Thanksgiving is a time for family, friends, and food. It also can be a time for stress even though you don’t want it to be!
If you’re like most people, you want your Thanksgiving to be perfect. But between the cooking, the cleaning, and the entertaining, it can be hard to stay calm. But don’t worry! Here are some tips and tricks for having a stress-free Thanksgiving – or at least greatly reducing it!
Create Your Menu in Advance
One of the biggest sources of stress during Thanksgiving is trying to come up with a menu that will please everyone. And then there’s the issue of actually making all those dishes! To save yourself some stress, it’s best to create your menu in advance. This way, you’ll know exactly what you need to make and what ingredients you’ll need to buy.
Shop Early
Another big stressor during Thanksgiving is the grocery shopping. Not only do you have to contend with the crowds, but you also have to make sure you have everything you need. To make things easier on yourself, try to shop early. Most of your local grocery stores can now even do the shopping for you and some even deliver!
Delegate, Delegate, Delegate!
Thanksgiving is not a one-person show! If you’re hosting Thanksgiving dinner, delegate as much as possible. Ask family and friends to bring side dishes or desserts. And if someone offers to help with the cooking, let them! The more help you have, the less stressed you’ll be.
Prep Ahead of Time
As much as possible, try to prepare ahead of time. This includes everything from setting the table the night before to prepping ingredients for your dishes. The more you can do ahead of time, the less there will be to do on Thanksgiving Day and the less stressed you’ll be.
Get Help With Cleaning Your Home
No one wants their home to be a mess when guests come over. But with all the cooking and prepping you have to do, it can be hard to find the time to clean. Luckily, you can let Mini Maid do the cleaning for you! This way, you can focus on more important things like enjoying time with family and friends!
Have an Empty Dishwasher on Thanksgiving Day
This may seem like a small thing, but it can make a big difference. Make sure you have an empty dishwasher on Thanksgiving Day so that you can quickly and easily clean up any dishes that need to be washed. And as soon as one load of dishes is done, unload your dishwasher (even if you don’t put the dishes away immediately) and start another load.
Set Out Serving Dishes in Advance
Another small tip that can make a big difference is setting out serving dishes in advance. Take a look at your menu and plan which serving dishes you will use with each menu item. This way, when food is ready to be served, all you have to do is transfer it to the corresponding serving dish.
Make Sure Your Have Containers for Leftovers
Don’t want to be eating leftovers for the next two weeks? Then make sure you have some containers so your guests can take some food home with them. You can bet that everyone will be thankful they don’t have to cook the next day!
Take a Deep Breath
Last but not least, don’t forget to take a deep breath. It’s easy to get caught up in the stress of it all, but remember that Thanksgiving is supposed to be a fun and festive holiday. So take a step back, take a deep breath, and enjoy yourself! After all, that’s what Thanksgiving is all about.
Do you have any tips for having a stress-free Thanksgiving? Share them with us in the comments below! And if you’re looking for some help with cleaning your home before Thanksgiving, be sure to contact Mini Maid. We would be happy to help! Happy Thanksgiving!
