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Tips for Creating a Chore Chart

Hartford Roommates Doing the Dishes Together

If you share your Hartford rental house with others, you know how difficult it can be to keep things clean. Whether living with roommates or family members, you’ll need everyone to pitch in and help to keep your house clean. What is more, you’ll need to make sure that everyone in the house knows who is responsible for which chores and when those chores need to be done. This is where a chore chart can come in handy. By practicing a few simple steps, you can set up a chore chart that will keep your rental home in good shape at all times – something both you and your Hartford property manager will appreciate.

Define “Clean”

The first step to creating an effective chore chart is to ensure that everyone doing chores has the same definition of “clean.” Different people may have very different ideas about what it means to clean different areas of the house. If you and a roommate or family member have different ideas about what “clean” is, that can lead to unwanted friction in the home. To avoid tension, make sure you discuss expectations ahead of time.

Make a List

Next, it’s time to list each chore that will need to be done. It’s best to do this as a group and try to make it as comprehensive a list as possible. Make sure first to agree that each person in the house is responsible for their belongings, bedroom, and private bathroom (if this applies). Then start making a list of chores for everything else. Include both indoor and outdoor tasks, and try to be as specific as possible. For example, instead of simply putting “clean the kitchen,” consider listing out the different elements that should be cleaned in the kitchen. This will help reduce confusion and resentment if certain things get overlooked.

Create Your Chart

With your list of chores handy, it’s time to begin creating your chore chart. You can obtain a whiteboard or corkboard to serve as your chart or use a large piece of paper or poster board. Make it as simple or as elaborate as you like, if you can watch and refer the tasks to each household member.

Assign Specific Chores

Once your chart is set up, you can then assign tasks. One of the most excellent ways to begin is to encourage each person to volunteer to do chores they enjoy. Perhaps one roommate hates washing dishes but doesn’t mind vacuuming carpets. Another alternative is to divide tasks by room and have each person responsible for cleaning one room weekly. This may work for lighter cleaning, but deep cleaning might be easier to tackle if everyone helps. You can divide the work in any way that makes sense for you and those living with you but ensure that it is fair and that each person’s chores are assigned.

Set Deadlines

An effective chore chart ensures that tasks are completed on time. Along with assigning errands, it is important to set deadlines for when each task is to be completed. This can help hold each person accountable for their assigned tasks and make sure that all the chores are done regularly.

Follow Up

Finally, it’s important to keep in mind that no chore chart is perfect right out of the gate. Rather, collaborating on household chores is a process that will continue to evolve. For this reason, meeting regularly to discuss what’s working and address any problems that may have occurred is important. Being proactive with your follow-up can help hold off arguing or bad feelings that may otherwise result.

 

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Originally Published on July 31, 2020

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