The time to start preparing for the holidays is now

The holiday decorations are fully ramped up now that Halloween is past (didn’t we used to wait until Thanksgiving?!), so that means we need to start getting ready for those big celebration dinners we will soon be making. Creating a game plan for organizing and cleaning well in advance is vital to having a low-stress event. If you need a little help deciding what to tackle first, check out tips from the pros about where to begin.

Cleaning the pantry should be at the top of your list according to the experts. The day before Thanksgiving is not the time to discover that you are out of an ingredient or that your baking powder is well beyond its best-by date. If you know what you will be making, be sure to have all ingredients in stock and ready to go. Toss older items that don’t have a long shelf life or that have gone off. After the pantry is spic-and-span, turn your attention to the refrigerator. Declutter as much as possible because you know that you’ll need every inch of space if you are planning a large meal. This means saying goodbye to jars and bottles of condiments that you just haven’t had the heart to throw away but that you know you aren’t going to use any time soon.

Now’s the time to clean your oven as well. No one wants to have the acrid odor of burning drips and spills to be wafting through the house. Once these items are done, you might want to turn to the guest bathroom, if you’re fortunate enough to have one. If you will be accommodating overnight guests, refresh the bed linens and make sure to dust well, including under the bed. You don’t want any dust bunnies to make a break for it when your guests arrive.