"Over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house we go…" For many of us grandma isn’t so close anymore, but for others maybe she lives with you?  The memories as a young child going to this amazing feast without even lifting a finger are in days gone past. For most of us family and friends will be spending time at our homes enjoying a not so effortless feast.

It’s never too early to start preparing your kitchen for the upcoming holidays. Whether it is Thanksgiving, New Years, Hanukah, Christmas or even Kwanza you can lessen the stress of the holidays by preparing now. Half of the stress of putting on a feast is having an organized kitchen and making sure everything is in working order. Before things get too crazy it might be a good idea to check our list not just once but twice. Some of the things we just expect to turn out don’t always work out so nicely.  

How to Prepare for a Stress Free Holiday

1. Replace aging or unpredictable appliances - No one wants that turkey dinner cooked in the microwave after the oven goes out
2. Do standard cabinet and countertop care – It is a great time to dust and clean your cabinets and countertops. You want them looking fresh and new. 
3. Take an inventory of your pantry  - Organize and clean out your pantry. No one wants to run to the store for that missing ingredient to find it closed.
4. Get rid of old spices - The quality of your spices can affect the taste of your food. No one wants to taste stale spices.
5. Add storage to your kitchen - You may not need a whole new kitchen but you might want to add an island.  Go with a contrasting color. Two-tone kitchens are the way to go these days and you won’t have to worry about matching the existing cabinets. Maybe even add some deep pull out cabinet shelves.
6. Organize and take an inventory of cookware - It never fails, we seem to run out of pans to cook everything and keep it warm. You may want to consider using small appliances such as crockpots. 
7. Childproof your kitchen - Chances are there will be a lot of extra little ones running around. Nothing can ruin a holiday quicker than an accident in the kitchen. Make sure your kitchen is family friendly.
8. Clean out the refrigerator - You want to have room to store food and a place to put all those leftovers. Pick up some extra disposable containers to send food home with guests.
9. Compile your recipes ahead of time - So many of us stress out trying to find that favorite recipe of grandma’s.  Having recipes all together will also help when you make your shopping lists.

Here at Brakur Custom Cabinetry we want you and your family to enjoy the upcoming holidays. Just a little bit of preparation ahead can take away mounds of stress later. We hope you will enjoy the upcoming holiday season.  

If you are considering remodeling you kitchen in the near future click below to download a free survival kit.