The One Thing You Should Be Doing Today to Prepare for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and if you're getting ready to make a big meal, you already know that Thanksgiving prep starts with good intentions, but chaos can quickly take over. Last year, I decided to brine the turkey because I saw a tip about it on TikTok, but I forgot that my fridge was already full of pies, deviled eggs and cranberry sauce. That's how I ended up playing Tetris with the items in my fridge at midnight. This year, I won't be making that mistake again because I'm starting my Thanksgiving prep where so many recipes start—my fridge.

Content creator, chef and TV host @kelseynixon says that cleaning your fridge is the best Thanksgiving tip that "no one is talking about," but it's one thing we all need to do.

Related: The Genius Thanksgiving Dinner Planning Trick We Wish We'd Known About Sooner

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Why Should You Clean Out Your Fridge the Week Before Thanksgiving?

"No one wants to clean out their fridge…but here’s the cold, hard truth," she wrote in the caption of her Instagram video. "It will make prepping & cooking Thanksgiving SO MUCH EASIER if you do this before you do anything else."

We've all been there. How many times have you had everything prepped and realized that you've run out of space in the fridge? This happens almost every year—but not this year!

Nixon said there are small things you can do each day to make sure your fridge is ready for all the food that it's about to hold. Cleaning your fridge in stages makes it manageable and less stressful, which is great because no one needs more stress right now!

Start by clearing out expired or unwanted items, taking on one shelf or drawer so you don't get overwhelmed. Next, remove and soak shelves and bins in warm, soapy water and wipe down the inside of the fridge so you have a clean surface to store your food. After everything is clean and dry, reorganize the food you need to keep and group similar items together so that it's easier to find them when you need them.

Once you've done all that, plan where you'll put your baking dishes, cookie sheets and storage bowls by placing them all in the fridge to make sure you have room for everything you plan to store. If you're afraid you won't remember how you stacked everything, take a photo on your phone to refer to later. Remember to leave some extra space because your dishes won't be empty when you put them in the fridge.

Even though it might be a little painful in the moment, taking time to get your fridge Thanksgiving-ready will really pay off next week when the feast is upon us.

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