Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays of the year, and now more than ever, I’m thankful for the opportunity to see family and friends this holiday season. However, preparing for Thanksgiving can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to organizing the kitchen. Here are some tips to get your kitchen in order for the big day and to help you enjoy a stress-free holiday.

Clean out the fridge and pantry

Before you start shopping and cooking, take some time to clean out your fridge and pantry. Discard any expired or spoiled items to make room for your Thanksgiving ingredients. If these areas are already at capacity, look for items that can be temporarily moved. For example, in my fridge, I move our BBQ sauce and pickle collection to the garage fridge to free up space. For a client’s pantry that I organize each year at this time, I move the school snacks off a shelf to create a home for all the holiday ingredients. After the cans of pumpkin and bags of stuffing are used, she can easily shift the school snacks back in place.

Plan your menu

Planning your menu ahead of time will help you stay organized and minimize stress on the actual day. Make a list of all the dishes you plan to make and the ingredients you’ll need. Look for recipes or components of recipes that can be prepared ahead to save stress on the big day. This is a great time to look for opportunities to delegate. Never be afraid to ask for help!

Organize your kitchen tools 

Make sure that all your kitchen tools, such as knives, cutting boards, and measuring cups, are clean and easily accessible. Arrange them in a way that makes sense to you and will help you work efficiently. Look for tools and appliances that won’t be needed and move them out of the work zone. We just did this for a client yesterday - the rice cooker and electric skillet along with other rarely used items were safely stored and labeled. They sit on a shelf at the bottom of the basement stairs, easy to find but not in the way on the big day.

Set up your table or buffet ahead of the big day

Labeling your serving dishes ahead of time will help you keep track of what goes where and make serving the meal easier. Use sticky notes or labels to mark which dish goes with each recipe. Make sure you include serving utensils for each dish.  This step makes it easier for family to help you set up and serve on the big day. They can read the labels instead of asking you questions!

Set the table ahead of time

Setting the table the night before can save you time and stress on Thanksgiving Day. Make sure you have enough plates, glasses, and silverware for all your guests. Give glassware a quick wipe or wash in the week ahead and check linens and napkins for stains. A client and I developed a system for her to use a few bins to collect and hold all the table settings and table toppings. When it’s time to set up tables, she can pull everything she needs from those bins.

Declutter during and after

 This is a great time to assess the tools, tableware, and decorations that are going unused (maybe for years). Have a donation box handy to contain the tableware, serving dishes, and tablecloths that are not loved or needed. These items can then go on to make someone else’s kitchen work better!

I hope these tips can help get your kitchen organized and ready for Thanksgiving. It’s never easy to host a large event but with a little planning and preparation, you can enjoy a stress-free and delicious holiday with your loved ones.