How to Distribute Housework Throughout the Week

Make a three-column housework chart. On the first column, list all the household tasks. List all the ones that need to be done everyday near the top, such as walking the dog in the morning. List all the tasks that need to be done once a week, such as dusting, on the bottom half of the chart. Make the chart on the computer, in pencil or on a dry-erase board. It will likely need revising and updates.

Use a timer and observe how long it takes to do each household task for one to two weeks to come up with an average time for each task. Write the average time next to each task in the second column. This will help you distribute the tasks more evenly.

Write the names or initials of the people in the house who you think can do the tasks safely and in a timely manner in the third column. Assign age-appropriate tasks that are not too difficult for person who will be doing them. Consider other factors as well. For example, if your teenager leaves for school early in the morning, he is likely not the best choice to clean up the breakfast dishes. Conduct a family meeting to get everyone's input for this step, if desired.

Assign each person one or two daily chores and one or two weekly chores. For example, one person may be responsible for putting the dishes in the dishwasher, getting the mail and vacuuming the upstairs, while another person is responsible for unloading the dishwasher, dusting the upstairs and cleaning the kitty litter.

Keep a rotating schedule so no one person is always left with the dreaded jobs, like cleaning the bathroom and taking care of the kitty litter. Also, avoid giving one person jobs that take an overwhelming amount of time, considering the person's age and the amount of extra activities and responsibilities he may have.

Hold family meetings or check in with family members to see how the new schedule is working out. Make adjustments as necessary, and be sure to praise and reward children who are pulling their weight, especially without complaint.