Setting an Insta-Worthy Thanksgiving Table

Do you love the idea of having a festive Thanksgiving table to share with family and friends and to showcase on your Instagram? Even if you haven’t mastered the art of “tablescaping” yet, it’s now easier than ever to create beautiful and effortless Thanksgiving table décor, thanks to the rise of social media platforms like Pinterest. If you’re hosting a Turkey Day dinner for your friends this year, our cleaning experts at Merry Maids® can free up some of your time, so you can focus on your Insta-worthy table spread!

Below, we’ve provided a few tips for table decorating and setting to make your life a little easier this Thanksgiving Day.

Trendy Thanksgiving Table Décor Ideas

It doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned DIY decorator or a relative novice in hosting – there are countless ways to express your creativity for an unforgettable Thanksgiving tablescape. The idea is to keep your tablescape looking as tasteful, inviting, and autumnal as possible, whatever that means to you.

Here are some decorating ideas to get you started:

• Use nature to your advantage. Fall is a time of breathtaking natural beauty, with multi-colored leaves and autumnal produce ready for harvest. Instead of spending money at the craft store, try decorating with dried leaves and pinecones from your yard – or supplementing your tablescape with squashes, apples, and pumpkins from your local farmer’s market.
• Think outside the box for your arrangements. Tired of doing the same old floral centerpieces? Try using colored vintage bottles and mason jars with handfuls of dried autumn flowers. Alternatively, lend your table a rustic vibe by placing stalks of golden wheat in clear vases.
• Keep things soft with pastels. It’s more common to see decadent jewel tones like burgundy, gold, and burnt orange at a Thanksgiving table, but soft pastels like sage green, butter yellow, and cream also make for an extremely elegant display. Find a few white pumpkins and pale green gourds to complement the color palette!
• For linens, stick with monochromatic neutrals. While there are some beautiful patterned napkins and tablecloths out there, monochromatic neutrals never go out of style. To complement your décor year after year, consider purchasing a set of simple, high-quality table linens in white, sandy beige, or taupe.

Formal Table Setting 101

While it may not be as fun as the decorations, it’s also important to consider the placement of your flatware and silverware. With this quick refresher on formal table setting, however, you'll be able to put your best foot forward (and impress your Insta followers, too!)

Here are some things to keep in mind when prepping for a formal Thanksgiving dinner:

• Forks go to the left of the plate; other utensils go to the right. This setup may sound counterintuitive, but it’s designed to make things more convenient for guests.
• Utensils are placed outside-in. Even if you’re not serving a seven-course meal for Thanksgiving, you probably have more than one dish planned for your guests. The general rule is that you should place utensils outside-in based on the order of the menu.
• Save dessert spoons and forks for later. For many people, the dessert courses are the best part of Thanksgiving. But for a formal table setting, you don’t need to set out separate spoons and forks for all that pumpkin pie and bread pudding: Just bring them in with the dessert plates.
• Knife blades should face the plate. It’s unlikely that your adult guests will have any trouble with knife cuts, but it’s considered polite to place the cutting edge of a knife towards the plate.
• Napkins should be placed on top of the plate. Although many people are used to seeing napkins placed below or next to their utensils, place napkins on top of the charger plates for more refined place settings.

Professional Home Cleaning for Your Next Event

Between planning out your menu and decorating your table, you may not find the time to give your home a proper pre-Thanksgiving clean. If you need some help this year, just call on our professional cleaning specialists at Merry Maids® for a living space that feels like a spotless sanctuary to your friends and family. With our worry-free guarantee on cleaning services, there’s no risk to you: If you’re unsatisfied with any aspect of your clean, just give us a call within 24 hours and we’ll make it right!

Need help with the cleaning before your Thanksgiving feast? Call your local Merry Maids® at (888) 490-4227 to request an estimate!