Help me figure out tablecloth solution!

amother

Wed, Mar 20 2024, 1:23 pm

We have one table that we use for both Shabbos and weekday, and I've always struggled with how to manage it's different uses with different tablecloths. During the week I have a cloth tablecloth put out, and for dinner (which is always fleishigs) we put out a vinyl one, but the vinyl one ends up staying on most days (by the time I would get around to folding it up and putting it away it's usually just a few hours until the next dinner!) and I don't like that since it's not pretty. For milchigs, people are supposed to use placemats, but usually they just end up lifting the cloth tablecloth and eating on the table liner which leaves the table looking messy. For fleishigs not during dinner, if the vinyl tablecloth isn't on, people also just lift the tablecloth and eat on the liner. So the liner ends up being used for both milchigs and fleishigs which is no good.
I've been grappling with this for years. How do I solve the fleishigs/milchigs issue and also have a pretty but wipeable tablecloth (I don't like the vinyl options for every day)?

What do all you in the same situation with only 1 table do?

amother

Mimosa

Wed, Mar 20 2024, 1:29 pm

You need to set yourself and family up for success.
Find a tablecloth you can tolerate (you don’t need to love it) and leave it out /on all the time.
Get dairy place mats and leave there in a very convenient location (maybe Tatte’s seat when he is not at the table and move them to the counter temporarily when he is) and just use those.

Don’t let perfection get it the way of good enough.

amother

Daphne

Wed, Mar 20 2024, 1:30 pm

I have a dairy tablecloth on the table all day till dinnertime. At dinnertime we switch it to a fleishigs tablecloth. At night when I clean up the kitchen, I switch the tablecloth back to the dairy one.
We have a separate tablecloth for shabbos that stays on all shabbos & put a disposable plastic tablecloth over it for meals.

amother

Lemonchiffon

Wed, Mar 20 2024, 1:31 pm

Maybe we can help you find vinyl tablecloths you like. Maybe start another thread.
I have some pretty ones but they were gifted I can’t tell you where I got them from or what company they are.
But the nicer giftware stores may have. (They might be pricey but I think worth it)

amother

Apricot

Wed, Mar 20 2024, 1:31 pm

Seems like vinyl is anyhow staying on the whole day... may as well make peace with it/ find one you like.
What I sometimes do is have 2nd tablecloth underneath for milchigs, fold over vinyl when eating. Otherwise- placemats.

amother

Brickred

Wed, Mar 20 2024, 2:39 pm

Unfortunately, I only have 1 table cloth for my dining room table. I always have my "shabbos" table cloth on with a heavy duty clear plastic over it. If anyone decides to eat milchig on this table, they use placemats ( really just a kitchen towel) under their plate.

amother

Mulberry

Wed, Mar 20 2024, 5:43 pm

What's the problem? Get two nice looking waterproof tablecloths. Keep one on the whole time --whichever you use more often-- and put the other on when needed and fold and put away after each use. It's really not that difficult.

teachkids

Wed, Mar 20 2024, 5:55 pm

We do half the table bare for milchigs and half with a folded fleshig tablecloth (we alternate cloth and vinyl). On the rare occasion everyone is eating dinner together we unfold the table cloth and fold it again after