Thanksgiving Travel Tips

This will be a quick post, because I'm sure no one has a lot of spare time right now. You're either prepping to have Thanksgiving at your house for a crowd, or you're trying to pack & hit the road. If you fall in the latter category, then you will appreciate some of these travel tips....

 Here are a few quick tips for families that are traveling this holiday....

 And, if you're bringing a side dish to a family gathering, here are some recipes that travel well. We don't usually travel for Thanksgiving, but I think some of these recipes sounds too delicious to pass up!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Holiday Meal Planning: Thanksgiving

Confession: I have never cooked a Thanksgiving Day turkey.

 

I know, I'm so lame. Every self-respecting woman has cooked a turkey before, right!? Well, I'm sure there will be a day when I will need to do it. But for now, my husband & father-in-law insist on taking over cooking duties on Thanksgiving. Who am I to argue with that?!????

That being said, Thanksgiving still stresses me out :) Our house usually hosts the event, and this year, we have 12 people coming! So, although I don't do the cooking on the actual day, there is still a lot to do beforehand to prepare for Thanksgiving. I thought I'd try to help you all out there become a little more organized when it comes to this stressful amazing holiday.....

 

First of all, you know I love a cute (and free!) printable. This one is my absolute favorite.

It has everything you need....

 

-A space for your Thanksgiving menu plus shopping list,

-A Thanksgiving Day schedule to keep track of what needs to go in/out of the oven and when,

-A space to list all of the housework that needs to be done, plus hosting duties & decorating,

-Stuff for the kids! Coloring pages plus a space to list all of your blessings.

 

This guide breaks down what you need to do and when you need to do it. Like I mentioned, I'm in charge of everything BUT cooking the turkey on the big day, and it's crazy how much there is to do. Menu planning, shopping, thawing, cleaning, decorating....the list goes on. This guide helps to keep it all in check & ensures you won't forget a thing! It's basically a Thanksgiving cheat sheet.

You're welcome.

Here is another great guideline, this one just for meal day prep & cooking a turkey plus a few basic side dishes. And it has built-in wine breaks....love!

I love this handy Thanksgiving calculator! Because there's nothing worse than not having enough food. This takes the guesswork out when helping to prep for a large group on Thanksgiving.

So, now that you have all of these great printables & guidelines, wouldn't it make sense to keep them for next year?? I love the idea of having a binder to hold all of your holiday planning items together. Check out this blog for instructions on making one.

If nothing else, just put all your stuff in a folder and save it for next year. That sure would save you some time & headaches NEXT Thanksgiving!!

Preparing for Holiday Visitors

Whether you have visitors coming into town for Thanksgiving or Christmas,
now is the ideal time to start your preparations.....

 

 

1. The first place you need to evaluate (and probably de-clutter!) is your guest room. If you don't have a designated guest room, then decide where your guests will be staying....in one of the kids' rooms, on a pull-out couch, etc. It's important that there is a place set aside for guests; a place to call their own and feel "at home" during their visit.

 

If your guest room is like mine, then that closet has been deemed the "catch-all" space of the house. Tidy that up (or completely pull everything out & de-clutter if it's bad enough). Make sure to have a few spare hangers at your guests' disposal as well.

 

Other essentials for the guest room:

-clean linens (!)

-extra blankets & pillows in plain view

-clock

-Kleenex

-small trash can

-magazines

-fan

 

2. The next spot to think about when preparing for holiday visitors is the guest bathroom. My son's bathroom becomes the guest bathroom when we have visitors, so I relocate all of his toiletries from the shower & vanity to our bathroom. Plus, his bath towel & washcloth! This allows ample space for your guests to hang up their towels, as well as spread out their toiletries, cosmetics, and hair tools. Clear off a nearby shelf or drawer if need be.

 

It's always nice to have a few extra toiletries on hand (and in their bathroom) in case guests forget an item at home. We keep an extra toothbrush & toothpaste, as well as shampoo, soap, toilet paper, q-tips, cotton balls handy.

 

3. Another thing to think about when you are preparing for guests is food!

What are their likes & dislikes? Do they have any allergies?

What is their favorite kind of coffee, alcohol, breakfast food, snack, etc?

 

4. Lastly, make a list of a few activities in town your guests might be interested in.....parks, museums, local restaurants, etc. Check the forecast and see if their visit will be conducive to outdoor activities.

 

**If all this seems a bit over the top or too overwhelming, feel free to contact me. I would be happy to assist you with all of your organizing needs!*