How is it already the week of Thanksgiving? There seems to be a million things on the to-do list that need to get done by Thursday. Totally not freaking out here! How about you guys? Are you ready for the chaos to begin? Are you one of the lucky ones who only has to show up to the festivities? Totally jealous. Well, if you’re not one of the lucky ones and you’re the one hosting, we wanted to make sure to put together how you can prepare for your Thanksgiving guests (assuming you’ve already decorated).
Step 1 : PANIC like you’re the turkey with its head cut off! Just kidding. Pretty please do not do that. There’s absolutely no need to panic, we promise! How about starting off with a good deep clean in the spaces that your guests will most likely be in: kitchen, living room, dining room, bathrooms, etc. Cleaning is probably the worst task about hosting guests during the holidays, but that’s why it’s first on the list: so it gets done and out of the way before you worry about anything else.
Step 2 : Bring out the polish. If you have special occasion serve-ware, it’s not a bad idea to make those babies sparkle like the diamond you are! Seriously though, make them glimmer and sparkle! You’ll love the compliments at dinner time: “Aunt Eleanor, your crystal wine glasses are the prettiest I have ever seen in my life!” Great ego boost, right?!
Step 3: Stock the pantry with everything you’ll need. Grocery stores always have awesome deals during the holidays to ensure you’ve got everything you need, and then some! Especially if you have some picky eaters that magically appear in your home.
Step 4: Prepare foods that don’t have to be prepared the day of: mashed potatoes, green bean casserole (leave the crunchy goodness off the top though until the day of), side salads, deserts, you get the picture. In doing this beforehand, you won’t have your sister-in-law telling you to do things a certain way to appease her, nor will she be snooping around your kitchen for ingredients or a spatula! It’s really a win-win situation.
Step 5: Clean again. *Siiiigggghhhh* You’re so close to being done, you can taste it (no, don’t go in the fridge where the prepared food is)! More than likely, someone came through your beautiful masterpiece the first time around, so of course you need to go through to make sure it’s all perfect. And then you’ll be able to perfect the table settings and make sure everything you’re going to need for Thanksgiving can be set out.
Step 6: Do all the above before 5 o’clock Wednesday evening. Why you ask? So that you and your awesome hubby can drink a bottle of wine or two and order takeout to relax. Much needed after all of the hard work and tears you shed for Thanksgiving to run smoothly!
From everyone here at Elizabeth Erin Designs, we hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and spend the time with those you love! Don’t forget your stretchy pants