I saw a funny meme this week that said: “Get ready for three days of cooking, just so your kid can eat one roll.” That made me laugh out loud, but the truth is that we are going to spend a lot of time in our kitchens this week! If your kitchen is not designed for the way you like to cook, or if it’s missing important details, you’re going to start your holiday in frustration. Here are my 5 most important items that your kitchen needs for preparing a massive feast!

1. A Pot Filler

My clients love the pot fillers when we install them in their kitchens. When you have to transfer very heavy pots of potatoes from the sink to the stove, it is so much easier to be able to fill a large pot with water right on the range instead! This is a detail that makes prepping every meal a lot simpler.

2. A Prep Sink

It seems almost decadent to have two sinks in a kitchen - until you prepare a meal in a room that has this great detail. A prep sink is perfect for scrubbing vegetables, leaving the full sink available for dirty pans and pots. It separates tasks so you aren’t stepping all over a fellow cook in the kitchen, and it makes everything faster and more efficient!

3. Seating for Guests

Speaking of too many cooks in the kitchen, it is just a fact of life that everyone will gravitate to the kitchen on Thanksgiving Day. So be sure they have a place to sit so they don’t get in the way of the feast that’s being prepared!

4. Serving Space

A kitchen island, a peninsula, or a long counter space is just ideal for Thanksgiving. It gives you a great place for appetizers, side dishes, desserts, or even the entire feast. That clears the table for all the gorgeous china and glassware that your guests will need. I love to let people serve themselves and keep my Thanksgiving table looking picture perfect.

5. Double the Fun

If your budget and the space in your kitchen allow for it, multiple appliances are going to make everything so much easier. I like to spec double ovens, a wine fridge as well as a traditional fridge, and even dual dishwashers. If you have a large family or you love to entertain, those can make all the difference! Even consider fridge drawers in the kitchen island for drinks and snacks.

What do you think of these kitchen ideas? They’ll make your Thanksgiving dinner prep so much more stress free!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Beth