Your Stress-Free Thanksgiving Timeline: What to Do as the Holiday Approaches

— -- By now you know who’s coming to your Thanksgiving meal and you’ve planned your menu with dishes from The Chew, Emeril Lagasse and more. But that’s not all you need to ensure you have a successful holiday. To help, we’ve mapped out the days ahead to guarantee a stress-free and incredibly organized holiday meal – just follow this detailed planner to get everything in order.

One Week Ahead
Clean/organize your kitchen: This means cleaning out the refrigerator of anything that is old. Organizing tupperware and kitchen tools is another way to get ahead of the game. And don’t forget your freezer – get rid of food that’s old and taking up space.

Make a grocery list: Refer to your menu and make a grocery list. What foods do you have already and can cross off the list? Do you have coupons that you can use for the items to save money?

Buy all non-perishables: Check your grocery list. Get ahead of the crazy grocery lines and buy all non-perishables you need.

Make the frozen foods: Can you make cookie dough or pie crusts that can be frozen ahead of time and put in your now-clean freezer? Look at your menu and make any of the foods that can be frozen in advance.

Buy the bird: If you’re buying a frozen turkey, pick it up today. It takes about 24 hours for 5 pounds of turkey to defrost. Sometimes it takes longer, so give yourself an extra day. So, for a 20 pound turkey give yourself 4-5 days. You can also thaw the bird in cold water. This takes about 30 minutes per pound. (So you would wait later in the week to do this.)

Plan your table settings: Thinking about using fresh flowers as your centerpiece? Place your order with the florist now, or figure out what you plan on using to decorate the table.

Two Days Before
Make the cranberry sauce: This lasts awhile, and it’s one less thing to make!

Get your table decorations ready: Assemble your plates, napkins, table decorations, and silverware together. Tomorrow, you can set the table.

Prep the stuffing: If you’re using stale bread for stuffing, cut up the bread and lay it out on a sheet tray overnight to dry out.

One Day Before
Liquid brine: If you’re brining your turkey, do so now. Don't brine for more than 24 hours.

Buy perishable items: Buy produce and prep. Some examples are washing greens, or peeling potatoes (which can be held overnight in cold water in the refrigerator.)

Make sides: Make and bake side dishes or assemble to bake tomorrow.

Fresh turkey: If you bought a fresh turkey, pick it up today.

Stock: Make turkey stock for gravy.

Prepare stuffing: Prepare and assemble the stuffing, but don’t add to the turkey until right before you roast it.

Defrost frozen pie dough: Defrost frozen pie dough and bake the pies.

Set the table: At night, set the table for tomorrow.

The Day Of

10:00 a.m.: Bring turkey to room temp. (This usually takes 1-2 hours depending on the size of the turkey.) Set dinner rolls out on a sheet tray and let thaw. Chill wine if necessary.

11:30 a.m.: Preheat oven. Stuff the turkey with the stuffing you made yesterday.

12 p.m.: Put the turkey in the oven.

2 p.m.: Bake sides.

3 p.m.: Prepare coffee and items ready for dessert. Set up appetizer platters.

4:15 p.m.: Check turkey temperature. If done, let sit for 30 minutes. A 20 pound turkey usually takes about 4 1/2 hours to cook. If the turkey isn't done check every 10-15 minutes. While turkey is resting, prepare the gravy.

4:30 p.m.: Reheat any side dishes. Carve the turkey.

5:30 p.m.: Sit down for dinner. Start the coffee machine.

Enjoy!

Lauren Torrisi contributed to this report.