Tips for Homeowners This Thanksgiving

With Thanksgiving just days away, homeowners can never be short of tips and helpful suggestions for those little setbacks that come with travel or hosting for the holiday. One of the easiest ways to make sure all cheerful efforts go according to plan is to sit down and make up a schedule for the event, according to the Huffington Post. Ensuring all relatives know when to get there is one thing, but hosts also need to ensure they know when to start their food preparation, put out the dishes, and so on, to make sure nothing gets derailed.

Simple Tips 

Often, the process of shopping for a feast, consisting of a number of courses to feed several people or more, can be difficult. It’s not easy to balance catering to various needs and stay within budget. Sitting down and figuring out exactly what to buy in advance – armed with the latest supermarket circulars – will help avoid overspending, and buying traditional Thanksgiving food staples will dodge any issues related to the menu.

Hosts should also be open to the idea of not having to go it alone. Asking friends or family to bring along a dish/food item – even something as simple as snacks for before or after the main course can reduce stress and shopping time in short order.

In addition, it’s OK to ask for help when it comes to setting up the dining room table, washing dishes and everything else. Often, guests will be more than happy to lend a helping hand given they had the privilege of a meal prepared for them while being in presence of friends and family.

Take it Easy When Traveling

No matter what time of year, taking a long road trip or heading to the airport can be a little trying, but with millions of Americans doing the same thing at this time of year, also amps up the stress factor, according to Today. As such, folks may consider farther out from “peak” times. Taking an extra day to make the trip out or back from a relative’s home may not always be convenient, but it’s a great way to avoid traffic jams, long lines at airport security, and the general ups and downs of travel. It also allows people to take their time and relax a bit when things seem hectic.

And for hosts who aren’t traveling themselves, imparting that wisdom to family members can also go a long way. Generally speaking, the more preparation anyone puts into the holiday season, the better off they will be allowing them to remain calm, cool and collected when issues inevitably arise. A big part of that is accepting those issues will arise, having a plan in place and at the end of it all remembering what it’s truly all about…a time to connect with the ones that matter the most.

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