How to Get Your House Ready for Thanksgiving Guests
The end of the year is the best time of the year for so many people. It’s a time where families spend more time together and some of the best food of the year is cooked and shared with loved ones. Even though Thanksgiving is one of the loveliest days of the year to spend with those you love the most it’s also the time of year when many homeowners stress over preparations. These tips can help any Thanksgiving host create a comprehensive Thanksgiving to-do list to minimize stress.
Prepping Your Home for Guests
The most crucial task on your to-do list this time of year is figuring out how to clean your house for guests prior to their arrival. Cleaning house for Thanksgiving might not be high on your list of fun fall activities, but it must be done by following these tips:
● Read resources from house cleaning services for an idea of how to get started and handle the cleaning process most effectively
● Make a list of all the rooms and things you want cleaned
● Clean one room at a time
● Create a cleaning bucket to carry around your cleaning supplies so you're not constantly running around looking for what you need to clean the carpet or clean the showers or wipe down the furniture
● Block off a few hours to focus directly on cleaning
Do the Small Cleaning the Day Before
The day before Thanksgiving allows you a chance to get your home ready for Thanksgiving guests by tackling the small projects. This is the best day to mop the floors, clean the bathroom counters, and tackle the mountain of laundry in the laundry room. Once these little details are complete, you can move on to the things that are more enjoyable.
Plan Your Centerpieces
The dinner itself is the shining star of Thanksgiving dinner, but that doesn’t mean you get to forget the tablescape. Now is the time to purchase candles and fresh fall flowers with which to decorate your table for guests. Think about arranging lovely fall flowers in a pumpkin centerpiece or a simple glass vase. Light a few fall-scented candles, and add a few ice buckets with champagne or white wine to the center of the table for guests to enjoy with dinner.
Decorate your table and set it in advance. You don’t want to worry about setting the table or asking someone else to do it for you while you’re busy in the kitchen the day of. You want this done in advance so your guests can have a sneak peek of what a beautiful job you’re doing on dinner when they arrive. It’s important to get the little things out of the way so you can focus on the larger to-do items the day of.
What to Prepare for Thanksgiving
This is the most crucial item on your to-do list. Your guests will appreciate clean bathrooms and freshly cleaned carpets, but they won’t care about any of it if you drop the ball planning dinner. The best thing you can do is create your menu weeks in advance. List what you plan on serving, what ingredients you need for it, and make a list. Buy what you can in advance, such as the turkey and any other items that won’t go bad before the big day.
Anything that needs to be fresh when cooked should be picked up a day or two before you plan on cooking. Preparing Thanksgiving dinner in advance is something you can do with things like casseroles that only need to go in the oven for a few minutes to warm up, but it’s the appetizers and breakfast you plan on serving you should prepare in advance. If you’re making pies, they may also be prepared in advance and simply baked on Thanksgiving day.
One of the most important things people tend to forget on Thanksgiving is people still need to eat before dinner, and you’re so focused on preparing the most delicious and beautiful Thanksgiving dinner you forget about breakfast and snacks for your guests throughout the day. Add these items to your menu to ensure everyone is satisfied throughout the day. You needn’t go all out preparing these things. Simple appetizers and breakfast casseroles are perfectly acceptable, and often some of your guest’s favorite foods.
Thanksgiving is one of the most enjoyable days of the year. It’s a lovely excuse to spend time with the people you love the most while you go over Black Friday sales ads in the paper, while you enjoy a few glasses of wine safely and in moderation, and while you just enjoy your family. If you can, let someone else handle the big cleaning while you focus on the most important aspect of the day. Dinner is everything on Thanksgiving.
*About the author: Riya is an inspired writer. With spending her years in marketing communication, Riya is delightful to work with small business owners. She enjoys meeting new people and reading more books to get inspired for her own work. Connect with Riya here, @sanderriya.
