Ready or not, Thanksgiving is just over a week away, and every host knows the amount of time and effort that goes into coordinating a big meal and festive gathering. From meal prep to festive decor to the cleanup process, the to-do list feels never-ending.
Thankfully, professional home organizer Janelle Lam is in Studio 1A to share essentials you should stock your home with for the holidays. In her list of must-haves, you'll find a 3-in-1 baking sheet to make cooking quicker and easier, shatter-proof wine glasses and more holiday home finds — all found on Amazon.
So whether you're gearing up for your holiday feast duties or just an invitee, keep scrolling to find the best Amazon home essentials for cooking, hosting and even gifting.
Amazon holiday home essentials seen on TODAY
Did you forget to take the chicken out of the freezer? This defrosting tray is a meal prep saver. According to the brand, it’s made of conductive aluminum that helps defrost frozen food evenly and safely. You can use it on meat, fish, poultry or frozen vegetables, notes Lam.
Taper candles add an elegant ambience to holiday decor and tablescapes, and these electric ones are both cost-efficient and mess-free. They're battery-operated and controlled with a remote control with timer settings. Lam notes they feel like real candles and even have a flicker effect. And below, we found decorative holders to pair them with.
Red wine and people: Spills are bound to happen. This stain remover, which happens to be from the makers of the Shop TODAY favorite brand Miss Mouth’s, has an enzyme-based formula that instantly tackles stains from clothing, carpets and upholstery. Lam says it also makes for a great gift for hosts, along with a bottle of red wine.
These non-toxic wine glass markers instantly solve the common party dilemma: “Whose glass is this?” Coming with eight colors, you can write names or festive phrases directly on the glass, without worrying about clunky charms. The brand says the markers are fast drying, smudge-proof and wipe clean with water.
“I am obsessed with this! This pan has divided sections so you can easily roast your whole meal at one time without needing to use a bunch of different dishes,” says Lam. “It makes clean-up way easier and streamlined.”
Editor’s note: Our above pick is currently out of stock, but we found similar options below that we’d think you’d like.
GoodCook also offers a version that's divided into two sections to roast vegetables, meats or bake desserts.
These multifunctional silicone pan dividers can be placed on larger sheet pans to help speed up meal prepping and cook multiple items. Or, you can use them separately to bake or use in an air fryer.
"If you love hosting but hate the anxiety of shattered glass, these are a game-changer," says Lam. They're perfect for hosting, whether you're indoors or out on the patio or rooftop. According to the brand, these "shatterproof" wine glasses are made from BPA-free Tritan and are crystal clear, mimicking real glass.
Plus, they're easy and comfortable to hold with the indented thumb grip.
Editor's note: Our above pick is currently out of stock, but we found another option below that we'd think you'd like.
Made of heavy-duty Tritan plastic, you'll never know these unbreakable wine glasses aren't actually made with glass.
Lam says this dishwasher magnet has been a "savior" in her household. Whoever is next on dishwashing duty will instantly know if the dishes are clean or dirty — all you need to do is slide it over! Plus, its sleek design blends easily into appliances, without being an eyesore.
More Amazon holiday home essentials to shop
A fleece throw blanket is an easy way to add coziness to holiday decor. This bestseller comes in over 20 colors, including festive shades like mallard green, deep red and navy blue. Plus, it makes for an affordable host gift.
Cook your turkey, ham and steaks at optimal temperatures with this bestselling meat thermometer. It has a digital interface, and many reviewers say it has an "accurate" and "fast" temperature read.
Don't have a real Christmas tree? You can still fill your home with that festive pine scent. The classic and bestselling Yankee Candle comes in balsam and cedar, as well as other seasonal scents.
This clever storage hack keeps your seasonal wreaths in pristine shape. According to the brand, the storage bag holds standard-size wreaths to maintain shape and keep the decor free of dust.
You won't have to worry about crushed wrapping paper tubes, thanks to this handy storage container. It stores up to 22 rolls of gift wrap, ribbons and tissue paper, keeping everything organized and making gift wrapping more efficient than ever.
With Thanksgiving on the horizon, you'll want to grab these aluminum trays for your dinner spread. Coming in a pack of 10, these trays can go from the oven to the table to storage, making cooking and cleanup easy.
'Tis the season of ... leftovers! These airtight food storage containers will come in handy to store leftover turkey, mashed potatoes and more.
These wine glasses will give your table a sophisticated touch with their metallic finish. Plus, they're made of stainless steel, so you don't have to worry about them shattering.
Meet the experts
Our team features a range of qualified experts and contributors in our broadcast segments to reveal the latest in trends, remarkable sale events and all things shopping across a variety of categories. Products were independently chosen by members of the Shop TODAY team along with Janelle Lam.
- Janelle Lam is a professional home organizer, appearing on The TODAY Show to share organizing solutions for every aspect of your life, as well as holiday organization hacks. She’s also the founder of Straighten Up by Janelle and author of “The Folding Book.”
- Shop TODAY is a team of shopping editors and writers who spend hours every day finding the best new products, tried-and-true favorites and more finds available on Amazon that are worth shopping, according to our high standards.
How do you add Shop TODAY as a Preferred Source on Google?
Google’s new Preferred Sources feature allows users to manually select their favorite publishers and news outlets for a more customizable experience tailored directly to the reader. Once you’ve opted to receive our content, you’ll begin seeing more of our recent and trending articles displayed within your Top Stories news feed.
The easiest way to add us as a preferred source is to click here and type in “TODAY.com.” Once the box is checked and you’ve refreshed the page, Shop TODAY content will start appearing in your feed.
How we chose
The Shop TODAY editors and writers search the internet to find the best products out there. We interview expert sources, comb through customer reviews and even use our own personal experiences to make shopping easier for our readers.
As an editorial team, we independently create content and determine coverage based on research, reporting and what we think TODAY.com readers would like to read about. The goal of our content is to provide a service and inform readers who are on the hunt for the latest products to help make their life better. Items are sold by retailer, not TODAY. Pricing and availability are accurate as of publish time. Learn more about Shop TODAY.
