How to host Thanksgiving dinner in a small condo
By Newinhomes on Sep 25, 2018
Think you can’t host Thanksgiving in your small condo? If you live in anything smaller than 400 square feet, then you may be right. But, if you have a one-bedroom, not all hope is lost. With these Thanksgiving hosting tips, you can skip the trip out to the suburbs next long weekend and invite your parents and family to your condo for dinner.
Get a head start
Your kitchen probably isn’t ideal for preparing an entire Thanksgiving dinner while your family and friends hover around. Most new one-bedrooms are open-concept with the kitchen exposed to the living area. The last thing you want is zero elbow room while trying to prepare the yams.
Take a look at your plan for dinner and decide what can be done the day before; things like chopping vegetables and planning drinks. There may even be entire dishes you can make the night before, like mashed potatoes or the stuffing. The less you have to do while your guests are present, the better.
Make it a potluck
Hey, there’s no harm in making your Thanksgiving a potluck. You’re hosting, providing the space, and likely preparing the turkey. It will make things infinitely easier if that’s all you have to do in your small condo kitchen. If you do this, make sure you either tell each guest what they should bring or give them options and keep track of what’s being made. You don’t want to end up with a turkey and five side dishes of cranberry sauce.
Plan for leftovers
If there are no leftovers, that means there wasn’t enough food. There’s a chance you have a condo-size fridge. If this is the case, you can’t store too many large plastic and glass containers. Before the big day, get a set of sealable containers you can give away at the end of the evening. Make sure each guest leaves with a little bit of everything so they can enjoy the dinner all over again tomorrow. Of course, keep a bit for yourself.
Buy biodegradable plates and cutlery
Your small condo sink and dishwasher are okay for you and your partner, but add five, six, or seven people to that washer load. There’ll be more than a week’s worth of dishes in just one night. Your counter space and appliances can’t handle it! Purchase high quality biodegradable plates and cutlery that are 100% compostable, so everything can go directly down the organics chute when you’re done. Obviously, this is only an option if your condo has an organics disposal chute.
Rearrange your furniture
Your couch, coffee table, accent chair and television are taking up all the space in your living room. Since no one needs access to your bedroom during this time, move everything into your room for the night. Then you can rent a long table and chairs for your family. Basically, you’re transforming your entire condo unit into a dining room.
Book the party room
All the above tips still apply except for the rearranging your furniture tip. If that one sounds like too much work and you don’t feel like dealing with moving furniture after everyone has left, then try to book your party room (if you have one). Odds are someone in your building has already jumped on this idea, possibly booking it way in advance. But, if you really want to host and you really feel like it can’t be done in your small condo, then it’s worth a last minute inquiry with your concierge!
We hope these tips inspire you to invite your friends and family over to your small condo for Thanksgiving.
