Preparing Your Home for Thanksgiving

With friends and family over for Thanksgiving dinner, you want your home to make a wonderful first impression as they walk in. Most hosts stress over the meal; however, there's much more to Thanksgiving dinner than the meal. Not only do you need to prepare the table, you need to prepare your home.

~Front Door

This is the first thing your guests will see. If your front door isn't your main door, you will want to decorate your main door instead. Place a few bales of hay on either side of the door with medium pumpkins on top. A simple scarecrow leaning against one of the bales or attached to a post on your porch will add to your door's Thanksgiving charm. As a final touch, hang a Thanksgiving wreath on your door. The wreath can be anything in fall colors, but turkeys, scarecrows, and fall leaf arrangements work best.

~Living Room or Den

Guests normally gather in the living room before and after dinner. Shouldn't this room be just as festive as the dining room? First and foremost, clear the clutter. Clean the areas of your home guests will be using. After cleaning, you will need artificial flowers and/or leaves in fall colors. Create centerpieces for side and coffee tables. You can also place run a string of artificial leaves around mantles and entertainment centers.

Place a short table runner with a Thanksgiving theme on your coffee table, if you have one. Place small pumpkins and gourds around the centerpieces for an added Thanksgiving touch.

~Bathroom

Most people forget about the bathroom. Decorating your bathroom will impress your guests. A few orange and burgundy towels help add a touch of fall to the room. You can also find towels with turkeys and pilgrims on them during October and November. Many stores sell soaps with a Thanksgiving shape or theme. To go the extra mile, add artificial leaves around the back edge of your bathroom's countertop.

~Dining Room

For your dining room, you want everything to be perfect. You've worked hard on the meal. However, presentation is key. Invest in a good Thanksgiving tablecloth to cover the entire table. If the tablecloth is slick on top, be sure to have non-slip mats for your dishes.

Create a centerpiece for the center of the table. This can include flowers, leaves, pumpkins, gourds, and even candles. If you don't have the time to create your own, you can purchase both real and artificial arrangements at your local florist or craft store.

To help make Thanksgiving perfect, prepare your home with the same care you prepare your meal. Your guests will be talking about it for years to come