My favorite kind of Friendsgiving is potluck-style since this means I’m getting help from friends. Even so, proper organization is a must! These free printable Friendsgiving timeline checklist and blank to-do list are my secret weapons for staying organized. And I have some clever tips on how you can make the most of them!
This Friendsgiving timeline checklist is a lifesaver! It breaks down the planning process into manageable steps, so you can tackle everything with ease, delegate some tasks, and still have time to perfect your pumpkin pie recipe!
Plus, the blank to-do list is perfect for jotting down those random tasks that always seem to pop up. Trust me, these little sheets of paper are worth their weight in pumpkin spice lattes!
🍂📅 Friendsgiving Timeline Checklist
The timeline checklist keeps you on track. It’s time to experience Friendsgiving in the most relaxing way. No more last-minute grocery store panic, or forgetting to thaw the turkey.
And I have some more matching free Friendsgiving printables to help plan and decorate an amazing celebration. Let’s take a closer look!
One Month Before
Dream up your Friendsgiving – The first step is to establish a vision for your party. Pinterest and Instagram are great places to start! It’s also a good idea to look at the seasonal decor you already have. Frugal decor is best, right?
Of course, if you stumble upon a hidden stash of cash – then, by all means, go wild!🤭
✔️Pick a date and time – Talk to your friends to find a date and time that works for most. The weekend is always the safest bet!
✔️Start your guest list – Begin a preliminary guest list to get a sense of the party size.
Our free printable Friendsgiving guest list can help you keep track of everyone. Expect to fill it at least once more, so you can have a final, clean version to work with.
✔️Menu brainstorming – Consider classics, comfort foods, allergies, and other dietary needs. For a potluck-style Friendsgiving, communicate with your friends to see who’s bringing what.
Last, but not least, use our free printable Thanksgiving menu planner to organize your dishes. It makes this so much easier!
Three Weeks Before
✔️Finalize the guest list – Confirm who’s coming and make a final version of your guest list.
✔️Send out invites – You don’t have to be old-school, you can just call or text your friends – they already know about it. Just make sure to mention all the important details.
✔️Dish duty – Assign or let friends choose dishes. Use our free printable Friendsgiving menu plan to keep track of who’s bringing what.
For those bringing multiples, you might want to hand out a copy of the blank to-do list to help them stay organized.
Two Weeks Before
✔️Confirm dishes and headcount – Get in touch with your friends to confirm who’s bringing what, and get a final headcount. Update your menu plan and guest list.
Yes, do this one more time. It’s worth the effort, and it’s a good idea to remind your friends they have work to do!
✔️Decor planning – Choose your table setting, centerpieces, and other festive decorations.
One Week Before
✔️Finalize the menu – Revise the menu one more time, and write down the adjustments in your menu planner sheet.
✔️Fill and print your menus – Fill in our free printable and editable Friendsgiving menu. Print enough copies for each guest. (And maybe a few extra, just in case someone spills gravy on theirs.)
✔️Shopping time! – Purchase ingredients for the dishes you’re preparing and other foods and drinks you’re responsible for.
Also, check with the friends in charge of other dishes and supplies to make sure they don’t forget to buy them.
A Few Days Before
✔️Prep work – Make freezer-friendly dishes, chop veggies, and prep ingredients. Splitting up those kitchen chores into smaller steps makes everything so much easier to tackle, and less tiring too.
✔️Drinks run – Buy the drinks for the gathering and make sure you have several options for both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
And don’t forget about allergies or sensitivities some of your friends might have (as written on your guest list). There should be some drinks for them too!
✔️Table talk – Plan your table setting and ready your tablecloths, dishware, glasses, cutlery, and napkins.
✔️Fill, print, and cut place cards – Our free printable and editable Friendsgiving place cards are perfect for glamming up your festive table.
The Day Before
Things are heating up. But not too much as you’ve already done most of the work!
✔️Cooking and baking – This is the day to cook and bake all the foods that can be made ahead. Be sure to have enough storage space in your fridge!
💡Tip: I have these handy cooking schedule and baking list sheets bundled in my free printable Thanksgiving planner to help you streamline all that kitchen work.
✔️Set the table – Linens, tableware, centerpieces, and the editable menus and place cards you printed earlier.
✔️Final touches – Add any finishing touches to your decor. One or two vases with flowers, and natural fall decorations like pumpkins, pears, apples, pinecones, and acorns can instantly change the scene!
✔️Print and cut leftover box labels – Grab these free printable Friendsgiving leftover Labels and have them ready for the next day. There are always some leftovers and trust me – most of your friends will be happy to take some home!
Friendsgiving Day!
✔️Last-minute cooking – Finalize all last-minute cooking (turkey, ahem!) and food prep tasks.
✔️Capture the memories – Ready our free printable Friendsgiving photo signs for some memorable pics of you and your friends. Or use them as party wall art – they’ll liven up the party!
I speak from experience when I say this timeline is more helpful than you can possibly imagine. You’ll probably have time for a pre-dinner nap. Your friends will be wondering how is it that your spread and decor are spotless and you’re looking so radiant. It’ll be our secret!
📋 Friendsgiving To-Do List
This blank to-do list makes an excellent pair with the Friendsgiving timeline checklist. It lets you not just write down tasks that aren’t included in the timeline, but also set deadlines and assign tasks to your friends.
Track your progress by checking off completed tasks and writing down other important details in the Notes section.
Don’t be afraid to share the workload. This way, everyone will participate and no one will feel overwhelmed, not even you!
📌 Tips For Using The To-Do List
👉Be specific – Break down large tasks into smaller, more manageable steps. For example: instead of just writing “decorate,” list out specific tasks like “hang garland,” “set the table,” and “arrange centerpieces”.
👉Prioritize – Identify the most important tasks and tackle those first. (Like remembering to buy the turkey! That’s kind of a big one.)
👉Be realistic – Don’t overload your to-do list with more than you can handle. Remember, Friendsgiving is about celebrating with friends, not stressing yourself out!
👉Don’t be afraid to delegate – Ask your friends to help with tasks like setting the table or picking up supplies. I’m sure they’ll be happy to contribute! It’s also a good idea to fill and print some to-do lists for them – it will make their job easier too.
👉Use it in conjunction with the timeline checklist – The timeline checklist provides a general framework, while the to-do list allows you to personalize your planning and capture those unique tasks that pop up along the way.
👉Keep it visible – Post your to-do list somewhere you’ll see it often, like on the fridge or your kitchen bulletin board. This will help you stay on track and avoid forgetting any important tasks.
🖨️ Grab It Now
The free printable Friendsgiving timeline checklist and to-do list are ready to print and use. You’ll get the download link to the PDF in your inbox, after you enter your details below.
Open the file using the free Adobe Reader or your favorite PDF reader app. Leave the scale set to 100% or “Actual Size” if printing on U.S. Letter paper. You can adjust the scale to print on other paper types like A4 or A5.
💡Tip: And here’s a bit of wisdom that will save you time and money in the long run. Print the blank to-do list on cardstock, laminate it, and use it with a dry-erase marker. You can use it year after year, and you can easily erase tasks to make changes without having to print the list and fill it again. The same can be done with the timeline checklist, guest list, and menu plan!
Hi!
Ginny Collins is a passionate foodie and recipe creator of Savor and Savvy and Kitchenlaughter. Indoors she focuses on easy, quick recipes for busy families and kitchen basics. Outdoors, she focuses on backyard grilling and smoking to bring family and friends together. She is a lifelong learner who is always taking cooking classes on her travels overseas and stateside. Her work has been featured on MSN, Parade, Fox News, Yahoo, Cosmopolitan, Elle, and many local news outlets. She lives in Florida where you will find her outside on the water in her kayak, riding her bike on trails, and planning her next overseas adventure.
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