Get the FlyLady App

Back

Ask Flylady

|

Today

Two Weeks Until Thanksgiving

Two Weeks Until Thanksgiving

Dear Friends,

Do you need help with Thanksgiving Dinner? Is this your first year to prepare Thanksgiving Dinner? We can help you put this meal together and be stress-free.

Check out our short videos on our Youtube Playlist for Thanksgiving Recipes.

FlyLady

Dear Friends,

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holiday meals to prepare. We always have a pot luck meal and this saves me from trying to kill myself. I will do the turkey and the ham, mashed potatoes, corn and rolls. The rest of the family will bring their favorite things to cook; angel eggs, broccoli salad, cranberry salad, stuffing and gravy. Oh and I almost forgot the desserts. They are in my freezer right now. We will have enough food for an army and everyone will go home with the leftovers. I have a secret. When we put all the food up, we bag it into Ziplock bags and everyone takes them with them so I don't have all those leftovers go to waste in our refrigerator.

1. Put hot soapy water in your shiny sink before you start to prepare anything. Get out clean dish cloths and towels.

2. Make sure the dishwasher is empty before you start. Hand wash as much as you can and run the dishwasher and empty it before you sit down to eat. This way you will have an empty dishwasher to put the dinner dishes in. Oh and you can run the good china in the dishwasher if you don't put any dishwasher detergent in it. You can wash your good silver in there too. Just not the hollow handle knives.

3. Now this is a hard one for us, since we love to pretend to multi-task. The truth is we don't really do it well. You know what happens in your kitchen when you try to do several things at once. Your kitchen looks like a bomb went off in it. Only prepare ONE recipe at a time and when you have put it together; CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF. This means getting things ready to cook not necessary putting them on the stove or in the oven. You can do things a head of time and put them in the refrigerator to wait till its scheduled time to pop in the oven or put on the stove. Our timeline will help you a lot. I actually make appointments for my oven.

4. And this is the most important tip. Put on good supportive shoes with laces. Don't try to stand up all day and cook in cutesy shoes. Your legs deserve better than this.

5. After you put together each recipe and you have cleaned up after yourself! I want you to sit down at your table, drink a cup of tea and check things off your list. This is not a request; this is an order to help keep you from looking frazzled for your guests. You need to take breaks and drink your water!

6. Set your table the day before and cover it with a clean sheet, if you have a cat. This way you can have fun with the pretty things.

You can have fun preparing a holiday dinner; if you will just pace yourself and take breaks. It is really just a piece of cake if you will take those babysteps.

Are you ready to FLY through a stress free holiday?

FlyLady

Christmas will be here before we know it! Think about giving clutter-free gifts! My favorite consumable gift is our FlyLady Calendar!

Do We Have a Surprise for You! Feather Dusters are Back in Stock

Have you gotten your calendar ordered? Get it today! Our calendar has large squares that are big enough to hold your busy family's schedule and milestones.

Put your home on Auto-Pilot by getting our Daily Flight Plan! Join us 6 days a week for our LIVE SHOW at 11:00 am ET.

Please subscribe to our Youtube Channel and Click the Bell for Notifications.

Check out our new FlyShop! Order your 2027 calendars for Shipping NOW.

Get our Free Holiday Control Journal and join us for a little laughter and learning how to Finally Love Yourself. Send an email to [email protected] with FREE HOLIDAY COJ in the subject line.

Get your questions answered by FlyLady

Download the app to submit your questions and get personalized advice!

App

More

Today

Two Weeks Until Thanksgiving

Dear Friends, Do you need help with Thanksgiving Dinner? Is this your first year to prepare Thanksgiving Dinner? We can help you put this meal together and be stress-free.

Read Full Answer

Yesterday

How to Get Rid of the Mental Clutter

Is there something that is holding you down and keeping you from FLYing? This extra burden can come in physical trash or mental garbage.

Read Full Answer

Sunday, November 8, 2026

Do You Think We Should Go Fast

In reading your testimonials, and musings, at first there seems to be a conflict -- should we go "as fast as we can" through a 15 minute activity, or relax and take our time?

Read Full Answer