When you become an adult, it seems like you spend more free time than you’d like to admit cleaning rooms like the kitchen and bathroom. No one likes it, but those daily chores and weekly chores need to get done. However, when you live with a roommate or two, it can be hard to determine who should do what household duties. This is why creating a roommate chore chart can be helpful when confined to a shared space.
You might cringe when you think of developing a weekly chore chart for roommates, but it doesn’t have to be an awful assigned task. You can work with your housemates to come up with an effective chore chart that will work for everyone.
We’ve created a helpful guide to creating a roommate chore chart that will help keep your household sparkling clean and every person in your rental home or apartment happy.
Why is it important to create a chore wheel?
Anyone who has ever had a roommate knows that cleaning can be a big source of conflict among roomies. Everyone has a different personality and grows up with different standards of cleanliness. Some of us need complete order and organization, while others can thrive in an environment that is more cluttered and less clean.
To avoid roommate conflicts later and ensure your living space remains comfortable, it’s important to develop a roommate chore chart. This way everyone knows what’s expected of them from the beginning.
Be sure to communicate before developing the chore wheel
As with all things related to living with roommates, communication is key. You don’t want to make assumptions when creating a cleaning schedule and a chore list. That’s why you should have a meeting with your housemates before making any decisions.
Start by asking each person what household chores need to get done (and how often) to make the different areas of the home feel clean and comfortable. For example, is it acceptable to leave dirty dishes in the sink after meals? If it is, how long can they sit there before washing dishes is essential?
You’ll also want to discuss cleaning expectations for different parts of the shared space. For example, how often do shared spaces need to be cleaned compared to a private bathroom and bedroom?
Once you’ve all determined your collective cleaning expectation, be sure to write them in your roommate agreement. This makes sure everyone knows what is expected and acceptable. It might seem annoying to drill down to this level of detail with the household chore list now. However, this preparation now can avoid conflicts in the future.
Make a complete chore list and divide up the tasks
To make a weekly chore chart for roommates, you’ll first need to list all the chores that you and your roommates need to complete and how often for deep cleaning and lighter cleaning. Consider this your master list of chores and your overall chore schedule.
Now comes the hard part, which is developing the roommate chore chart. There are several different ways that you can assign each person’s chores.
- Play to strengths and preferences. Sometimes, making a roommate cleaning schedule is easy because each person feels comfortable claiming different tasks. For example, someone may find it relaxing to do dishes, while another roomie might not mind taking out the trash.
- Create a rotating chore list. You can set up your roommate chore chart assignments to rotate every week or every month. This way, no one is stuck doing the same assigned tasks all the time.
- Make it random. Another option is writing all the chores on scraps of paper and having each roomie pull a paper out of a hat or a bowl once all the tasks are assigned. You can do this to determine the initial assignments and whenever you and your housemates want to switch up the household duties.
Once you have the chores assigned, be sure to place the roommate chore chart in a place where everyone can see it. The refrigerator or a bulletin board in the kitchen are some great places to display it.
If you need help putting together the list, know that there are many places online that offer a free printable chore chart template. Just fill in the chores, grab those cleaning supplies, and get to work.
Finally, don’t forget to say thank you
Once everyone has gotten into a rhythm with the weekly chore chart for roommates, you’ll want to be sure to show your gratitude. Sure, everyone is supposed to do their part. However, it never hurts to let your roommates know you appreciate their hard work. It can be just the motivation they need to keep doing their share (and maybe even a little extra).
Looking for other helpful tips on how to split rent or how to tell your roommate you’re moving out? We have you covered. Visit Common’s blog today!
Common helps you avoid awkward conversations about chores
When you find a coliving space with Common, you can skip many of those unpleasant conversations about the roommate chore chart. We offer gorgeous, spacious and fully-furnished homes with regular weekly cleanings of shared spaces along and fully-stocked cleaning supplies for day-to-day maintenance. Your space will stay sparkling without having to spend as much time managing your home or roommates.
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