It's not about being fussy, stiff or old-fashioned — setting a table properly is all about making your guests feel at ease. Make sure they have everything they need without having to ask by keeping these table-setting etiquette tips in mind. It’s subtle insurance that your dinner will go flawlessly.

Think of the tablelcloth as your canvas for the table. “If you have a nice, wood table you don’t need one, but a tablecloth adds a formal look,” says Myka Meier, founder and director of Beaumont Etiquette. “Position it so the tablecloth is draping equally all the way around the table, but avoid having the tablecloth resting on someone’s legs. They could accidently grab it by mistake thinking it’s their napkin.

While chargers offer a decorative element, they also help to protect your table from heat or condensation if you’re not using a tablecloth. Your charger should be placed an inch to an inch-and-a-half (or the length from the knuckle to the tip of your thumb) from the edge of the table.

“Start with a charger on the bottom, then add your dinner plate (10 inches), salad plate (8 inches) and a soup bowl. Only include pieces if you’re serving a food that requires them. No soup? Skip the bowl,” says Eddie Ross, style director for the home décor site The Mine.

“Forks always go on the left and you’ll have a salad fork and dinner fork," Meier says. "Here's an easy way to remember this: the word fork has four letters and so does the word left."

“Knive (for both salad and dinner) belong on the right with the blade facing toward the plate," says Meier. "A knife facing outward used to be taken as a sign of aggression towards the person sitting next to you. Knife has five letters and so does the word right. Spoons (if needed) go on the right as well — the word spoon has five letters too!"

There are two types of soup spoons. First there's one that is short, stout and with a very deep round bowl. That is for cream-based soups or stews with large pieces in it. A "normal-sized" soup spoon is for clear broth-based soups. Not serving soup? Skip the spoons!