Make your Thanksgiving Day easier by prepping the night before!
The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is what I like to call Thanksgiving Prep Night. This day is all about preparing and checking things off your list for Thanksgiving Day to minimize stress and maximize time with family and friends.
Following these five tips the night before is a sure way to make your Thanksgiving Day go much easier!
No. Cooking.
Don’t hate me for this one, but who wants to use up precious time by cooking dinner, then cleaning up, and then putting leftovers away in the fridge where fridge space is needed for the next two days? Order pizza or go through the drive-thru and call it a day. The kids will surely get over this horrible idea of mine in no time
Get the house ready.
Cleaning the house the day before is one of the biggest ways to make Thanksgiving Day easier!
- Clean up, vacuum, stock up bathroom essentials, prepare the guest room for overnight guests, etc. Do whatever you need to do this day to tidy up for the guests.
- Table setting. Prepare the silverware, plates cups, tablecloths, and any other Thanksgiving staples. You don’t need to set the table but getting it ready, dusting, washing whatever needs to be is not something you need to worry about the day of. This is a good way to take a quick inventory. Are you short on anything? Everything is closed on Thursday so if there is an unexpected errand to run, it needs to be taken care of on Wednesday.
- Empty out every trash can, recycle bin, and even the washer and dryer. (You never know what will need to be washed or dried ASAP the day of, especially if there are kids involved.)
- Make room in the coat closet. Unless you live in a place where the temps are always warm, Thanksgiving is chilly and that means there will be lots of coats, scarves, gloves, and boots that need a place to be other than the furniture. If you are limited on closet space, designate a room away from the crowd to keep these items in.
- Prepare any extra furniture like folding table & chairs, coffee urn, drink dispenser, etc. Things that you don’t have out all the time or that are hidden away for special occasions.
Prep the turkey!
The biggest tip for an easier Thanksgiving day is to get the turkey all prepped and ready to go!
Prepping the turkey the night before will make your Thanksgiving Day much easier. That big bird needs to be cleaned, prepared, and marinated all night long to enhance its flavor. This step can be quite messy, and I prefer not to deal with it on Thanksgiving morning when I’m dressed and ready to host. I’d rather handle the raw poultry mess and clean everything up the night before so my kitchen is ready for all the cooking and my guests. Read more about hosting an easier Thanksgiving here.
Prep the other side dishes.
The key to an easy Thanksgiving is having all the side dishes handled. The sides are just as important as the turkey!
Whatever you’re making, get the annoying things out of the way like the peeling, slicing, and dicing on Thanksgiving prep night. Thursday is all about cooking. We can’t be bothered with all those tedious tasks. Speaking of sides, this cornbread stuffing and these mashed potatoes are a few of my family’s favorite sides
Self Pre
Make sure you and everyone else are ready. Take showers or baths the night before to minimize the work on Thursday and reduce the need for bathroom cleanup. You don’t want your guests to use a wet, steamy bathroom. Have everyone choose their outfits and ensure everything is clean and ready to wear on Thursday morning.
