5 Ways to Divide Household Chores

1. Prioritize

When it's time to divide household chores, begin with a face-to-face family meeting. List all of the chores the family must attend to on a regular basis. If the chore is something that occurs sporadically, like changing the oil in the car, lump it into a catchall category, like "automotive care." Include the frequency of the chore as well, as this can cause misunderstanding and resentment. You may realize that it isn't necessary to vacuum the house three times a week now that you don't have indoor pets any longer.

2. Love-Hate Relationship

Discuss which chores you don't mind attending to and talk about those chores that you despise. This is the time to make trade-offs. Perhaps you and your spouse didn't realize that one hated mowing the lawn while the other dreaded paying the bills. You may feel energized when you take on a different duty. There will always be chores everyone hates, such as scooping dog poop in the yard. This chore should be on a rotating list, so no one gets stuck with the bottom of the barrel every time.

3. Equitable Assignments

If one spouse works outside the home and the other provides full time care to children at home, this can affect the way you divide the chores. However, the parent at home shouldn't be saddled with every single chore. You may decide that an 80-20 split is a fair way to divide duties. Another way to consider the chore division is to consider your easy chairs, where you relax at the end of the day. If both chairs are always empty or occupied, you've accomplished a fair division. If one chair always seems empty while the other spouse is relaxing, you need to revisit the chore division.

4. Flexibility

The way you decide to divide household chores should be a guideline, not a rigid path from which you can't stray. Your list of household duties may wax and wane, like the phases of the moon. If Aunt Sally is coming to stay for a week, everyone may need to add a few extra duties to their list. If one spouse is traveling or sick, the family must make allowances for work left undone.

5. It's a Family Affair

Include children in your household chore division from the time they are very young. Chores teach children responsibility and it's easiest when you ingrain the work habit in children before they reach school age. Children as young as two can hand you laundry from the hamper that you place into the washing machine. Preschool children love hands-on activities like tearing lettuce or pushing a dust mop around the kitchen after mealtime.