Thanksgiving Planning

Thanksgiving is officially a week away and my anxiety is starting to increase. When this happens I know it’s time to dive into the Bullet Journal and do some planning. I’ve been mulling things over in my mind for a week or so now but it’s time to put in down on paper.

I fully took over holiday dinners when Sydney was born in 2016. I plan everything from start to finish, from the table cloth to the dinner plates to the after dinner drinks. This takes a little more effort because I tend to be that person who is always “extra”. That being said, sitting down and making a plan is crucial for my sanity. I want to share with you my Thanksgiving Planning spread and if you subscribe to our mailing list, you’ll receive a printable version for yourself!

Planning Basics

Anytime I start planning a party, dinner, or event, I go back to the basics: Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How. I remember answering these questions in English class regarding assigned reading and it always seems to work well when applied to different areas of my life.

What: Name of Event (I usually make this the title of my page)
When: Date and Time
Where: Location
Who: Invitation List
Why: I think this is slightly self-explanatory
How: this is where the to do lists come in

Detailed Plans

The next step to planning a successful Thanksgiving Dinner is to fill in the sheet! I reserve the To Do section for “prior to Thanksgiving prep”. This could be cleaning the house, washing linens, prepping food, etc. I also try to assign a day to each of the tasks. This helps me spread the work out so I’m not completely exhausted on Thanksgiving day and can somewhat enjoy my family.

On the Menu side of the page I list out everything we will be having for Thanksgiving dinner. Next to each item, I notate who will be making each item. This is basically just for my peace of mind.

This is the second year I have planned Thanksgiving Dinner using my bullet journal. It has helped a lot with managing some of the stress the holidays bring.

Remember to subscribe to our email list to get a printable version of my Thanksgiving Planning Worksheet! You’ll also receive email updates and other helpful tips throughout the year!