How to prep for the Thanksgiving holiday in one week

If you are a social media junkie who enjoys Facebook or Pinterest like I do, and also loves all things home-related, then another must-bookmark site is Houzz.com. While browsing the site I found a helpful article on “How to Prep for a Holiday Party in One Week,” which is fitting considering Thanksgiving is exactly one-week away!

Here are a few tips that I fully endorse :

Send an electronic invite. Time is precious, so going the digital route will save you the delay of snail mail. An invitation from a service such as Evite or Punchbowl reaches guests instantly and makes RSVPs much easier on short notice. With all the fun designs available, you’ll have no trouble finding one that suits your event.

Photo credit: Oklahoma City photographer Kate

Restock the bar. Replenish libations such as gin, vodka and Scotch, and lay on a supply of beer, wine and sodas. Don’t forget mixers, lemons and limes and other staples.

Clear out the fridge. Make plenty of room for a 20-pound turkey or a tray of hors d’oeuvres. Toss aging food, clean out storage containers and polish off the two inches of juice in the bottom of the carton. Give the fridge shelves a good wipedown while you’re at it.

Spruce the guest room. Relatives coming in from out of town? Fluff your guest quarters to welcome them. Freshen the bed linens, add a bedside carafe, put out a stack of towels and make sure they have a stash of reading material.

Keep food simple. Without a lot of time to plan, it’s best to go with a streamlined menu that includes a mix of prepared and from-scratch dishes — for example, pick up a baked ham that’s ready to serve and pair it with your favorite roasted vegetable medley or creamy casserole. Make as many items ahead of time as you can, from freezable cheese straws to chilled pies. For a party, you could also focus on a simple theme, such as a dessert buffet or a hot chocolate bar. If you’d rather let your local supermarket or gourmet shop do the cooking, many offer prepared meals with all the trimmings. Order early in the week to give them time to accommodate you.

Make a playlist. Comb through your iTunes library or CD collection and compile songs that set the mood. If you feel as though your musical taste has gotten a little stale, browse and download some new tunes to shake things up.

What do you do to prepare for Thanksgiving? Are you one of the lucky ones who only needs to show up at the right place and time?

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Fresh Start: Creative Ways to Organize Your Stuff

*Brilliant ideas collected by Houzz.com

Admittedly, most of my resolutions tend to fall to the wayside. But this year, I’m bound and determined to make one a reality: It’s time to get organized. Houzz users provide plenty of creative ideas for getting a space arranged and in ship shape with ease. Here, a massive selection of tips and tricks for organizing around the home:

Think outside the filing cabinet: Here, a dish rack gets reimagined as a file and pencil holder by blogger Cozy Little House.

Clear containers provide an orderly base for food in plain view. Arranging an area with one clear purpose (here, tea and other drink items) so everything you need for the task at hand is in one place.

A giant bulletin board keeps desks clutter-free, and holds inspiration, to-do lists, a calendar — even impromptu artwork.

A row of clipboards keep important papers in order. Give them a perky facelift with decorative contact paper. Recycled glass jars can hold desktop necessities. See more ideas from Ish and Chi.

Click here to see all 39 great storage ideas from the Houzz community.

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Elements of the Just-Right House

Houzz.com recently gathered photos of ten elements that create the just-right house. The last few decades have seen the size of the average American home increase significantly. Before 2008 it was not uncommon to see whole developments with 4,000- to 6,000-square-foot houses sprout up in the suburbs. In the process, the little things stopped mattering.

But in recent years another approach has given us a renewed interest in a home that isn’t just about size. As articulated by bestselling author Sarah Susanska, a house that’s big and bland is less preferable to a home that’s small and rich in character.

What we want in our homes is that elusive quality of “just right.” Not too big nor too small; not too expensive nor too cheap — we want smart design that enables us to live the life we want to live in a sustainable and enriching way.

Element #2: A smartly designed home uses every bit of space to enrich the lives of its inhabitants…by Bud Dietrich, AIA

… while leaving no cubic inch unwanted, uncovered and unused. by Tim Cuppett Architects

And giving the kids a sense of wonder and delight. by Mark English Architects, AIA

For more photos, click here to see the top ten elements of a just-right house.

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