Saving Time in the Dining Room
Find a place to store placements and napkins in the dining room. A pretty basket or even a box covered with pretty contact paper works well.
Decorate for a dinner or party the night before. You can even set the table the night before.
To save time cleaning up after a meal, bring the kitchen trashcan to the dining room. Brush crumbs from the table directly to the trash and - if you don't have a garbage disposal - scrape remaining food from plates right into the trash.