Thanksgiving-Ready: Preparing Your Home For Your Guests

As we are nearing the end of the year, we are also seeing ourselves full and busy with holiday gatherings. The first on the list would definitely be Thanksgiving! If you are playing host this year, you know for certain that it’s not just the turkey that you have to prepare. You would be expecting guests like friends and family and every year there seems to be an addition to the pack.

Even if being a thanksgiving party host would mean too much work for you, you still want to do and be the best. And, part of the thanksgiving treat that you must give your guests is the warmth of the welcome that your home gives off. So, your home must be also be clean and ready to welcome your guests.

Rooms to Clean for Thanksgiving

You might have been used to the thought that the Turkey’s the star of the show during Thanksgiving. But of course, as a host, you have to make your guests feel at ease and comfortable. And, the turkey is just one part of it all.

You have to clean your home, free of clutter that can make your guests feel that they are not special enough for you not to give cleaning much thought. But, do you have to clean all of your rooms?

Ideally, it could mean the perfect time to do a deep cleaning. But if that isn’t part of your to-do list just yet, then you can go clean those that you would expect guest traffic. These would probably be your kitchen, bathroom, dining room and living area. The kitchen and bathroom though would need thorough cleaning.

To-do list Before Thanksgiving Day

Now that you’re the host of the special Thanksgiving dinner you have to prepare days or even weeks ahead. But what do you have to do to prepare?

We have a cleaning guide here below that lists the things you need to do in the weeks leading to Thanksgiving:

One Month Before Thanksgiving

Around this time, you probably have sent out the invites and ordered what you need for that special dinner.  So what else do you need to do for your home to be ready?

• Do an ocular of your home to see those that need repairs or fixing and get repair services.
• Check your coat closet in the main living area and clear some space, anticipating your guests’ coats.
• Clean your pantry and get some space ready for your Thanksgiving Dinner ingredients and other important food inventory.

Two Weeks Before Thanksgiving

• Prepare your cooking schedule, complete with the recipes and the needed cooking time.  Check those that can be cooked ahead. This will help you get things in order during Thanksgiving.
• Get your cleaning supplies ready.  If you see that you lack some then go and buy ahead to save you time.
• Buy plastic food containers for when you store your leftovers from the Thanksgiving dinner or when you have your guests bring home some.
• Having kids over?  Prepare kid-size tables, chairs, games and other activity stuff that will keep them busy when the adults are catching up with one another.
• If you will be having overnight guests, do a major cleaning of the guest rooms.  Then restrict entry to these rooms as much as possible so you wouldn’t be doing another round of cleaning.

Weekend Before Thanksgiving

• Remove all clutter from all around and stow them away.
• Mop your floors and dust your furniture, from the top of cabinets, the blinds, fan blades and under bigger furniture.
• Get your kitchen its needed major deep cleaning.  Wipe stovetops and clean your oven.  This will also boost your mood when you are hustling in the kitchen during Thanksgiving.
• Give your countertops, cabinets and other surfaces a good wipe down.  Don’t forget your fridge especially the handles.
• Wash all the plates and other dinnerware that you are planning to use for Thanksgiving.
• Prepare all the linens that you would be using such as table cloth, towels, beddings (when you have overnight guests) and others.  Do your washing around this time when these linens need washing.

Two Days Before Thanksgiving

• Clean your bathroom focusing on the one that your guests will be using. Make sure that you give your toilet bowl a thorough wipe down with an effective cleaning solution.
• If you are using soap dispensers, refill them so you wouldn’t forget.
• Be sure to put toilet paper, soap, and clean hand towels too.  For the overnight guests, include the basic toiletries like what hotels provide.  That will make you a very considerate host.

Day Before Thanksgiving

Since you’ve done most of the major tasks way ahead, you can now relax a bit and do the light cleaning tasks. You can even ask your kids or other members of the household to do this so you can already start your kitchen hustle.

• Do a quick vacuum all around the house for that light dusting.
• Sweep entryways, porch, and other areas outside the house where people can gather while waiting for dinner or for some drinks.
• Take out all the trash.
• Do a final checking of rooms that will be used during Thanksgiving to ensure that they are clean and ready for your guests.

Thanksgiving Morning

You would probably be in the kitchen doing your grind for Thanksgiving dinner but here are the things that you or your kids can do in the morning before guests start to arrive:

• Put fresh garbage liners in your trash cans.
• Give the dining table and other surfaces in the living area and dining room a quick dusting.
• Check for clutter and if there is, stow them and keep them out of sight.

A Thanksgiving Host is Hard Work

Any party host would entail hard work. But what you must keep in mind is the reason for this season. It’s a season of giving thanks. Think of this as your way of giving thanks to the people close to you, especially those you invited to the party. After all, this wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without that spirit of gratitude.