The day of Thanksgiving is a flurry of activity. Guests arriving, food cooking, friends and family catching up and toasting to being together. It can be overwhelming. Instead, be sure to do your prep work, and on the day of, use some of these life hacks to be sure that you’re organized and ready to enjoy the day.
- Coat Check
If you have a second bathroom, using the shower curtain rod as a coat rack is a great idea. It will keep your guests’ coats from getting wrinkled, or if you have dogs or cats, it will save your guests’ from having a new furry coat when they leave.
- Set the Bar
Instead of playing bartender, set up a little side table with all the fixings so that guests can help themselves. Provide an ice bucket, mixers like tonic and cranberry juice, bottles of choice spirits, red and white wine, bottle opener, glasses and even pre-cut garnishes. - Place Side Dishes Aside
While the turkey cooks, you’ll be working on cooking side dishes. To keep them warm until dinner time, place them in an empty cooler. To ensure they stay warm, place a brick in the oven and heat it up, wrap a towel around it and place inside the cooler. This will keep everything warm until it’s time to eat.
You can also take advantage of a crock pot if you have one. They’re great for keeping mashed potatoes at the perfect temperature, and you can even use it as a serving dish.- Extra tip for fluffy mashed potatoes: add a dash of baking soda to them while mixing. It makes little air pockets that make potato perfection.
- Buffet Style
Don’t struggle to fit all of the dishes onto your Thanksgiving dinner table. Instead, present all of the dishes on the kitchen counter. Keep your table simple with pretty decorations, candles, and the necessary condiments like salt and pepper and butter. This way, your guests’ will be able to see one another at the table and not have to reach over each other for their food. - Don’t Forget The Kids’ Table
A great way to set the kids’ table is to cover it with paper and provide colored pens and crayons. Butcher paper is wide and lined with wax on one side so that ink won’t seep through. This will keep kids occupied and entertained for at least part of the evening.
Do you have any Thanksgiving Day life hacks? Share them with us here, we’d love to hear them!
