Household management can be a challenging thing for many individuals. This is particularly applicable to individuals who either live alone or with a partner. If you are employed and have a full-time job along with a house to manage, it can be even more daunting. At such a point, a chore chart can be significantly helpful in organizing a harmonious schedule for completing important chores.
It allocates specific chores to certain days and time slots. It not only serves as a time management tool for a single adult but also for multiple adults who may be cohabitating. They can schedule, divide, and delegate chores among each other using it for better household management.
In this article, we will enlighten you about everything essential to know about making an effective chore chart. We are also providing you with free charts to immediately access and use according to requirements.
Free Chore Charts
What are Chore Charts?
Chore charts are visual tools that you use to track and manage household chores.
Since it is important to do chores regularly for appropriate management of a household, these tracking tools help the users a lot. They help manage time and household responsibilities among multiple cohabitating adults. This strengthens relations and bonds between them.
A chore chart has a list or grid layout with chores and assigned people. It will also contain empty spaces for you to tick mark or cross out chores as you complete them. There can be different types based on different time durations. You can make daily, weekly, or monthly charts. The design, type, and format may vary according to personal preferences. This article will highlight all the essential steps required to make a weekly one. You will also find free charts for direct use here, along with additional tips.ย
tip
Display a chore chart somewhere where you can have easy visual access to it to stay and keep the others reminded of their responsibilities. An example of such a place is a refrigerator door or wall.
What Goes on a Good Chore Chart
Although the contents within a chore chart vary from scenario to scenario, there are some that you must consider including for maximum effectiveness. These specific chores enhance the productivity of this tool. To help you decide what should go on a weekly one, which is the most common of all types, we have provided examples of suitable content below.
Some of the essential components to include are:
Chores for the week
The most essential contents are the chores. When planning them to be completed throughout the entire week, consider the following responsibilities:
- Washing the dishes
- Wiping surfaces such as countertops, shelves, and furniture
- Doing the weekโs laundry
- Cleaning bathrooms (washing sinks, emptying trashcans, washing bathtubs, and cleaning mirrors)
- Mopping the floors
- Vacuuming the carpets
- Ironing and hanging or folding laundry
- Grocery shopping
- Meal preparation
- Meal storage (freezing)
- Packing lunches (weekly lunch planning)
- Changing bedding
- Changing bath linens
- Changing hand towels in the kitchen
- Faucet and drainage repairs (if required)
- Yard work
- Vehicle maintenance
- Watering plants
- Pet vet visits
- Organizing closets
- Taking out the entire houseโs trash
Assignments
If you are living by yourself and want to manage your chores, then this section will not be included in the chart. You will simply checkmark the chores as you complete them one by one. But if you are cohabiting with another adult, then assign chores individually. Do this by naming the specific person next to their assigned tasks. Do this carefully so that there is no ambiguity and the responsible persons are properly aware of their responsibilities.
EXAMPLE
Sarah:
Laundry
Vacuuming rugs
Organizing kitchen cabinets
Spencer:
Taking out trash
Lawn mowing
Cleaning the bedrooms
Bathing the dog
Due dates and frequency
Then, assign due dates within the week for each task. These will highlight the time and days by which each time-sensitive tasks must be completed by the assigned person. Moreover, mention the frequency at which the mentioned chore is to be done.
EXAMPLE
Chore: Watering the plants
Assigned to: Sarah
Frequency: every morning
Due date: before 9 a.m
Chore: Bathing the dog
Assigned to: Spencer
Frequency: once.
Due date: by the end of the weekend
Chore: Taking out trash
Assigned to: Spencer
Frequency: every night
Deadline: before 10 p.m
Chore: Vacuuming
Assigned to: Sarah
Frequency: after every 3 days
Chore: Laundry
Assigned to: Sarah
Frequency: once
Due date: by the end of the week
Check-boxes
Include spaces for checks or tick-boxes along with each task. These boxes will be checked or ticked as per preference each time a task is completed.
Conclusion
Adult life can be very busy or difficult to manage, especially if you have a job and a house to manage simultaneously. Even if you do not have a job to worry about, managing a household itself is a full-time job. Some people may find it very difficult to set a schedule in which they can optimally get chores done for better management of their house and also set time aside for the other activities of their lives. A chore chart helps attain this effectively by scheduling your daily life optimally. You can make them for adults for every day, week, or entire month. This article contains all the essential information you must have and use to manage your house effectively as an adult with multiple responsibilities.