Hosting Thanksgiving At Your New Home? Here Are Last-Minute Tips to Get Ready
Cleaning and getting rid of any clutter around the common areas in your house, especially in the living room, entryway, bathrooms, kitchen, and dining room, will help get your home ready. This is especially true and critical in your kitchen where most of the preparation will take place. Address any usual hotspots where things tend to accumulate, such as drawers, cupboards, and even on the countertops. If you don’t have time to clean the entire home, at least clean your bathroom and kitchen. Also, empty and clean the trash cans and line them up with fresh bags. Tidying up your home is a tedious part of any holiday celebration, but making the effort will surely be worth it.
If you’re the kind of Thanksgiving cook who starts preparing and cooking certain foods ahead of time, including stuffings, stocks and sauces, pie crusts, and other desserts, you’ll need more room in your fridge to stock these things. So clean your refrigerator and freezer and start making space now. Sort through those leftovers and toss out anything that is expired or too old to eat, and plan to make use of any good ingredients you have on hand. Also, take stock of condiments that may need refilling. Having plenty of space in your fridge will make your holiday meal prep easier and even perfect to store your delicious leftovers.
Decluttering your kitchen and cleaning out your fridge will allow you to see what ingredients you need for your Thanksgiving prep. Finalize your list and purchase them a few days ahead of time. This way, you’ll have plenty of time to run back to the store in case there’s something that you inevitably forgot. There’s nothing worse than making a last-minute trip to the local grocery store on Thanksgiving Day, only to find out that it’s closed.
It’s critical you make sure all appliances are in working condition before the holiday. Clean and test them out, especially your oven, dishwasher, and even small kitchen appliances that will help make your life easier during meal prep. If you’re a first-time homeowner who hasn’t used your oven yet after you settle into your new home, this is your chance to check and double-check to make sure your oven works.
Make sure you’ll have enough dishes, glassware, cutlery, and even serving dishes, bowls, and platters for all your guests and holiday meals. Remember that they don’t have to match unless you’re aiming for a sort of formal gathering. They’re perfect as long as they are clean and in decent condition. If you’re considering a more casual dining celebration, consider using paper plates. Also, check for things like tablecloths and other essentials so you’ll still have plenty of time to shop for any new pieces or replacements just in case.
Likewise, since there’s a huge chance you’ll want to send your guests home with leftovers (and even keep some for yourself), don’t forget to stock up with enough plastic or takeout containers.
Taking care of the table decor the day (or even several days) before saves you a little bit of stress. Not only will you have one less thing to do and worry about on the big day, but it can also help you identify gaps in your tableware situation. Whether you opt to go all-out with some Pinterest-inspired arrangements, or just go for a simple but nice tablecloth, pretty napkins, and DIY place cards, and other seasonal centerpieces, setting the table in advance will also give you ample time to shoot and take pictures before the busy day.
The ultimate tip: Enjoy!
This tip might be the simplest to do but also the easiest to forget. Throughout the course of the busy, loud, and messy day, always remember the point of Thanksgiving. Even if you might not be able to pull it off perfectly, the most important thing is to give thanks and truly enjoy the spirit of the holiday with the people you get to celebrate it within your humble home.
The best way to handle this problem? Think ahead and prevent it from happening in the first place. Unfortunately, there’s not a standard provision in the purchase agreement that deals with the scenario where sellers leave items in the house after closing. Thus, you and your real estate agent should ensure that your contract stipulates that the seller’s personal belongings and even garbage must be removed from the property by a certain date.
Moreover, if the seller does leave things behind, your contract should specify that you now own those items, and you may dispose of those items as you see fit. You could even allocate an agreed upon amount of money that will be deducted from the sale to cover the cost of removing all the abandoned items. You may also consider a penalty provision under which the seller could owe you monetary damages if all their belongings are not removed in time. However, you have to anticipate that you may need to delay the closing or moving date, and/or file a small claims case for breach of contract if this occurs (which will be discussed further).
By completing a thorough walkthrough with your agent before becoming the new owner, you can ensure that the house is empty and move-in ready. Apart from checking that everything is in working order, you can also check to make sure that the sellers have removed all of their personal belongings. Open all kitchen cabinets and drawers; even the bathroom vanity, closets, and all other storage spaces. It’s even recommended to take photos of anything that’s not supposed to be there, so your agent can present them at closing.
More often than not, the sellers are just as anxious as you are so they may have forgotten the items they were storing. A final walkthrough is your chance to make sure that the seller has upheld their part of the agreement. If not, there’s still time to let them know that the house needs to be completely cleared out before the moving date.
What to do if the previous homeowners left their belongings:
If you’re already faced with the issue of having your house full of the previous owner’s junk, there are still a few ways you can handle the problem.
As the official owner of the home, the abandoned items are now yours to deal with as you wish. There’s no need for you to contact the seller if you decide to throw them away. But if you want to resolve the issue amicably with the seller, you could reach out and let them know that their items are still on the property.
Sellers who may have accidentally left their items, particularly those high-value ones, might agree to pick up their belongings. However, be wary of vague promises or “I’ll get those next week” arrangements, especially from owners who intentionally left their debris. If they didn’t show up after waiting for them to follow through, it’s a good idea to take photos of the items, get an estimate for the removal, and send them to the seller to pay.
If you have issues with the previous owners not picking their belongings up or refusing to pay to have their things removed, you may now go the legal route. Consult with your attorney about state- and town-specific guidance regarding such issues. You may seek reimbursement for the cost of the junk at a small claims court based on a breach of contract. Remember that these cases can take months and that there are no guarantees.
Packing and moving your belongings is already stressful enough. It’s completely understandable if you don’t want to sort through someone else’s possessions and would prefer to have everything hauled away. But if you’re motivated to make the most of what the previous owner left behind, you could keep or donate the useful items. Since buying and moving included some expensive upfront costs, maybe you could benefit from the free yet still functional furniture, home decor, or even kitchenware. You could also donate items like old clothing to local charity shops or organizations. Whether you choose to donate, sell, discard, or keep these items— it’s already up to you.
Unfortunately, if the previous homeowners only left things that are practically worthless, irreparably damaged, or broken, you might not find anything worth keeping or donating. Your best choice is to hire a junk removal company specializing in hauling away trash, furniture, and other unwanted clutter. By getting rid of the unwanted things, you finally free up space in your new home so that you can start unpacking and settling in.
