34 Days ’Til Christmas – Easy Thanksgiving Prep + Table Planning

This post is part of the 100 Days ’til Christmas Challenge — one small step each day to make the holiday season less stressful and a lot more fun.

There’s something about the Friday before Thanksgiving that always catches me off guard. It’s quiet in the house but buzzing in my mind. Thanksgiving week is so close, and over the years I’ve learned one big thing: if I don’t prep my kitchen today, next week becomes way more stressful than it needs to be.

So today is all about simple Thanksgiving kitchen prep — clearing space, gathering what you’ll need, and giving yourself a clean, open workspace before the cooking really begins.

And tomorrow (33 Days ’Til Christmas), you’ll get the full Thanksgiving prep list with the daily breakdown.
Today is the pre-game.

Let’s make it easy.

Clear the Decks: Thanksgiving Kitchen Prep Starts With Space

Nothing — and I truly mean nothing — makes Thanksgiving week easier than clearing your kitchen to the bones. Clean counters equal a calm mind.

Put Everything Away — Even the Everyday Things

For the next several days, your kitchen has one mission:
Create as much open counter space as possible.

This is the step most people underestimate, but it makes all the difference. I learned this the year we had 45 people for Thanksgiving. If I hadn’t cleared every inch of my counters — and I mean every inch, including the little plants between my sink and window so I had more room to dry dishes — there’s no way I would’ve pulled it off. It felt extreme at the time, but the payoff was huge. Now I don’t even question it. I put everything away because I know exactly how much smoother Thanksgiving week becomes when my kitchen isn’t fighting me.

A few days of inconvenience is absolutely worth a full week of workable space.

What to put away:

• Small appliances you won’t use
• Water bottles and kid cups
• School papers
• Snack bins
• Cookbooks
• Chargers, keys, random clutter
• Anything that slows you down even a little

Reset Your Main Work Zones

Do a quick reset so the space feels fresh:

• Wipe down the main prep counter
• Clear around the stove
• Clean the area around the sink
• Tidy the “drop zone” counter — we all have one

Visible space = instant calm.

Empty Dishwasher + Sink

Not glamorous, but:

• An empty dishwasher
• A clear sink

…will make this entire weekend smoother.

Empty Trash + Recycling

Start fresh. You’ll thank yourself Monday when food prep ramps up.

Get Your Table + Buffet Plan Started

This is the fun part — thinking through the holiday layout before the rush begins.

Pull Out Your Linens

Grab:

• Tablecloths
• Napkins
• Placemats
• Runners

If anything looks a little wrinkled:

• Toss it in the wash
• Give napkins a quick iron
• Fold them now so you’re not scrambling next week

Start Visualizing Your Table Layout

Think about:

• Where everyone will sit
• Whether you need a kids’ table
• Extra chairs or folding tables
• Anything you may need to borrow

You don’t need a perfect plan — just clarity.

Think Through Your Buffet Setup

This makes a huge difference on Thanksgiving Day.

Ask yourself:

• Where will each dish go?
• Do you need a second serving area?
• Do you have enough serving utensils?
• Where will bread, appetizers, and desserts sit?

If you need to clear a counter or sideboard today, do it now so it’s ready next week.

Create a Table + Buffet Staging Zone

Pick a small spot and gather:

• Linens
• Napkin rings
• Serving spoons
• Platters
• Folded napkins

It keeps everything together and easy to find.

Start Your Final Grocery Thoughts

Tomorrow’s post will give you the full Thanksgiving prep list with exactly what to do each day, but today is about warming up your brain.

Choose Your Final Grocery Run Day

Your best options:

• Sunday
• Monday
• Early Tuesday

If you can avoid Wednesday… avoid Wednesday.

Start a Rough Grocery List

Nothing intense — just jot down:

• Pantry staples you’re low on
• Drinks and paper goods
• Ingredients you know you’ll need
• Any specialty items for your menu

Tomorrow fills in the rest.

Simplify the Flow: Final Thanksgiving Kitchen Prep Touches

Keep clearing:

• Around the stove
• Around the fridge
• Around the sink

Put away anything that isn’t essential over the next few days.
This helps your kitchen transition from “everyday life” to “holiday cooking zone” without chaos.

Daily To-Dos

Your checklist for today:

• Clear all counters
• Put away unused appliances + everyday clutter
• Wipe surfaces
• Empty sink + dishwasher
• Pull out table linens
• Iron + fold napkins
• Visualize table and buffet layout
• Set up a small staging zone
• Start rough grocery list
• Decide your grocery run day