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This weekend is Thanksgiving in Canada! A day many families will enjoy a tasty meal together and share what they are most thankful for. I have always had a love hate relationship with Thanksgiving over the years. I love that we get a long weekend and love the extra family time. I hate all the prep it takes to cook and the clean up after. Often I find myself in the kitchen prepping for dinner, cutting, cleaning and cooking while everyone else is lazing around enjoying fun times. Yes it is a labour of love but a part of me misses the dinners where my mom or grandmother cooks and I helped as I could.
I still remember my first turkey I cooked. I was on the other side of the country and we had guests coming over. I had my mom on the phone most of the day asking her how to cook it. In reality cooking a turkey is pretty simple. It pretty much cooks itself and most of the sides can be prepared ahead of time. I really stressed over that first dinner but now it is not so bad. Now I spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying my family and friends. You can too!
Here are my 5 tips to help you prep for Thanksgiving
Prep ahead of time
Any food you can clean and cut ahead of time will help save you time. Every little bit helps. I will peel , wash and cut my veggies so all they need is cooking. I do a quick once over of my home and make sure I am well stocked for movies, dishes, and anything else that may be needed.
Enlist help
Guests are happy to help (usually) So when they ask what they can do let them know.Often something as simple as bringing buns, desserts or a side is a big help. When it comes time to pull the turkey out enlist someone who is a great carver to do the job. I always get my boys to help with mashing potatoes as well.
Do a little at a time
Take your time and have fun! Nobody wants to see you all stressed out. Thanksgiving is a time for family and that mean you as well. So do what you can as you can. If dinner is a little bit late nobody will care. Get your shopping done early and anything else you need to do ahead of time.
Make a list
I always forget something. Always. To save money and time, make a list. Put the list on the fridge and add to it as you think of what you need. Be sure to bring the list with you to the store. Since I am so forgetful, I take pic of the list with my phone. I always add to the list but at least everything that is needed by me or others (the kids always add to it) is remembered. Nobody needs to rush out for last minute items when stores are crowded and shelves are empty. I had to buy stuffing at a corner store one and was not impressed by the price. So make list!
Clean first
Yes I know who has company over for dinner without cleaning?!?!
Well I like to give everything a good cleaning a week before a big dinner. This means dishwasher is cleaned, Oven is cleaned. Laundry is all finished and put away. House is vacuumed. And my kitchen is sparkling. I even clean the kitchen sink.
Mr Clean Magic Erasers and Mr. Clean Liquid Muscle are my BFFs when it comes to cleaning my kitchen. My kitchen is the main attraction when hosting dinners and my sink sees a lot of action. So I need to be sure it is clean. Cleaning does not need to be a time consuming chore. 15 minutes is all you need to spruce up your home.
Mr Clean is also good on cleaning up the fridge, dishwasher and floors int he kitchen. And do not forget the bathroom! Another room that we all need to be guest ready when hosting big dinners. Use Mr Clean Liquid Muscle in there as well to make it sparkly clean.
How do you prep for your Thanksgiving festivities?
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Kitchen – dishes etc
kitchen & bathroom counters & sinks
last minute touch-ups in the bathroom. thanks
Oh, the bathroom needs a great cleaning from top to bottom!
Bathroom touch ups and quick!!
the bathroom!
BATHROOM KIDS TOYS OF FLOOR AND GET THE DUSTER OUT THE DOG IS HARY
Bathroom
Our house is usually tidy, especially the sitting room on the first level which we don’t use except when we have guests, so my quick job would be a dust of its leather sofas and a vacuum of the floor.
I’m very lucky, I’m not having guests in fact I will be the guest so I don’t have to do anything special 🙂
Bathroom touch-ups and picking up any papers that may be out would be what I would do before guests arrived.
We have a dog that sheds a fair bit so it is all about that last minute vacuum!
Quick vacuum to get rid of the cat hair 🙂
a quick bathroom wipe down 🙂
Mine is the bathroom and kitchen
The bathroom sinks could use a quick cleaning. Seem to need cleaning every day!
In a house full of boys, I always need to give the bathroom an extra wipe down.
Jonnie
Making sure bathroom is all well stocked and organized, kitchen dishes are all put away
Bathroom and pick dog toys up off the floor.
I have two dogs and two cats, gulp .. I need to make it as fur free as possible!! My family don’t share my love of animals.
I need to make sure there are no dirty dishes in the sink.
In 15min. I can vacuum, get the bathroom cleaned, wipe down the counters and spray the furniture! whew!!
the bathroom needs attacking before anyone may enter!
Last minute touch ups through the house
The bathroom and the entrance way..always needs to be looked after
Clean all the washroom surfaces & mop the floors.
Tidy up the kitchen and mop the floors!
My 15-minute task would be vacuuming the floor and putting the dishes in the dishwasher.
I like to quickly vacuum and pick up the dog toys before anyone arrives.
I tidy up our foyer and put away shoes and outerwear that have collected in the area.
sweep and mop
Cleaning the stinky litter box and the room in there!
15 min before any guests arrive, I make sure all my surfaces are clean, the entrance hall is tidy and my cats’ messes are cleaned (toys, litter box, dishes…)
I need to quickly get as much dog fur picked up as possible and get the scentsy going.
I go through the house with my vacuum and they a quick wash with the mop 🙂
The bathrooms are my touch up areas that need done when guess come.
It is always the bathrooms, empty the garbage and clean up, put out extra rolls so guests don’t have to search.
The kitchen
Make sure kitchen and living room and bathroom clean.
clean the bathroom and tidy up the kitchen and living room
Bathroom, kitchen and living room
I usually try to sweep all the main areas before guests come.
I need to make sure there is room for hanging their coats! We don’t have a front closet, only hooks, so I empty the hooks before company arrives 🙂
I need to clean all of my baseboard. There is dust on them.
I do a quick cleaning of the kitchen & bathroom and tidy up real fast
Kitchen and bathroom
I would have to say sweeping the floors as I dont have carpet so you see all the dust!
Dusting and bathroom
Tidy up the living room and pick up any dirty dishes!
The bathroom I think is the most important to disinfect & make welcoming before any guests arrive! It needs to be super clean in there!
I first clean the main bathroom then head to the kitchen where i clean the counters and do the dishes
A quick wipedown in the bathroom, then picking up my Sons toys here and there so no one breaks an ankle!
my dining room table is always cluttered always a quick cleanup when I know someone is coming
I need to clean under the stove and couch
Definitely the bathroom. My mum always said that other clutter was forgiveable, so longa s the bathroom was spotless.
I always do a quick cleaning of the bathroom and hide the clutter that seems to gravitate from upstairs to the living area.
My 15-minute task would be to sweep the leaves off of the doorstep and walkway
mine would be a dusting of the electronics
Make sure the bathroom toilet and sink are spotless and pick up in the livingroom.
I need to clean the washroom floor, make sure enough toilet paper, change the towel and clean toilet. I also need to tidy up the main floor!
I just need to get the pre dishes washed first so there isn’t a hundred after dinner, pick up my toddlers mess from the living room and put them back in his room and since we are potty training making sure no little boy pee in the bathroom
make room in the front closet for coats
bathroom counters & sinks
i need to tighten all the screws on the chairs…weird i known
Definitely the bathroom–always clean it last, what with showers and stuff.
cleaning the bathroom
A vacuum of the livingroom and wipe down in bathroom
It would have to be checking the bathroom and doing a quick clean.
Vacuum living room and wipe down bathroom counters.
kitchen & bathroom counters & sinks
Bathroom, kitchen and sweep/mop
Bathroom and kitchen ! The most important rooms to have cleaned up !
We ripped the nasty carpet off our stairs & painted them a few weeks ago but we still need to go back & touch up the wall paint on the edges that the carpet used to cover.
Always have to make sure the guest bathroom is clean!
I need to make sure the guest bathroom is clean and well stocked up on TP and soap, put new towels in there. Also a quick vacuum of the stairs!
I need to tidy the bathroom and kitchen counters before my guests arrive.
Bathroom touchups to make sure that the sinks and counters are nice and clean! A quick vacuum around the floors is also part of the routine.
I need to clean up our bathroom and our kitchen counter!
For me it’s cleaning the grubby fingerprints etc that my kids leave on our kitchen surfaces – the stainless steel appliances, and the cupboards. I actually give my oldest child the job of polishing the “stainless” fridge, dishwasher and stove surfaces, and she is really good at it, while I wipe down the cupboards.
I need to polish my serving forks and spoons.
I sweep the living room and wipe down the kitchen and bathrooms.
I wipe down the washroom, scrub the toilet and empty the trash.
a quick vacuum, sweep and mopping
i always do a 10 second tidy in my bathroom and kitchen area
A little vacuuming and the odd dish or two are usually what I have to do at the last minute.
Clean the living room, bathroom and straighten the front hall!
A little sweeping
Hubby likes to store things on the kitchen table so I have to quickly clear it off.
quick vaccum and tidying up
Ours is laundry its never ending theres always a pile to fold and put away.
I like a spotless bathroom and clear floors of the dog toys laying around
I sweep the kitchen floor and do a quick once-over on the bathroom.
I would have to tackle the “counter of doom” – that spot where stuff accumulates no matter how hard I try to keep it clear it ends up cluttered with “stuff” that doesn’t belong!
generally things are clean, so it is a pick up junk scenario
I clear as much as I can on the kitchen and bathroom countertops.
I need to replace A PIECE OF DRYWALL at the bottom of the stairs.
I need to wash my throw rugs on the floor (where my dog happens to lie).
Dusting and vacuuming the living room and porch, and cleaning the sink and faucets
I would probably need to do dishes and make sure the floors are clean. Seems like those are never ending jobs.
I need to have the floors cleaned and some polishing.
a good vacuum and sweep of the floors!
I need to fix the kitchen faucet.
I need to do touch ups in the kitchen and bathroom
light candles
Dusting the furniture and sweeping
Quick bathroom and kitchen wipe down and quick tidy in living room
bathroom and kitchen counters
Quick mop and dust and put out clean towels in the bathroom.
I whip down the counters
Cleaning my kitchen. It always seems to get messy so fast.
Tidying up the living room and dining table so people can sit comfortably and eat.
Cleaning up the bathroom and kitchen 🙂
The entire bathroom. I like it spotless for guests.
I need to vacuum and clean the guest bathroom!
Tackling the bathroom and decluttering.
I need to clean off our kitchen island and put out some nice decorations.
I clean the bathroom quickly before guests arrive.
I am goig to paint the trim in the downstairs. It only takes a few minutes and makes a big difference.
Moping the floor.
Wipe down kitchen countertops.
Wipe down all counter tops, kitchen and bathroom and vacuum living room.
windows… lots of fingerprints from my son
Washing the floors and cleaning the bathroom
The bathroom! It is my arch nemesis!
I always to a quick scrub down of the bathroom/toilet…I mean that’s about basic courtesy I feel.
A clean bathroom is a must for any guests. And then tidy up the main livingroom area.
Cleaning the bathroom is always the first thing that needs to be done before guests arrive. Cleaning the sink, the counters, and the toilet. Just to make sure everything is nice and fresh for them!
Quick sweep to get rid of kids toys & a once over of the bathroom
I do touch ups in the bathroom, and change the hand towels.I also like to clean my kitchen counter tops and spray a nice bouquet around.
I do a quick clean of kitchen, living room and washroom, put toys away and spray some room freshener.
Quick toy tidy, sweep & spot treat the floor!
Right before they arrive it would be the surfaces and all that’s going to be seen at first
A quick vacuum/mop.
Tidy up the dining room because the table is a dumping ground.
Giving the bathroom a good scrub
Tidy up the living room and bathroom.
I always clean the bathroom! (Suzi)
Bathroom & kitchen need the most cleaning
Bring all the bags and boxes to donate.
A quick clean of the toilet, tub and sink so the bathroom is presentable!
I always like to make sure the bathroom is nice and clean and I like to do a good vacuum before people come over as well
Always the bathroom!
15 minute reno. My small task I need to tackle before my guests arrive is damp mop and fast dust
my 15 min. reno is the dining room – we only use it when we have guests, so it’s kid-centered usually – easle, art supplies, board games etc. so we cram all that stuff into the bedrooms before the guests arrive
It is, and always is, the bathrooms! I wish I could hire someone just to clean them!
I like to do a quick wipe of all surfaces in the kitchen and bathroom. It really makes a big difference.
bathroom and clear the kitchen counter