| Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... |
This year, you don’t want to leave it until the last minute to get ready for Thanksgiving. It’s hectic enough around the holidays without having to waiting until the last minute to prepare… especially if you’re having a family Thanksgiving dinner party. Allow us to assist you in getting things in order now, so you can enjoy that pumpkin pie and glass (or bottle?) of wine on Thanksgiving Day.
Here are some suggestions for getting your house (and yourself) organized for Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving Dinner Organization
Begin by making a menu plan. What will you be serving? Do you have any traditional foods that you absolutely must include? What should your visitors bring with them?
Make a list of items to avoid stress and to narrow down exactly what you’ll be serving. Once you’ve made your list, assign those items to your visitors to bring. This way you won’t be stuck doing all the cooking, your visitors will know exactly what to bring, and you’ll be able to keep track of how much food you have in your kitchen.
Ask your visitors to bring dishes that can be brought in ‘oven ready’. You won’t overcrowd the oven this way or add extra prep time. Extra prep time tends to produce some “hangry-ness” and that is usually a recipe for disaster, especially if there is family involved…
Once you’ve decided on what you’ll need to buy for the Thanksgiving meal, get to the store as soon as possible! During the week of Thanksgiving, most food items are quickly depleted. By getting organized now, you can ensure that you have everything you need to prepare a delicious meal.
Organizing Your Thanksgiving Prep
On Thanksgiving, for some reason, everyone congregates in the kitchen. It could be the enticing aroma of the food, or it could just be the custom of everyone pitching in to “prepare” dinner. In any case, deep cleaning your kitchen before your guests arrives is essential.
Make this a day or two ahead of Thanksgiving. You can use this as an opportunity to clean out old stuff from your kitchen cabinets, throw out outdated food from your refrigerator (to create place for leftovers), and even organize your flatware and dishes ahead of time.
It’s also crucial to make sure you have all of the utensils you’ll need to serve your meal. Carving knives, turkey platters, and even a gravy dish are included. You don’t want to find yourself serving your turkey on a plastic platter (presentation is important!)
Any dishes that can be made ahead, or ingredients that can be prepped ahead should be, if you can. And there’s no shame in buying premade food items if you are short on time, no one will even know once the packaging is in the garbage!
Organizing The Thanksgiving Dining Table
Thanksgiving puts a dining room to the test with so many dishes and so much serving equipment, not to mention the number of visitors and decorations. While some may choose to tackle space difficulties by serving guests in shifts at the table, others may choose to serve guests buffet-style. Buffet-style serving creates a casual attitude of sitting anywhere throughout a home, though, so you’ll need to be sure you’re comfortable with that!
Clear out the dining area for the holidays if it’s cluttered with unnecessary items. Everything that isn’t attached to the walls—except the table and chairs—could be relocated to make the most of the available space, especially in a small dining room. This “less is more” approach will make the space appear larger, and a larger space might be more comfortable. Additionally, by eliminating extraneous furniture and decor, the focus will be on the table and guests.
It can be tough to locate extra space in a small home to temporarily put the dining room’s extra items. However, it’s better to relocate them to a non-gathering place, such as a bedroom or closet, so they don’t obstruct hallways or clutter a sitting room where guests may relax after the dinner. Furthermore, using collapsible baskets with covers keeps your decor treasures safe, and the boxes fold nicely out of the way when everything is on show.
Organize the Rest of the House
Let’s be honest… regardless of what you do, your visitors will go through your bathroom cabinets when they head there to freshen up. Take advantage of the opportunity to clear out your medicine cabinet and bathroom drawers. Fresh hand towels should be placed at the sink, the toilet should be scrubbed, and any grout on the tile should be cleaned.
If your visitors will be staying with you, make sure you have clean linens, pillowcases, and bath towels on hand. The goal is to make your guests as relaxed as possible while yet creating a memorable Thanksgiving Day experience.
You should also have a look around the rest of the house. Make sure to vacuum the rooms, throw any clutter away, and light some candles. Your visitors will be wowed…trust us!
Contact Just Organized by Taya if the very concept of preparing for Thanksgiving makes you feel stressed. We can assist you in both organizing and decorating your home in preparation for the big day. We’re here to help! You can book an appointment here.
Working with Taya and her team is easy. You can book an appointment easily on her website, or contact her directly at 832-271-7608
- The 30-Minute Fall Reset: A Strategic Habit to OrganizeYour Busy Season - October 2, 2025
- The Ultimate Guide to Organizing and Storing Pet Food (Without Sacrificing Your Home Style) - September 30, 2025
- 25+ Things You MUST Declutter When Selling Your Houston Home - September 25, 2025
