Is your kitchen organized for Thanksgiving? Here are a few things to work on in the coming weeks to lessen your anxiety when guests and food fill your home. 

1. Clean out the refrigerator and freezer (see tips below). Eat up leftovers by making soup or filling omelets. Toss out expired or unwanted condiments. Wipe down refrigerator shelves and drawers.
2. Give the kitchen a good cleaning. Clear off the countertops and wipe them down, clean the cabinet faces, and mop the floors. Clean the oven and stove too.
3. Stock up on plastic freezer bags and containers for leftovers. Smaller ones chill faster and keep down the risk of spoiling. Throw away old, broken containers and mismatched sets.
4. Write out your menu. Just as you keep a binder of Christmas plans (see our October article), you can also make a binder or file to organize Thanksgiving menus, recipes, and to-do lists so that you do not have to re-create them each year.
5. Once you know your menu, be sure you have all ingredients on hand. Make a list of what to buy so nothing will get overlooked.
6. Clean and iron your table linens. Also, make sure you have plenty of clean kitchen towels and good potholders or trivets.
7. Check your dishes. Do you have enough place settings for your guests? Clean or polish any that need it. Sharpen dull knives. Check that you have enough serving dishes and utensils by designating which ones will be used for each food item. Save time by setting the table a few days ahead of time.

Do as much as you can in advance so you can reduce stress and enjoy your family this Thanksgiving. 

Think of your refrigerator as a closet. Put organizing systems in place to help you function better in the kitchen.  

• Store leftovers in plastic bags that take up less room or containers that can be stacked. Keep a marker and/or masking tape nearby to mark the date on the container as you put an item in the refrigerator or freezer. Here is a handy chart advising how long foods can be kept safely in storage.
• Opt for square or rectangle-shaped containers, including pitchers and bins, since they make better use of limited space than round or domed containers. Bins and wire baskets are especially helpful to keep frozen bags from shifting out of place on freezer shelves.
• Add a lazy susan to hold condiments in a deep, narrow refrigerator so you can more easily reach items in the back.
• For best food safety, fresh meats should be stored on the lowest shelves, below produce, so that any drips will not contaminate other foods.
• Do not over-crowd the refrigerator-- good airflow between items helps it run most efficiently. However, the freezer works best when things are packed closely together.
• Keep a dry-erase board on the outside of the freezer to keep track of inventory. When you add something to the freezer, put it on list. When you remove something, erase it.
• Wipe up spills before they harden and become more difficult to clean.
• Clean out the refrigerator weekly, preferably just before you go grocery shopping. This not only helps to prevent ingesting too-old leftovers, but it also helps you keep mental inventory so you use up items in meals before they go bad. Plus, it helps your refrigerator stay clutter-free.
• Schedule a time twice a year to vacuum the coils located on the back or bottom of the appliance. Dust buildup greatly reduces energy efficiency.

Last month the GO team traveled to Southlake, Texas for Christmas Decorating training in the home of our contest winner. Our own Karla Koehler led the team on how to consult with the client, organize a plan, shop for decorations, and decorate the home to make it picture-perfect for Christmas.

• Remove the non-Christmas décor so that the areas you are decorating will be clutter-free, putting the focus on the festive holiday look. Pack the everyday décor away in your Christmas boxes after you unload them, or stow things in the garage or closet in unused laundry baskets and shopping bags.
• Stick to a theme such as traditional red and green or winter wonderland glam. Use Pinterest to help you stay focused on your theme and clarify your style. Too many competing themes makes the home look cluttered, not cohesive.
• Put together a decorating tool kit with items you will need as you work: scissors, wire cutters, ornament hooks, garland ties, extension cords, scotch tape, Simply Tacky adhesive putty, batteries in various sizes, and a notepad to make a shopping list.
• Repurpose crystal bowls, silver trays, glass cloches, and similar items you already have for a display of collections.
• Gather nutcrackers, nativity scenes, vintage ornaments, or seasonal candy and make into a table grouping of like items.
• Buy extra ribbon to use in various parts of the home to tie it together from table groupings to garlands to bows tied on a throw pillow.      

Stay organized by putting on your calendar a date when you will decorate for Christmas, and make sure family members are available to help. Put on festive music and make it a party. If you would rather get it done quickly, beautifully, and with less effort from you, GO offers several decorating packages for various Christmas decorating needs and budgets. Contact Get Organized! very soon to schedule our elves to visit your home!