How to Make Room for Thanksgiving Football
On Thursday Night Football, you have the Lions at noon, the Cowboys at 3:30, and a prime-time game. You have Family coming over, and your living room, where they’re staying, is stuffed with exercise equipment you haven't used since January.
Our team at StorPlace, located on New Nashville Highway, observes this every November. People suddenly realize they need space for the most important Thursday of the year, and they've got about two weeks to pull it off.
Let's talk about how to actually make it happen.
The Space Reality Check
Walk through your main gathering space right now. What's taking up room that doesn't need to be there?
Common space-wasters we see:
- Treadmill that's become an expensive coat rack
- Decorative furniture nobody uses
- Boxes from the last move
- Kids' outgrown toys
- Exercise equipment is collecting dust
- Extra furniture "just in case."
Be honest. How much of this stuff serves your life on a random Tuesday? If the answer is "not much," it definitely doesn't need to be there on Thanksgiving Thursday.
The Perfect Football Setup
Once you've cleared the space:
Seating
Primary: Couch directly facing TV. This is prime real estate.
Secondary: Chairs at angles on the sides. Still good views.
Overflow: Floor cushions, folding chairs in back.
The key: Everyone needs to see without craning their neck for four hours.
TV Positioning
Height matters more than size. The TV center should be at eye level when seated, and the viewing distance should be 1.5 to 2.5 times the screen diagonal. A 65-inch TV works best from 8 to 13 feet away.
Food Strategy
Set up a separate food area, don't make people eat on laps for six hours. Kitchen counter, dining table, somewhere people can fix plates without blocking the TV.
Traffic flow matters: The Path to food shouldn't cross in front of the TV during crucial plays.
The Seasonal Storage Solution
Here's where storage units make sense, and our team has seen it work for countless Murfreesboro families.
Think about it: why is exercise equipment sitting in your living room year-round if you mainly use it January through March?
Smart Storage Use
Rent a climate-controlled unit on New Nashville Highway during football season (September through February) for:
- Spring/summer items
- Exercise equipment you're not currently using
- Extra furniture
- Hobby supplies for off-season hobbies
- Archived boxes
When football season ends and you want your home gym back, swap out the equipment. Storage units aren't just for long-term. They're for seasonal space management.
Real Scenarios We've Seen
The Home Gym Takeover
Guy moved his power rack and weights to storage from October through January, got his living room back for football season. Swapped it back in February for fitness focus.
The Furniture Hoarder
The family had two couches, three chairs, and a loveseat in one room, "just in case." Moved excess to storage, and suddenly the room was functional.
The Hobby Overflow
Woman with craft supplies taking over the den. Moved crafting stuff to storage during fall/winter, had space for family gatherings.
One Season Out of Many
This isn't just about one Thursday. The NFL season runs through February. College bowls. Playoffs. Super Bowl Sunday.
Whatever solution you create for Thanksgiving needs to last through winter. Temporary fixes, where you shove stuff in a bedroom, don't work for four months.
What You Actually Need for Football Thursday
Must-haves:
- Seating with clear TV views
- Side tables within reach
- Separate food area
- Temperature control (rooms with 15 people get hot)
Don't need:
- Fancy decorations
- Formal dining setup
- That exercise equipment you swore you'd use
What Our Team Wishes Everyone Knew
1. You have more stuff than you think: Walk through objectively. You'll be shocked at how much space is wasted.
2. Seasonal storage isn't just for decorations: Exercise equipment, furniture, sports gear, hobby supplies—all fair game.
3. Clearing space feels amazing: People always say, "I should have done this years ago."
4. Storage units aren't surrender: Using storage means you're being strategic about space management.
StorPlace Self Storage
If you're in Murfreesboro, dealing with space issues for Thanksgiving football, stop by StorPlace Storage at 5916 New Nashville Hwy.
We'll show you unit sizes, talk through seasonal storage options, and help figure out if this solves your space problem.
We're not trying to sell you something you don't need. But if your current space situation is stressing you out, there might be a simple solution.
Thanksgiving football deserves a proper setup. Not people crammed into a cluttered room, straining to see the TV.
Clear the space. Store what you're not using. Create a functional area where people actually want to spend six hours watching football and eating turkey.
When Cowboys fans start arguing with Lions fans in the third quarter, at least they'll have comfortable seats.
That's what Thanksgiving Thursday is supposed to be.
