. Does anything need fixing or updating before the big day? Make a plan to take care of repairs and decorating projects now, while you still have ample time.
• Clear space in the pantry, checking levels of staple ingredients as you go.
• Clean the coat closet — move extra coats into another space temporarily if you need to, so guests can use the main hall closet on the big day.
• Figure out now if you will need to rent, borrow or buy anything — extra chairs, serving platters, silverware etc.
by California Closets Maryland
• Clean the coat closet — move extra coats into another space temporarily if you need to, so guests can use the main hall closet on the big day.
• Figure out now if you will need to rent, borrow or buy anything — extra chairs, serving platters, silverware etc.
Two to Three Weeks Ahead
by thequirkysophisticate
- Make any DIY table decor you'd like to personalize, such as napkin rings, candleholders and place cards.
- Make your shopping lists: one for perishables and another for nonperishables.
- Make your cooking schedule. Look up all the recipes you will be making, noting down cooking times and temperatures, as well as which dishes can be made in advance (and how far in advance).
• Shop for all the items on your nonperishables list, but don't unpack them. Instead leave them neatly packed in their bags and tuck them away in a closet or cupboard. This saves you time putting everything away now — and helps on turkey day when you don't have to go rummaging around for, say, the canned pumpkin.
• A few extras you may want to think about including: paper takeout containers for handing out leftovers, crayons and butcher paper for the kids' table and wineglass charms or removable stickers for glasses.
by Ingrained Wood Studios: The Mill
• A few extras you may want to think about including: paper takeout containers for handing out leftovers, crayons and butcher paper for the kids' table and wineglass charms or removable stickers for glasses.
Tärnö Folding Chair - $15.00 [ Link ]
If you still need extra chairs, platters or coffee cups and haven't yet bought or borrowed them, now is the time. Ikea is fabulous for budget-friendly staples (like the cute folding chair shown here), but a local party rental business is a good option, too.
by IKEA
The Weekend Before
• Give your house an all-over cleaning. Don't waste your time with hidden areas and deep clutter — focus on the entryway, bathrooms, dining room and living room.
• Tidy up the front porch, check porch lighting and add a few fresh potted plants or a wreath on the door.
• Clean out the fridge and freezer.
• If you're buying a frozen turkey, pick it up now and begin thawing it in fridge.
• Shop for and begin cooking dishes that can be made ahead and frozen, like pie dough.
by Dufner Heighes Inc
• Give your house an all-over cleaning. Don't waste your time with hidden areas and deep clutter — focus on the entryway, bathrooms, dining room and living room.
• Tidy up the front porch, check porch lighting and add a few fresh potted plants or a wreath on the door.
• Clean out the fridge and freezer.
• If you're buying a frozen turkey, pick it up now and begin thawing it in fridge.
• Shop for and begin cooking dishes that can be made ahead and frozen, like pie dough.
• Review the menu and gather all necessary serving pieces and trivets in one spot; use sticky notes to label each platter with the dish it will hold.
• Polish any silver you'll be using.
• If you want to be superorganized, print copies of all your Thanksgiving recipes and put them in a presentation binder with clear plastic sleeves. After the big day, you can add notes and shopping lists, and next year you'll be ready to go!
by Liz Williams Interiors
• Polish any silver you'll be using.
• If you want to be superorganized, print copies of all your Thanksgiving recipes and put them in a presentation binder with clear plastic sleeves. After the big day, you can add notes and shopping lists, and next year you'll be ready to go!
Thanksgiving Week
by Birdhouse Interior Design
- Shop for perishables.
- Pick up the turkey if you're buying fresh.
- Unless you made a Thanksgiving binder over the weekend (see above), now is the time to gather your recipes. Pin copies to a bulletin board, tape them to the kitchen wall or at least bookmark them in your cookbooks for easy reference.
- Write the cooking plan (oven temperatures and cooking times) on a whiteboard or tape it to the wall, somewhere that you and your helpers can easily check it.
The Night Before
• Set the table if you're serving family style or set up the buffet.
• Put labeled serving dishes and implements on trivets on the table or buffet.
• Tidy up around the house.
• Prep any dishes you can to ease the workload for the next day.
• Put anything you made in advance and froze in the fridge to thaw.
by Taylor Lombardo Architects
• Set the table if you're serving family style or set up the buffet.
• Put labeled serving dishes and implements on trivets on the table or buffet.
• Tidy up around the house.
• Prep any dishes you can to ease the workload for the next day.
• Put anything you made in advance and froze in the fridge to thaw.
On Thanksgiving Day
Traditional Kitchen
- Fill a dishpan with soapy water and use it to clean as you go.
- Start the turkey in the morning and follow your cooking plan.
- If anyone offers to help, accept!
- Wrap up leftovers promptly to avoid food-borne illnesses. If you're giving leftovers to guests, pack the food in takeout containers and store it in the fridge until it's time to go.
- Run a load of dishes in the dishwasher before sitting down to dessert.
More:
How to Make a Traditional Fall Bouquet
How to Make Beautifully Untamed Floral Arrangements
Comments
olldbobbi I already do a lot of these, I make sure I have enough serving bowls/platters and do the sticky notes thing, and I keep my holiday specific foods in one place so I don't have to go rummaging. I never thought of the binder with holiday specific recipes, that's genius!
7 months ago · Like
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jpoltron The burlap and twine around the lit candle is an accident waiting to happen.
7 months ago · Like
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tcufrog My favorite clean up tool is the set of two restaurant busing tubs I bought at Sams Club years ago. After large parties or holiday dinners I scrape the leftover food off of the dishes and then place them in the tubs with hot soapy water. While I nap or recover from the event the dishes are soaking and will be much easier to clean once I am able to. Since my sink isn't full I have space in which to scrub them before putting them in the dishwasher. Unfortunately my dishwasher doesn't remove caked on food.
7 months ago · Like
· 4
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myfanwyb I have to echo the previous comment..please do not use natural materials around candles. This could be a tragic end to a holiday. I think Houzz or the author should consider replacing that one photo.
7 months ago · Like
· 7
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