Hosting Hacks: Your Simply Planned Thanksgiving

Written By Life Simply Planned

Hosting the holidays doesn't have to mean three days of stress and an oven working overtime. As a Real Estate Agent and owner of Life Simply Planned, I help people streamline their biggest transitions—and the holidays are no different!

This year, ditch the stress and embrace the ease with these three categories of simple, high-impact hacks.

1. Hosting Hacks (The Big Picture Planning)

This section focuses on maximizing time, space, and minimizing stress.

  • The Simplified Menu: The Potluck Principle

    • The Hack: Forget trying to manage 15 dishes. Delegate! My husband and I handle the main event—the Turkey and Spirits—and let our guests show off their signature sides and desserts. It's less stress for you and more variety for everyone.

  • The Spatchcock Secret

    • The Hack: Skip the traditional roasting time that ties up your oven and your day. Spatchcocking (removing the backbone and laying the turkey flat) cooks the bird faster, more evenly, and results in incredibly delicious, crispy skin.

  • A "Thankgiving Margarita" Batch Cocktail Station

    • The Hack: Pre-mix your signature drink! Our favorite is a Thanksgiving Margarita. Put it in a beautiful dispenser with glasses nearby. This is a brilliant entertaining tip: guests feel welcomed when they can help themselves, and it frees you up to manage other tasks.

2. Quick Cuts (Buying Back Your Time)

You don't have to make everything from scratch to have a delicious meal. Know where to outsource!

  • The Biscuit Brilliance:

    • The Hack: My Quick Cut is calling up my friend at Bittersweet Kitchen to purchase her amazing, homemade biscuits. They are better than anything I could bake and eliminate a massive step.

3. Simple Swaps (High-Impact, Low-Effort)

This is where you find the secret weapons that taste gourmet with zero fuss.

  • The Secret Gravy Swap (Shhh... Don't Tell Emily!)

    • The Hack: My friend Emily slaves for three days on her signature gravy, but here’s my Simple Swap: William Sonoma's prepared gravy. It tastes perfectly homemade and comes together in a jiffy. No one will know, and you get hours back.

  • The Instant Family Table Hack

    • The Hack: Need to seat 12 comfortably? Go to Home Depot and have them cut you an 8x4 piece of plywood. Place it right on top of your existing dining table or folding tables, cover it with a beautiful tablecloth, and voilà—you have an instant banquet table!





Life Simply Planned