Preparing Your Home for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is fast approaching! Whether this is your first time hosting or your fifteenth, we know that a little help preparing your home for Thanksgiving never hurts. The more you can plan for and get done now, the less chaotic the actual day will be.  

Instead of running around putting out (sometimes literal) fires around the house, you can focus on enjoying the warmth and love of your family and friends. That’s what it’s all about! So, this year, let’s make our Thanksgiving master plan and start putting it into action as soon as possible. Here are some things to consider while you prepare your home for Thanksgiving.

Get a Headcount

The sooner you know who’s coming, the better, so don’t wait to reach out to the friends and family you want to invite. Consider whether you can accommodate plus ones, and if you can, check with your guests to see if they plan to bring one. This is also the perfect time to ask about allergies and dietary restrictions, so you can plan a menu that everyone can enjoy.

Plan Your Menu (and Who Brings What)

Once you have an idea of dietary restrictions and how many mouths you’ll be feeding, start planning your menu. Start by deciding which dishes you definitely want to be responsible for. If you’ve been waiting your whole life to cook a perfect turkey, now is your chance.  

But covering everything yourself might not be feasible, so once you know what you can make, check with your guests about whether there are any dishes they love making. Adding a potluck element can give everyone some skin in the game and open the door to some delicious dishes you might not have thought of making!  

Once you have your menu down, start shopping. Of course, you don’t want to buy everything right now, but you can at least knock out the non-perishables. A few smaller shops will be a lot less stressful than cutting it close with one big shop in a frenzied grocery store.  

You can also see what you can make ahead of time and take care of those. Some things can be done well in advance, and others could be taken care of in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. Trust me, you’ll be thanking yourself that week when you open your freezer to ready-made pie crusts.  

Finally, make a Thanksgiving kitchen schedule. Plot out when each thing needs to be in the oven, on the stove, etc. Be realistic about both the cooking space and the time each dish will need.

Clear Out Your Freezer

Speaking of your freezer, you’ll want to make space in yours. You will likely need somewhere to store things leading up to Thanksgiving and manage leftovers afterward. While you’re thinking about storing food, consider getting some containers for leftovers that you can share with your guests!

Figure Out Where Everything (and Everyone) Will Go

Space is a hot commodity on Thanksgiving. You will want to get a rough idea of how much counter and table space you have available for all of the food platters and dishware. That way, if you need more, you’ll have time to buy (or borrow) another table or surface.  

Then, plan out your seating, not just at the dining room table, but possibly all around the house if your guest list is big enough. Do you need multiple tables? Will there be a kids’ table? Do you have enough seating? You don’t necessarily need to go as far as assigning people to specific seats but try to have an idea of how to fit everyone under your roof.

Buy (or Craft) Your Decor

Keep an eye out for sales on fall-themed or Thanksgiving-specific decor. There are sure to be plenty of fun options to liven up your home for the holiday. But set a budget first! Those decoration aisles are full of tempting items that you might only use once, maybe once per year. Take stock of things you’d have to buy, and things you might be able to craft if you’re a craftier person.

Deep Clean Your Home

This might be one of the heftier tasks on your plate, but it will be well worth it. By doing the deep clean once you have time for it, you might only need to do a quick tidying before guests arrive. If you don’t have time to do the whole house, focus on the rooms that will have the highest foot traffic. Definitely don’t skip the bathrooms!

Prepare Space for Overnight Guests

It’s not uncommon that out-of-town guests will need a place to stay. If you’re planning to let some of your guests stay the night, take some time to set up space for them. Make sure they have fresh bedding and towels. Clean extra bedrooms if you have any. Depending on your space and how many guests will be staying, you may need to prepare your couches and possibly consider an air mattress.

Do a Fire Safety Check

According to the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®), Thanksgiving has three times as many home cooking fires as the normal daily average. That’s a scary number, but it makes sense given that kitchens around the country are working their hardest that day.  

So, let’s do our best to have a safe Thanksgiving. Here are some fire safety tips from NFPA®: 

• Stay in the kitchen when cooking on stove top. 

• Stay home while cooking the turkey (or other long cook-time foods). 

• Check on food frequently. 

• Make sure electric cords are kept out of reach of children. 

• We love a fragrant candle, but don’t leave them out of site for too long. 

• Keep the floor clear, so people don’t trip. 

• Check your smoke alarms! Replace batteries if needed.  

Finally, if you’re planning on deep frying your turkey this year, take a look at this helpful graphic from the U.S. Fire Administration. Frying a turkey can be a greater fire risk than other methods of cooking, so this could help you safely cook the bird.  

We don’t want Thanksgiving to be memorable for the wrong reasons, so please take safety precautions seriously.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

You don’t have to follow these recommendations to perfectly prepare your home for Thanksgiving. The most important thing is having a nice time with people you love. If these tips might help you do that, then we’re thrilled! But if your Thanksgiving will look a little different than the one we’re describing here, just do your best to make it a memorable, lovely time for you and those you spend it with.  

We hope you have a happy Thanksgiving!