5 Important Tips for a Stress-Free Thanksgiving in Your Kitchen

Since nothing in our lives looks exactly the same this year, Thanksgiving dinner may look a little bit different too. Whether you are keeping the meal within your immediate family or extending it to other family members or friends, the menu still remains the same.

No matter what your gathering may look like, the show must still go on, right? While hosting and cooking Thanksgiving dinner may be a little stressful traditionally, it doesn't have to be that way. You can enjoy a stress-free day cooking up one of our most favorite meals of the year (and let's be honest, we all deserve an amazing meal and a small celebration for all we've endured this year)!

I will be sharing five organizational tips that will change your life (well, that's a tad dramatic) but it WILL help take some of the stress out of the day. It will help you simplify your meal prep, reduce the stress of cooking all day, and add a bit of joy to the process. Let’s dive right in…

1. Clear the Counters

When I cook, I need space. Clutter can create stress, so I start by clearing the counter of unnecessary items that I won't be needing that day. Items like decor, coffee grinders, and toaster ovens are all examples of things I won't need on Thanksgiving day, so when I am preparing large meals, those items go into my pantry. Similarly, if you have a place on your counter top that you keep mail, put that in your bedroom for the day.

2. Sort and Separate Spices

How many times have you gone into your pantry or cabinet searching for a spice you needed right away and ended up taking every spice out until you found what you were looking for? Take the stress out of the day by sitting down the night before and reading all the spices you need the next day and putting them out on the counter for the next day.

I like to organize my spices in alphabetical order, labels all facing out (yes, I know that seems a bit like "Sleeping with the Enemy"), but it works. Our brains often think in alphabetical order, so organizing this way makes life much easier, not to mention it saves time when you quickly go to the letter of the spice you need and find it effortlessly.

3. Pare Down the Pantry

I remember the first Thanksgiving I hosted years ago, I woke up early in the morning to make pumpkin pie. I looked a few days earlier in my pantry and saw the pumpkin filling and condensed milk so I was prepared…or so I thought. 

But, when I went into the pantry to grab the pumpkin filling and condensed milk, I realized the expiration date was 2011....it was 2013 that year! Needless to say, I learned a valuable lesson that day.

Organize your pantry. Get rid of expired or non-essential items so you consistently have a pantry stocked with usable staples.

4. Keep Kitchen Utensils Organized

My mom's kitchen works like a well-oiled machine. That woman has everything in place and ready to whip up a meal at any time of the day.

I learned the value of the correct placement of utensils in a kitchen from her. When I first married, she came over and placed all my utensils in the correct place (I had no idea that was even a thing until that day)! She said, “What good is a whisk that you need immediately when it's sitting in a drawer across the kitchen?” Minimizing steps saves time and could be the difference between burning a dish or creating something delicious in perfect timing.

5. Pull Out Pots and Pans

Planning the night before is crucial for a stress-free Thanksgiving day. I go through all of my recipes the day before and take out all the fixings along with all the pots and pans I know I will need to make the day go smoothly.

You know that turkey roasting pan you used 365 days ago? It needs cleaning. Why take it  out the morning of to wash it when you could do it the night before and wake up prepared and ready to cook?!

All these little steps leading up to the holiday feast will remove a lot of the stress from the actual big day. It will help your Thanksgiving day go smoother, which will allow you to enjoy your day, your family, and your friends to the fullest.

Granted, this year may not look exactly like what we had planned on, but your Thanksgiving dinner can still be celebratory, joyful, and festive…especially if you plan ahead.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Warmly,
Amy Elizabeth Designs

P.S. If you're looking for more design or organization tips you can implement at home, be sure to sign up for our newsletter below.