Thanksgiving Chatter From Marci: The Weekend Before

 

Thanksgiving Tips and Tricks: Weekend Before

The hard work begins the weekend before Thanksgiving. The biggest task? The dreaded trip to your supermarket for non-perishables. Hopefully, you have found time to take care of at least some this shopping earlier in the month. Be prepared for the crowds. They will be almost unavoidable at this point, even during off-hours.

  • Prep Anything That Can Be Frozen:

Begin prepping any menu items that can be made and frozen. You’ll appreciate the opportunity to prep these items leisurely.

  • Clean The House:

The weekend before Thanksgiving is the perfect time to thoroughly clean your house for entertaining. If you take care of the deep cleaning now, you will only need to tidy up a bit next week. (Unless of course you have small children, in which case you probably basically clean the house every single day.)

  • Get Ready for Children:

If you don’t have children of your own, but are expecting them for the holiday, be sure to set up an area of the house specifically for them. Set out any games, coloring books or other activities. If you are expecting toddlers, be sure to remove any fragile or dangerous items that are within reach of tiny hands.

  • Visit Your Farmer’s Market:

If your local farmer’s market is still running, you can swing by to pick up perishable items you still need. Unfortunately, many markets have scaled back or closed by late November, so be prepared to visit your grocery store for some perishable items.

  • Move Furniture:

If you need to move furniture to accommodate your guests do it over the weekend and before your done cleaning. Invite a friend or neighbor over to help if you need it.

  • Finish Prepping Linens:

Make sure any cleaning or ironing is finished by the end of the weekend. Fold your napkins and put your tablecloths out, if possible. I like to set my table at least four days out.

  • Tidy Up Your Home’s Entrance:

Make a great first impression with your guests — spend some time outside cleaning the entrance and walkway to your home. Cleaning out any leaves or debris and displaying some fall flowers will make your guests feel welcome before they’ve entered the front door. Also, be sure to check to make sure you have adequate parking for your guests. Give a heads up to your neighbors if you expect your guests to park in front of their home.