Roommate chore chart: sharing chores fairly in a shared house
A chore chart for roommates rarely fails because of the chart. It fails because chores are vague, there is no fixed rhythm and nobody reminds anyone. Here is how to fix all three, on paper or with an app.
Which chores belong on a roommate chore chart
Put everything on the chart that everyone uses: kitchen, bathroom, hallway, living room, trash and shared supplies. Bedrooms stay off it. This list is a good start for three to five people:
| Area | Chore | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen | Wipe counters, stove and sink | weekly |
| Kitchen | Empty and wipe the fridge | monthly |
| Bathroom | Clean sink, toilet and shower, mop the floor | weekly |
| Bathroom | Towels, shower curtain and drain | monthly |
| Hallway and living room | Vacuum and mop | weekly |
| Trash | Take out trash, recycling and compost | per collection schedule |
| Supplies | Restock dish soap, toilet paper and bin bags | as needed |
Write one sentence per chore that says what “done” means. “Clean the bathroom” means something different to everyone. “Sink, toilet and shower, mop the floor” does not.
Weekly rotation or fixed areas?
Weekly chore rotation
Each person takes one area per week, for example kitchen, bathroom or floors. The next week everything moves on by one person. Everyone does everything at some point, and nobody is stuck with the bathroom forever. This suits most homes with three to five people.
Fixed areas
One person always does the bathroom, another always the kitchen. It saves discussion and works when the areas take about the same effort. It often breaks when someone moves out and everything has to be split again.
Open chores with points
Whoever has time does something and earns points by effort. This suits flatmates with very different schedules, but you need an overview of who did how much. More in the guide how to split chores fairly.
In practice many shared homes mix: bathroom and kitchen on rotation, trash open to anyone, supplies as needed.
The rhythm: small and often
A 30 minute bathroom shift every week is easier than a three hour deep clean once a month. Agree on a fixed deadline, for example Sunday evening. If you cannot make it, swap beforehand, not afterwards.
Trash follows your local collection schedule. Set it due the evening before pickup, so the bin is out in time.
House rules for the usual arguments
- Swapping is fine if agreed in advance. Whoever swaps takes the other shift next time.
- A missed shift is made up before the next one starts. It does not just rotate on.
- Announce vacations and exam weeks early and balance the week out.
- Whoever often has guests picks up an extra chore now and then. Not a punishment, just balance.
- Show new roommates in their first week what each chore includes.
Write the rules down once and hang them next to the chart. Then nobody has to renegotiate at the kitchen table.
Paper or app?
A chart on the fridge is quick to make. Our chore chart template fills in your names and builds a four week rotation automatically. The weakness of paper: it reminds nobody, and you cannot see it when you are out.
Questions and answers
How many people does a roommate chore chart work for?
With weekly shifts it works well for two to six people. In bigger homes, split areas (for example two bathrooms) or hand out chores openly by points. Dransein supports up to 12 people per home.
What if a roommate never cleans?
Check the basics first: are chores clearly described, is there a fixed deadline? An overview of who did what keeps the conversation factual. If that does not help, apply the rule that missed shifts are made up before the next one.
How often should a shared bathroom be cleaned?
With three to four people, once a week: sink, toilet, shower and floor. Towels, shower curtain and drain are usually fine once a month.
What does Dransein cost for roommates?
Up to 8 active chores are free. For more, one person buys the unlock once and the whole home gets every feature. No subscription, no ads.