Getting rid of huge dining table

[Mogdidabadthing2]

I'm contemplating re-vamping our dining room/ second reception as it's dominated by a giant (10 seater when extended ) table. I do Christmas every year and maybe 4 dinner parties a year but otherwise seems to be a laundry holder.
I'd like to get rid and have a small 4 seater for the family and get back to eating at the table (whole other thread in that topic!) but would i regret it and how would I host ? Was thinking of trestle table to keep in shed to drag out ?!! And have "bring a chair " parties?!! I need space back. Has anyone done this to a dining room and regretted it?

Will your smaller table not just be used as a smaller laundry table?

What does the smaller table actually achieve?

Fold out tables that match the dimensions of your existing table can work well. I have a 6x3” table, and two 3’ square fold out tables in the cellar. Gives plenty of flexibility re size and shape. For extra chairs I have a stack of IKEA stools, but also borrow from neighbours at times.

Smaller table would give space for a small sofa and extra true living space instead of just a dining room / office. We are open plan front to back right now but plan to put doors on so that space can be separate so kids could have friends roind as they get older.
Small table hopefully wouldn't hold as much washing and be easier to keep tidy??! Clutch those straws...

I'd suggest ypur sofa will just end up covered in washing instead. If you've got space, move the washing upstairs. It was a game changer for us.

That said, my dining room table just gets covered in my husbands stuff, unless I'm totally on it with getting him to move it all the time. Ans the kids don't Carrie as they like watching TV whilst we eat, so I'm a lone voice.

Is it not a manageable size when not extended?

I think dining tables are super useful- homework, paperwork, crafting colouring. Extra chopping space.

Change your eating culture first to see if you can actually get everyone to eat at the table.

That means relocating the laundry and eating at the table.

If this works then think about changing tables.

We have an extendable table - could you try that? Ours has 2 extra bits we add on (very rarely!) rather than folding down.

Ooops, I see it is an extendable!
our extendable is actually quite big for our needs now so we will get a smaller extendable- could that be an option?

I love that ours is so versatile. It seats 4-6 comfortably but has two inserts to seat a total of up to 10. I wouldn't like to lose that flexibility. Don't put washing on it though! I always fold the clothes directly from the clothes line or tumble drier so it never has to be taken anywhere to fold.

We got rid of our big dining table that seated 10 (12 at a push) and took up loads of space and was rather unweildy. We replaced it with a Victorian one that seats 12 easily but comes apart into 4 separate tables - so for general use we leave it with 2 tables pushed together that does 4/6 and the other 2 tables are used as side tables in the room and only get put into use at Christmas/gatherings. They are all really light too so really easy to move around by one person and no manhandling extra table leaves etc.

It really works well and we feel less like we've got this huge dominating table in the room and can work it flexibly. I'm planning on putting a TV and a small sofa in there so I can have it as a snug to sit in when the football is on in the living room.