From classic rock to bumpin' new pop songs, here's a curated list of crowd-pleasers.
Updated Mar 06, 2025The Secret to Dividing Who Does What? A Couples Chore Chart
Don't worry—we did most of the work for you.
Photo: Getty Images | Maskot
Is there anyone out there who actually enjoys doing chores around the house? (If they did, they probably wouldn't be calling them chores, huh?) For many couples who cohabit, household chores and tasks can be a real point of contention within their relationship. A couples chore chart, though, may be the secret to end fighting over chores once and for all.
Contrary to popular belief, chore charts aren't just for kids. There are real benefits to sharing household chores, and having a clear outline of what needs to get done around the house (and who is responsible for doing it) takes the guesswork, blame and tension out of tackling your to-do list.
Below, learn how to split chores with your partner and make your own couples chore chart. (We even created a chore chart template for couples to get you started!)
In this article:
- Benefits of Couples Sharing Household Chores
- How to Talk to Your Partner About Sharing Chores
- How to Make a Couples Chore Chart
Benefits of Couples Sharing Household Chores
When couples share responsibility for household chores, it evens out the playing field and takes the sole responsibility off of just one partner. It encourages both partners to take pride in maintaining their space. Whether you work together with your partner each Saturday or prefer to divide and conquer, sharing household chores saves time and energy, and can give you a newfound appreciation for your partner, too. Here are just some of the benefits of sharing chores with your love.
FEATURED VIDEO FROM THE KNOT
1. A Shared Responsibility
If you're sharing a space together, you should be sharing responsibility for maintaining the space, too. While sometimes it's unavoidable that one person may be pulling more household weight than the other, having an overall balance can take so much stress out of your days.
2. Less Hostility and Fewer Arguments
Sharing chores with your partner helps to keep the peace. When you have agreed upon shared responsibilities, you're bound to have fewer arguments over who does what and less resentment over things that may be unfair or unevenly distributed. If you're responsible for the dishes and the pot is dirty when you go to make a cup of coffee, the only person to roll your eyes at would be yourself.
3. More Time and Energy
Balancing your relationship, work, social life, hobbies and household tasks is exhausting. But sharing household chores can help free up more time and energy for the things that you love doing. By making sure you're both doing your share and tackling the larger projects together, you'll have more space in your schedule for the fun things in life—and each other.
How to Talk to Your Partner About Sharing Chores
If you're new to living together, now is a great time to talk about sharing household responsibilities and chores. But if you've fallen into more established routines and habits, the conversation can be a little more difficult to kick off. Here's how to best approach it.
Use Positive Language
Avoid playing the blame game and consciously choose positive words over negative ones. Think: "I would love if…," instead of "You need to…" Remember that it's often not what you say but how you say it.
Have a Plan
Head into the conversation having already come up with a solution; in this case, proposing a couples chore chart. Use the time to have a constructive conversation and propose a plan instead of just venting about the frustration that has been bubbling up around the housework.
Time It Right
If you've just gotten into an argument about chores, it may not the best time to bring up a solution. Let things settle first and approach the conversation when you both are calm, cool and collected. Try to write out your plan of approach first so you can clearly articulate your wants and needs.
How to Make a Couples Chore Chart
If you're ready to ditch the drama and make a collaborative couples chore chart, it's easy! Here's how to get started.
- 1. Start with the tasks. Make a list of everything that needs to get done around the house daily, weekly and monthly.
- 2. Figure out an even split. Consider the time and elbow grease involved with each task and determine an even distribution.
- 3. Be diplomatic. If you both feel strongly against scrubbing the toilets, pick out of a hat or flip a coin. Alternatively, you can decide to alternate who does what weekly to keep things fair.
- 4. Write it out on paper or go digital. Whether you put the chore chart up on your fridge or keep it on your phones, make sure you both have shared access to the chart to encourage accountability.
- 5. Keep it fun. Your chore chart doesn't have to be set in stone: You can of course barter or trade tasks when things inevitably pop up. You can also make it a contest to see who can finish their chores first, or even surprise your partner by taking on one of their tasks unexpectedly.
To simplify the process, we've created our own chore chart template for couples that you can easily download and get to using right away. Simply save and print the couples chore chart below (we even included a black-and-white version), and then fill in your and your partner's names and your to-dos. Violà!
Design: Natalie Romine
Design: Natalie Romine
