How to Get Organized for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a celebration of sharing and tradition, where we celebrate gratitude. An essential part of this holiday is that families come together, and in some cases, extended family members travel long distances to share this day with their loved ones. Thanksgiving at home involves shopping, cooking, decorating, cleaning, and all this planning can strike fear in the heart of even the most organized homemaker.

Below I am sharing a simple guideline that breaks down all the tasks involved in making Thanksgiving happen so you can have a stress-free holiday to enjoy with friends and family. Please feel free to use my 15-day plan as a rough guideline or change as needed based on your schedule.

A simple guideline for a stress-free Thanksgiving!

15 days before: Make a game plan & recognize your budget

-Get out a notebook, your calendar, and a pen and brainstorm your ideas

-Prepare your guest-list & find any dietary restrictions

-Now is the time to order some food for catering, if necessary

-Start thinking about a tentative menu, figure out when you need to go shopping and contemplate what prep can be done on what days. Mark it in your calendar!

-Place your rental orders, if necessary, for tables, chair, glasses & more

Ten days before: Decide your final menu & select your recipes

-Delegate dishes to family members or guests

-Deep clean your kitchen, fridge, freezer & pantry

-Clean guest room

-Get your small appliances & serving dishes ready

One week before: Make your groceries lists & plan your decorations

-Make a list for non-perishable items like flour, sugar, canned pumpkin, packed 

stuffing, etc. and buy it now!

-Pick up your beverages or delegate it to non-cooking guests

-Buy your turkey (plan 1 pound/person)

-Make a general cleaning of your house and deep clean of your guest room

-Plan your decorations and centerpiece

-If necessary, wash and iron your tablecloth and napkins

-Confirm who is bringing what with guests

Five days before: Create a cooking schedule & freeze all plates that you can do in advance

-Block time off in your schedule for food preparation and grocery shopping

Four days before:

-Defrost your turkey (it takes 24 hrs of thawing time for every 4 pounds)

-Plan your serving ware

-Plan your seating chart

-Tidy your coat closet

-Spruce out your entryway

Three days before:

-Buy perishable groceries like butternut squash, carrots, potatoes, and greens.

- Do a service activity, such as serving the Thanksgiving meal at a homeless shelter, raking leaves for the elderly, or shopping for food.

Two days before:

-Stock bar & beverages

-Have all your selected recipes handy

-Do any baking, including apple or pecan pie

-Calculate your cooking times and schedule for Thanksgiving day

One day before:

-Prep-work (wash your greens, pre-cut your vegetables, etc.)

-Set the table now, so you don't worry about it later

-If you order food, pick it up today!

Thanksgiving day 
Aggressively minimize your work on this day

-Plan your day as a timeline: Include elements: Breakfast, appetizers, time to serve the food, time for dessert and coffee

-Pray before dinner 

-Assign helper tasks among the guests

-Cook your turkey

-Follow schedule

-Wash as you work

Enjoy Thanksgiving dinner!

I want to end this message with a reminder that traditions like Thanksgiving create important memories in the lives of our children. Sharing these times together, playing games or working on a craft create joyful moments that our kids will cherish forever.

I wish you to have a stress-free relaxing holiday in the company of your loved ones. Stay safe!