Simple Hostess Hacks to Help You Stress Less

This post was sponsored Tai Pei, all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

Can you believe we’re only just a few days away from Thanksgiving day?! The month of November seems like it’s traveling at the speed of light, and my to-do list has only gotten longer as the days go on. This Thanksgiving is a very special time for my family. As many of you know, my husband and I have been in the process of building a home for almost a full year now, and my family is coming over this Wednesday to stay for Thanksgiving! The finishing touches (paint, trim, etc.) are FINALLY done, and now we’re getting to move in!

Packing up one entire house and moving it to another in a matter of 2 days has been totally hectic. As I’m typing this, I’m surrounded by boxes containing nearly everything I own that are ready to be loaded onto a truck, and all the while I’m still trying to figure out how to transform my new house into a home just in time for family to come over! I’ve always dreamed of being able to have a place with lots of space for my family to enjoy and to be able to host people in my home for the holidays!

This year is my year to do just that, so I’m working in overdrive over the next 2 days to get everything in order without losing my sanity! This past weekend I woke up extra early and jotted down a few simple ways to help me fine-tune my focus and lighten my load this Thanksgiving as I’m hosting such a large bunch of people. I came up with a few simple hosting “hacks” that have already proven to be really helpful, so if you’re wearing the hostess crown this year, grab a pen and write these tips down! 😉

Tip 1: Menu Plan Ahead of Time

For some people, menu planning in itself can be stressful, but I think it’s particularly important this time of year to sit down and really think about what you’ll be serving and writing out all of the ingredients you’ll need to pick up at the grocery store to make each dish. You definitely don’t want to have to make multiple trips to the store because you forgot to grab enough butter (I’ve done that a million times…ain’t nobody got time for that!)

Tip 2: Give People a Job

To help lighten this load a bit, reach out to someone in your family to help you plan the menu. My sister Tiffany has been monumentally helpful with our menu this year. She wrote out each item that we’ll be serving, and we divvied up the dishes amongst the siblings and parents so that I wouldn’t be left making 20 different dishes over the course of 2 days. As a hostess, it’s totally fine to ask for help. Thinking you have to do it all puts way too much pressure on you, and people are generally more than willing to help!

Tip 3: Take a Break and Grab a Bite

As much as I love Thanksgiving, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t ever get tired of eating the same turkey and dressing for days after the big day has already passed. As the cook, sometimes you can get a little unenthused about eating the meal that you’ve been slaving over the stove for hours cooking. When I get tired of sampling the cobblers and casseroles that I’ve been cooking all week, I like to reach for something just for me that will give me a little break from the typical Thanksgiving-food options.

Tai Pei Single Serve Entrees have been one of my favorite go-to meals over the past few months. The come in a really nice variety of choices, all made with delicious flavor-infused rice and my favorite Asian-inspired cuisines! I love that they’re made with real, quality ingredients and contain no preservatives or artificial ingredients. They also come in convenient packaging that allows me to pop them in the microwave and have a delicious meal in just a few minutes! Before I headed out to town to tackle my grocery shopping, I enjoyed Beef and Broccoli with fried rice while checking over my list!

Asian food always takes me straight to my happy place, and these Tai Pei Single Serve Entrees have certainly helped me take care of myself as I’m navigating this big move and making plans to host my family for the holidays!

Tip 4: Don’t Break Your Budget on the Decor

Home decor is one of my favorite things in the whole world. I’ve always loved to decorate, and I’ve been dreaming of what my tablescape (on my brand new handcrafted table that our grandfather built us) would look like. If you can time things right, you can score ALL of your seasonal decor at 50% off or more before the holidays even hit! There’s no need to over-complicate the decor. Just stick to your aesthetic and shop the sales! You can even use a few earthy elements that you may have to spruce up your dining space that are free or cost very little (pine cones, acorns, cotton stems, etc.)

Tip 5: Utilize Free Resources Online

It’s no secret that you can learn how to do just about anything by doing a quick search on the Internet. There are tons of free resources available online, and so many of them can be such a time saver during this busy time of year! As much as I’d love to completely stop what I’m doing and channel my inner graphic designer and create the most beautiful place card sets, free grocery list printables and so on, I just can’t seem to squeeze that kind of activity into my current schedule. (Bummer, right?)

Thankfully, someone has already done that for me! I found these cute free printable place card settings online and cut them out in less than 5 minutes. While I was at it, I learned how to season and cook a ham, found a tutorial on how to formally set my table, and different ideas on how to style a centerpiece all within a matter of minutes! As a hostess, it can be easy to feel like you’ve got to wear a cape and have it all together, but there’s absolutely no need for you to know how to do all of these things on your own. Utilize the resources you have around you and leave all of that extra stress behind!

If you’ve still got a little shopping to do before Thanksgiving, make sure you swing by the frozen entree section and stock your freezer with a few Tai Pei Single Serve Entrees to help you get through the season. Your taste buds will certainly thank you! (Click here to find a store near you!)

Coupon Alert:

While you’re at it, make sure you grab this coupon good for $1.00 off any Tai Pei Asian Food product!

Will you be hosting or assisting a host this holiday season? What are some ways that you’re ditching the excess stress so that you can enjoy more time with your family? Leave a comment below and share the love!