Thanksgiving 2021 is on November 25 this year, and is going to be welcomed by many, especially in the wake of the Covid 19 challenges of 2020.
How can you make 2021 Thanksgiving an extra special gathering?
Three words: Clean. Comfort. Simple
Clean
In the aftermath of the previous year’s nationwide shutdowns, we all have a heightened awareness of the importance of clean environments. Thanksgiving 2021 first step preparations need to be germ removal on all household surfaces.
Begin with an eco friendly cleaning plan and pace yourself. There are four weeks until Thanksgiving so you have plenty of time to thoroughly get your home safely clean for holiday guests.
Week One and Two of November:
If you have not completed an eco-friendly fall cleaning checklist, get these tasks accomplished for a safe, all natural clean Thanksgiving. In addition, clean your oven since it will be put to much use for Thanksgiving meal preparations. For a natural clean, make a paste with baking soda and water. Apply to the inside surface on your oven and allow to sit for a couple of hours (or overnight). Wipe clean with dampened cloth.
If you have carpets, now is the time to get them deep cleaned! Brightly Green Carpet & Spot Remover Concentrate is perfect for a natural cleaning solution for carpet shampooers.
Week Three of November:
Clean the kitchen pantry (if you have not already done so). Completely remove all items, discarding or using for compost items that have expired. Keep a checklist of items you are out of or almost out of, especially if they are necessary for your Thanksgiving Meal. Before returning items to shelves, use an all-natural multi-purpose cleaner to clean pantry shelves. Brightly Green Multi-Purpose Cleaner is a great, eco friendly cleaner, safe around food, pets, people, and the planet. Return items, keeping similar products together.
Clean the refrigerator. Remove everything and wash down the shelves and bins using an all-natural cleaner. Brightly Green Multi-Purpose Cleaner or Brightly Green Dish Wash also are great to use in refrigerators. As with items in the pantry, discard or compost outdated items. Make note of products you are low on or out of. Keep in mind, having extra space in the refrigerator is a good thing- especially as Thanksgiving 2021 rolls around.
Week of Thanksgiving:
Monday:
Give indoor pets a bath and clean crates and dog bedding. Clean smelling dogs help keep the home smelling clean, plus guests notice pet smells that pet owners do not notice. We know you love your pets—we love ours too! But maybe Aunt Mabel doesn’t. Respect your dear Aunt and keep Fido away. If Aunt Mabel can put up with him being around, at least minimize his doggy smell.
If you have carpets, sprinkle baking soda on the carpet to absorb pet smells. Leave the baking soda on for five minutes, then vacuum the carpets. Be sure to use the crevice tool to catch pet hairs hanging out near baseboards and under furniture.
Launder pet bed covers and blankets with an all natural laundry detergent. Dogs with sensitive skin are susceptible to skin rashes and irritations from chemical laundry soaps. Spot clean bedding with Brightly Green Carpet and Spot Remover on bedding that doesn’t have a removable cover.
Don’t forget to clean the water and food bowls! Brightly Green Dish Wash is a safe, natural detergent for pet bowls too!
Tuesday:
Mop wood/laminate floors with Brightly Green Wood Floor Cleaner. Mop tile/stone floors with Brightly Green Granite and Tile Cleaner. Dust furniture with Brightly Green Wood Floor Cleaner.
Wednesday:
Clean bathroom sinks, tub/showers with Brightly Green Bathroom Cleaner or Brightly Green Daily Shower Cleaner. Tidy all rooms. Vacuum floors.
Comfort
A safe environment adds comfort to guests, and a home cleaned with all natural vegan cleaning products IS the first step in creating a safe environment! Secondly, safe entryways free from slipping/falling hazards are vital. It is a good idea to be sure you have on hand a bag or two of ice melt and a shovel nearby. A clean, rubber mat for guest boots/shoes is also a good idea. For our sunny southern borders, you can skip the ice melt bag, simply have a place for guests’ flip-flops!
Thanksgiving comfort feelings are most invoked by gathering with friends and family. Pleasing sights and smells are also comforting. Be sure to have appropriate seating for all your guests with places for them to set beverage glasses on. Perhaps you’ll want to create your own scented pinecone arrangement. There are many DIY recipes available online!
Will you be having overnight guests? Create a toiletry basket with hotel samples of shampoo and body wash. Add travel toothbrush and toothpaste (or use samples from your dentist appointments-a favorite for travel). Set out your best hand/bath towels and washcloths. Make sure the guest bedroom is very clean and neat.
Simple
Simple in no terms means boring or plain. Think of extravagantly simple. Thanksgiving 2021 is worth celebrating! We have much to be thankful for as a nation and in our individual families.
Just the right, simple touch of Fall and Thanksgiving décor adds a welcoming and comforting feeling. Even a simple Thanksgiving meal, prepared with love is extravagant!
Do you like to “do it up big”? You can make your Thanksgiving meal look simple and effortless with do-ahead recipes. Easiest do-ahead items: Baked pies/desserts, winter squashes, cranberry relishes, cranberry salads, smoked turkey, and vegetables, or if you make your own stuffing, prepare the veggies and bread pieces ahead of time for quick day-of preparations.
Thanksgiving Day:
Save room on the stove and make Crockpot stuffing, there are many recipes online for your consideration. Roasting the big bird: Cook the turkey in an oven-safe cooking bag, this helps keep the juices intact and helps stop the turkey from drying out, in addition cooking the turkey breast side down also helps the breasts stay moist and tender.
Simple, hassle-free clean-up. Begins with doing as much preparation a day or two ahead of Thanksgiving. On Turkey Day, use biodegradable/compostable plates and silverware. Do you save your good china for special occasions such as Thanksgiving? Make clean-up a family affair and welcome extra hands to help with clean-up duty.
