Thanksgiving is only 8 weeks from today. That means it's time to start planning.

If you need to travel, you should make reservations as soon as possible. The later you leave it, the fewer choices you will have and the more expensive they will be.

If you are going to a restaurant for Thanksgiving dinner, start researching your options so that you can make reservations early. If you are going to someone's home for dinner, buy a nice hostess gift and relax. You're done!

If you are part of a potluck, now is a good time to finalize the guest list and to start discussing who will bring what. You don't need 3 pans of sweet potatoes and no dessert.

If you are hosting, starting now will reduce your stress:

• Start thinking about guest list and menu. You don't have to make final decisions yet, but you can keep a draft menu on the side of your fridge and you can decide how many people you can host.
• Find your table linens, china, silver, and server ware, and begin to look through your recipes. You don't want to be searching for napkins when you need to be whisking gravy.
• Really focus on clearing space in your cabinets, fridge, and freezer. You will need every bit of fridge space on the big day and you'll likely fill your cabinets with things you need for holiday cooking.
• Sort through your plastic containers. Recycle the ones that are stained or don't have lids. You are likely to have lots of leftovers on Thanksgiving, so it's good to be ready.