Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching and chances are that you’ve already got your menu finalized and your home prepared for holiday guests. However, we get so wrapped up in preparing for the big meal that we forget that tackling the aftermath is just as daunting. While everyone is basking in the glow of another fantastic Thanksgiving feast, nothing can dampen the holiday spirit quite like walking into the battle zone that is your kitchen.
Fear not! We’ve put together a Thanksgiving cleanup cheat sheet that’ll have you enjoying time with your guests (or a well-deserved nap) in almost no time at all.
Setting the Scene
As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. While we don’t necessarily like to think that our Thanksgiving meal will result in the need for a “pound of cure,” in the case of our kitchen, the principle is valid.
Your décor and the feast itself aren’t the only things that need pre-dinner preparation; your kitchen does too.
You can prevent hours of kitchen cleanup by properly setting the scene. Ensure that your trash cans are empty and are lined with two or three trash bags (because those bags are going to get heavy, and who likes cleaning up after a burst trash bag?), get those old leftovers cleaned out of your refrigerator and freezer, and make sure that you have what you need to properly store leftovers from the meal. If you’re planning on sending leftovers home with guests, then make sure that you have cheap storage containers that you don’t mind permanently parting with.
Recruit Help
You don’t have to necessarily ask your guests to grab a dishcloth and make themselves useful (although that’s not a bad idea); you can be sneakier than that. If you organize a potluck-style Thanksgiving feast, then not only will you have fewer dishes to make, but you’ll automatically have fewer platters and serving bowls to wash. Your guests will simply take their dirty dishes out the door with them. See, cleaning is easy!
Get Your Dishes Soaking Early
As soon as you transfer food from the cookware to the serving platters, get the cookware soaking to avoid having to chisel dried, crusted food from baking dishes later on. Here’s the trick, though: your kitchen sink isn’t the best spot to let your dishes soak. You and your guests may be using the sink to wash hands, and you’ll want to have your sink available for rinsing plates and flatware before loading them into the dishwasher.
Instead of soaking your dishes in the kitchen sink, fill a plastic storage container, a large dishpan, or even a small trashcan with soapy water and vinegar. Give your dishes a quick rinse, then place them in your designated soaking container. Place it in a mudroom, pantry, or cabinet to get it out of sight, and then take care of it when the rest of your kitchen is relatively clean.
Want a fun way to remember this Thanksgiving? Take a few recordings of your loved ones! Get an audio or video clip of them saying what they’re thankful for, or simply capture a clip of the over-dinner conversation. Give us your audio file, and we’ll convert it to a soundwave that can be engraved or printed on to wall art or jewelry. With Soundwave Art, you can capture and hold on to a piece of how your family is this year and cherish the memory for years to come.
