(cliché)  Fig.: to get everything properly organized and under control; to be well prepared or organized before doing something.

They are so young and green. They don't know how to put their ducks in a row yet, and still they want to get married right away

Sono giovani, inesperti e non sanno nemmeno come organizzarsi la vita, ciò nonostante vogliono sposarsi al più presto

Facciamo una riunione per assicurarci che tutto sia pronto, preparato e ben organizzato prima della consegna ufficiale del progetto a cliente

Let's meet to make sure that we have all our ducks lined up before we officially deliver our project to the client

Andrai in pensione tra un mese e penso che, prima di allora, dovresti organizzare un incontro con i tuoi colleghi d'ufficio per preparare e sistemare tutto al meglio

You'll be retiring in a month and I think that before then you should meet with your office colleagues and get your ducks in a row

The expression originated in the USA in the 1930s. Of course, the first image coming to mind is the line of ducklings walking behind their mother, but the origin of its idiomatic meaning is kind of foggy. One theory leads to the mechanical ducks that you can shoot at in a carnival firing range. Another one refers to sitting ducks, which – in the game of pool – are a number of balls lined up near the pockets so that can be tapped in one after another. Yet, another one refers to duckpins, that are a type of bowling pins that need to be precisely arranged