Thanksgiving weekend is the perfect mix of food, family, football… and a little extra time at home. Between leftover turkey sandwiches and naps on the couch, it’s actually one of the best times of year to tackle small home projects—especially the electrical ones you’ve been putting off.

You don’t need to be an electrician to make your home safer, more comfortable, and more convenient. There are plenty of simple, homeowner-friendly electrical “to-dos” that are quick wins and make a big impact on daily life. And for anything that’s more advanced, Thanksgiving weekend is a great time to walk your home, make a list, and schedule a licensed electrician before the December rush.

Here’s a Thanksgiving weekend electrical to-do list that will pay off long after the leftovers are gone.

1. Test Your Smoke & CO Detectors

With more cooking, more guests, and sometimes space heaters or fireplaces running, holiday season is prime time for electrical and fire hazards. That makes your first task a safety one.

What to do:

• Press the test button on all smoke alarms and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors.

• Replace batteries if they chirp, are more than a year old, or if you can’t remember when you last changed them.

• Check the manufacture date on the back:

  • Smoke alarms should typically be replaced every 10 years.

  • CO detectors usually last 5–7 years, depending on the model.

Why it matters:
A working alarm system is your first line of defense if something goes wrong in the kitchen, with a space heater, or with older wiring. This is a 5–10 minute project that can literally save lives.

2. Swap Old Switches for Dimmers

Thanksgiving usually means cozy dinners, movie nights, and visiting with family. Harsh, bright lighting doesn’t exactly set the mood. Upgrading a few standard switches to dimmers can transform how your home feels.

Great places to add dimmers:

• Dining room chandelier or pendant

• Kitchen can lights or island lights

• Living room or family room

• Primary bedroom

Benefits:

• Comfort: Customize brightness for cooking, dining, or relaxing.

• Energy savings: Running lights at a lower level uses less electricity.

• Style: Dimmers instantly make a space feel more modern and well-designed.

Most homeowners can swap out a switch if they’re comfortable turning off the breaker and following instructions. If anything looks confusing in the box—multiple wires, old wiring colors, or no ground—stop and call a pro.

3. Upgrade Your Most-Used Light Fixtures

Thanksgiving weekend is also a smart time to replace that one ugly, dim, or flickering fixture you complain about all year. You’ll be amazed how much difference a single updated light can make.

Easy fixture upgrade ideas:

• Swap the builder-grade “boob light” in the hallway for a modern flush mount.

• Replace a dated dining room fixture with something that fits your style.

• Add a brighter LED fixture in a laundry room, pantry, or closet.

Why do it now?

• You likely have help at home to hold the fixture while you wire it.

• Guest visits and parties are coming—let your home look its best.

• New LED fixtures are affordable and use less power than older lights.

Again, if you’re not comfortable working with wiring, this is a quick job an electrician can knock out—especially if you have a short list of fixtures ready to go.

4. Replace Old Bulbs with LEDs

If you don’t want to mess with wiring at all, this is the fastest, safest, highest-impact electrical project on the list.

Walk through your home with a notepad (or your phone) and identify:

• Dim, yellow, or inconsistent lighting

• Hard-to-reach fixtures where you never want to change a bulb again

• Rooms that feel darker than they should

Then:

• Replace incandescent and CFL bulbs with LED bulbs.

• Pick a color temperature:

  • 2700K–3000K for warm, cozy living areas and bedrooms

  • 3500K–4000K for kitchens, baths, laundry, and workspaces

Benefits of LEDs:

• Use up to 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs

• Last years, not months

• Produce less heat, which is easier on fixtures and safer overall

By the end of the weekend, your home can feel brighter, more comfortable, and more modern—just from a bulb swap.

5. Add or Rearrange Plug-In Lighting

Sometimes you don’t need an electrician or hardwired fixtures to solve lighting issues. Plug-in lighting can be a quick Thanksgiving weekend victory.

Ideas to consider:

• Plug-in sconces for bedrooms or reading nooks

• Under-cabinet plug-in lights for better kitchen task lighting

• Desk lamps or floor lamps for darker corners

• Night lights in halls and bathrooms for visiting guests

As you rearrange or set up guest rooms for the holidays, think about where people will need light to walk safely, read, or work on a laptop. Good lighting isn’t just about looks—it prevents trips and falls when the house is full.

6. Tidy Up Power Strips & Extension Cords

More people in the house usually means more devices: phones, tablets, laptops, gaming systems, and more. Add holiday decorations to the mix, and it’s easy to end up with overloaded outlets and messy cords.

Thanksgiving weekend checklist:

• Inspect power strips for damage, melted plastic, or loose outlets. Replace anything suspect.

• Avoid “daisy-chaining” (plugging one power strip into another).

• Use proper, grounded extension cords for temporary needs—especially for things like space heaters or cooking appliances.

• Keep cords away from traffic paths, and never run cords under rugs.

If you notice that you’re constantly fighting for outlets in certain rooms, make a note. That’s a sign you might need additional outlets or dedicated circuits installed by an electrician.

7. Install Smart Plugs or Timers

Thanksgiving weekend is also the unofficial kickoff to holiday decorating season. That makes it the perfect time to set up smart control for lights and décor.

Simple projects you can tackle:

• Plug lamps or holiday lights into smart plugs so you can control them from your phone or by voice.

• Use outdoor-rated smart plugs or timers for exterior lights, so they turn off automatically at night.

• Put frequently used lamps on schedules to make your home feel lived-in even when you’re out.

Why it’s worth it:

• Saves energy by preventing lights from staying on 24/7.

• Adds convenience—you’re not crawling behind furniture to plug and unplug cords.

• Increases security with automatic lighting when you’re away visiting family.

8. Do a Quick Outlet & Switch Walkthrough

While you’re home for the weekend, do a simple “electrical walkthrough” and note anything that seems off. You don’t have to fix these items yourself; the goal is to identify issues so you can address them before they turn into a bigger problem.

Look for:

• Outlets that feel loose, cracked, or discolored

• Warm or hot faceplates (this is a red flag—contact an electrician)

• Switches that spark, buzz, or hum when you use them

• Two-prong outlets in older parts of the home

• Missing or broken cover plates (easy DIY fix)

Bonus: Check that outlets near sinks (kitchen, bathrooms, laundry, garage, outdoors) are GFCI-protected. If you’re not sure, or if they never trip when tested, it’s worth having a pro look at them.

9. Plan Bigger Projects for the New Year

Not every electrical upgrade is a quick DIY. But Thanksgiving is a great time to talk with your family about what you’d like to improve in the coming year and make a priority list.

While everyone’s around, ask:

• Do we need more lighting in any rooms, hallways, or outside areas?

• Are there places we’re always fighting over outlets or using too many power strips?

• Do we trip breakers when we use certain appliances at the same time?

• Are we thinking about remodeling the kitchen, finishing a basement, or adding a hot tub or EV charger?

Use the answers to create a list of projects such as:

• Adding recessed lights or under-cabinet lighting

• Installing more outlets or dedicated appliance circuits

• Upgrading an older electrical panel

• Running power to a garage, basement, or outdoor living area

Then, when the holiday rush calms down, you’re ready to call a licensed electrician with a clear, prioritized list—saving time and reducing stress.

Make This Thanksgiving Weekend Count

Thanksgiving is about gratitude, comfort, and time together—and your home’s electrical system plays a bigger role in that than most people realize. A safe, well-lit, and properly powered home makes cooking easier, gatherings more comfortable, and the holidays less stressful.

By using Thanksgiving weekend to knock out a few easy electrical projects—testing alarms, swapping bulbs, adding dimmers, organizing cords, and planning for bigger upgrades—you’re investing in your home’s safety and comfort for the whole season and beyond.

And if you run into anything that seems unsafe, confusing, or beyond your comfort level, don’t guess. That’s the perfect time to call a licensed electrical contractor to take it from “good enough” to “done right.”