Shared agreements
How to split household chores as a couple: your first-week plan
The CleanStrategy team5 min read
Start with a shared list, a clear scope for each task and an agreement for busier weeks. Record completed tasks for seven days, then compare your experiences and adjust. Your first arrangement is a starting point you can adapt to your household.
1. Include the tasks that are easy to overlook
Each person can start by listing what they do in a typical week. Then combine your lists. Include cleaning, meals, laundry, pet care and household organisation.
Describe tasks clearly enough that both people understand them in the same way. Grocery shopping may include checking supplies, making a list, going to the shop and putting everything away. Laundry may only be finished once dry clothes are back in the wardrobe.
- What needs doing?
- What does the complete task include?
- How often does it usually need doing?
- Who notices that it needs attention?
2. Talk about availability and preferences
Compare the coming week: work, commuting, travel and other commitments. Agree on which tasks each person can realistically take on. An equal number of tasks may involve very different amounts of effort.
Agree on what a finished task looks like. Instead of a vague promise to tidy the kitchen, you could agree on washing dishes, wiping the worktop and putting food away. That makes it easier to know when the task is complete.
3. Write down a simple arrangement to try
Choose five to ten chores to start with. The table below is an example for two people. Adjust the frequency and scope to your home, needs and available time. You can copy the table or print this guide.
| Chore | What it includes | When | Who |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groceries | List, shopping and putting supplies away | Twice a week | Person A |
| Cooking | Preparing the meals you agreed on | Following your weekly plan | Take turns |
| Kitchen after a meal | Dishes, worktop and putting food away | After a shared meal | The person who did not cook |
| Laundry | Washing, drying and putting clothes away | As needed | Person B |
| Bathroom | Agreed surfaces and floor | Once a week | Person A |
| Floors | Vacuuming and agreed mopping | Once a week | Person B |
4. If you use points, agree on what they mean
Points can make completed tasks more visible. For example, you could assign 1 point for taking out rubbish, 3 for a full laundry cycle and 5 for cleaning the bathroom. These are suggestions to discuss; values should reflect your own task scope.
Agree on the rules before starting a round. If they do not fit after a week, adjust them for the next one. A points total describes recorded tasks under your rules; it does not represent someone's entire contribution to a relationship.
5. Agree on what happens during time away or a difficult day
Decide how to let each other know when a task is not possible. You can postpone, swap or temporarily take it over. When your usual routine returns, check whether the previous arrangement still fits.
CleanStrategy includes time-off points. Before using them, agree on which situations you want them to cover. The app cannot choose your household's rules for travel or illness.
6. After seven days, improve one thing
Spend a few minutes reviewing the week together. Look at completed tasks, what was missed and whether your chosen system was convenient. Ask both people about their experience, even if one person recorded the tasks.
Choose one change for the next week: a clearer task description, different points or an easier way to record progress. You do not need a complete system for the whole year on day one.
- Which agreement made our week easier?
- What was missing from the list?
- Did the arrangement fit our availability?
- What will we change for the next round?
Try your agreements in a shared round
Use CleanStrategy to add chores and household members, set point values and record completed tasks. Start with a few chores and see whether this approach suits your household.
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