Your worry-free Thanksgiving Checklist

Get your home ready for an enjoyable turkey day.

No one wants a disaster during a holiday get together, so to help we developed this easy-to-follow, 10-point checklist for a worry-free Thanksgiving.

1. 

   Power: Using lots of appliances can overload your system and trip a breaker. Know where your electrical service panels are and how to reset breakers if they happen to trip. Have a backup generator ready in case your neighborhood loses power during your big event.

2. Dishwasher: Service the appliance and clean out the lower filter screens. Check the plumbing connections also to reduce leak risks.  If you have an air-gap next to your sink, pull the cap and clean the lines to make sure it is free of clogs and debris. Avoid putting dishes into the appliance un-rinsed as excess food can clog up the dishwasher filter screens and prevent it from draining properly. Running your dishwasher overnight after a big dinner sounds convenient but if it floods you won’t know till the next morning. We recommend running the dishwasher when people are around that can spot any leaks right away.
   

   

3. Disposer: Do not overload your garbage disposer. Place peelings and other food scraps in the trash to avoid an unwanted back-up or flood on Thanksgiving. Check the disposer and plumbing connections under your sink too.
   

   

4. Oven: Clean the over thoroughly before hand and check the temperature setting to be sure it is calibrated properly. Avoid an over or under-cooked bird.
5. Cooktop: Be sure all the burners are clean and working. Clean up any spills immediately and do not allow build-ups of material around the burners
6. Hood/vent: Clean the hood and any filter screens thoroughly to ensure maximum air flow and efficiency. Keep a fully charged fire extinguisher readily at hand just in case. Get a 4-pack and keep one in the kitchen, the garage, the patio and your car.
   

   

7. Refrigerators and Freezers: Service and clean out your refrigerators and freezers. These appliances need to be at their best for the big day, and you’ll want plenty of room for food and leftovers. Keep an ice chest handy for any temporary left-over needs.
8. Sharpen your knives! Check this video
9. Having a larger get together? Consider renting tables, chairs, serving settings and glasses for the day. Some party rental stores will even deliver and pick up. The great news is the rental companies do all the washing up.
10. Worried about your nice floors? Consider having guests remove their shoes at the door, especially if the weather is bad,  See this article on shoes-off in the house. Provide a rug at the door and a bench where guests can remove and store their shoes.

Home Preservation Manual and HPS would like to say thank you to all of our readers, and wish you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving Day!