Thanksgiving planning and Google Docs. Perfect together. In an effort to get organized for Thanksgiving, I started a Google Doc workbook with several spreadsheets. First time ever and this feels like a big step, but maybe many of you are doing this already. The rationale is that we have several family members participating in the menu planning, and fortunately shopping and preparation, all living in different states and coming together for the holiday. Another factor is the kitchen itself: just 4 burners and 1 oven. My hope is that this collaboration tool will help us stay organized, reduce extra trips to the store and bickering at the stovetop.

Here’s what I did: I created a spreadsheet for our shopping list, noting which ingredient is for which recipe. I created another spreadsheet with the menu to help us plan timing. On this spreadsheet we will plan what can be made in advance, what day of, and when. I then shared the file online with the 4 other key stakeholders. The others can edit/delete from the document at will. So far, I am the only one to contribute. I am hopeful that will change….

Let the games begin! How do you get organized for the holiday? Please write a comment below and share.