Free Downloadable Chores List and Housework List
- Brian Page
- Jun 18, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 6
A household chores list can make invisible work easier to see, discuss, and divide. It can also help couples move beyond vague requests such as “help more around the house” by identifying the specific tasks required to keep a home running.
Sharing household chores matters to relationships. In a Pew Research Center survey, 62% of adults said sharing household chores was very important to a successful marriage. The key, however, is not simply splitting a list in half. Couples also need to agree on ownership, expectations, timing, and how they will communicate when circumstances change.
List of Chores [Preview Below]
Free Interactive Chores List for Couples
Note: You can convert the Sheets version of the chores list to Excel
Use the free interactive Household Chores List [above] to identify the work required in your home and decide who will take responsibility for each task. The downloadable Google Sheets version can also be converted to Microsoft Excel.
The list includes routine cleaning, meal planning, laundry, home maintenance, financial management, and other responsibilities that are easy to overlook. Couples can customize it by adding tasks that reflect their home, careers, children, pets, health needs, and schedules.
What Should Be Included on a Housework List?
A useful housework list should include more than visible cleaning. Try organizing responsibilities into the following categories:
Daily tasks
Preparing meals, washing dishes, wiping counters, taking out the trash, tidying shared spaces, and caring for pets.
Weekly tasks
Grocery shopping, meal planning, laundry, vacuuming, mopping, cleaning bathrooms, changing towels, and managing the household calendar.
Monthly or seasonal tasks
Cleaning appliances, washing windows, replacing filters, organizing closets, checking expired food, completing yard work, and handling minor repairs.
Household management
Paying bills, budgeting, managing insurance, scheduling appointments, monitoring financial goals, arranging home services, and remembering upcoming deadlines.
Including household management is important because much of the work required to run a home is cognitive labor. Someone must notice what needs attention, decide what should happen, make a plan, and follow through. That mental work can be exhausting even when it does not look like a traditional chore.
How to Divide Household Chores Fairly
Your north star is equal leisure time. Factor in the work being done inside and outside the home, and only accept leisure time as the moments when you can be actively engaged,ty free from any responsibilities.
Begin by reviewing the list together. Each person can identify the tasks they enjoy, dislike, or feel especially capable of completing. Work schedules, stress levels, health, and caregiving responsibilities should also be considered.
Then assign one owner to each responsibility whenever possible. Ownership means taking on the entire task rather than waiting for reminders or instructions.
For example, owning grocery shopping may include:
Tracking what the household needs
Creating the shopping list
Placing an order or visiting the store
Putting the groceries away
Noticing when staple items are running low
The Fair Play System describes this as taking responsibility for conceiving, planning, and executing a task. Couples should also agree on a minimum standard of care—a common understanding of what “done” looks like and how often the task should be completed.
Fair does not always mean dividing every task 50/50. A better goal is a workable distribution which respects both partners’ time and provides each person with meaningful opportunities for rest and leisure.
Keep the Chores List Up to Date
Household responsibilities change. A demanding work season, illness, travel, a new baby, or a move may require couples to redistribute tasks temporarily or permanently.
Schedule a weekly or monthly check-in to discuss what is working, what feels stressful, and which responsibilities need reassignment. Avoid using the conversation to keep score. The goal is to create a reliable system that reduces resentment and prevents one person from becoming the default manager of the home.
A chores list is only the starting point. When couples combine a clear list with complete ownership, shared standards, and regular communication, they can manage the home with less conflict and more trust.
Support for Managing the Home as a Team
I support couples who want practical systems for managing money and the home together. As a Certified Financial Therapist™, Accredited Financial Counselor®, and Fair Play Facilitator®, I help high-achieving couples reduce conflict, clarify responsibilities, and build routines that support both partners.
Click here for more details about how and when I can support you.
6 Articles that Dive Deeper Into Managing the Home as a Team
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Housework List
The housework list below was extracted from the interactive downloadable household chores list.
Budgeting
Check expired foods
Clean backsplash
Clean baseboards
Clean blinds and curtains
Clean fridge shelves
Clean mirrors
Clean shower heads
Clean sink and countertops
Clean the inside of the cabinets
Clean toilet bowls and seats
Clean up after breakfast
Clean up after dinner
Clean up after lunch
Clean up breakfast
Clean up dinner
Clean up lunch
Clean washer and dryer
Clean/dust blinds
Clean/wash curtains
Deep clean appliances
Deep clean drains
Deep clean refrigerator
Deep clean the microwave
Deep clean the stove and oven
Deep clean toilet bowls and seats
Degrease stove and oven
Disinfect faucets and doorknobs
Doing the dishes
Doing the laundry
Dust
Dust light fixtures
Dusting surfaces
Empty trash bins
Filing tax returns
Folding the laundry
Grocery shopping
Ironing clothes
Laundering and replacing dish and hand towels
Managing bank accounts
Managing credit cards
Managing disability insurance
Managing health insurance
Managing investment accounts
Managing life insurance
Managing vehicle insurance
Meal prep: breakfast
Meal prep: dinner
Meal prep: lunch
Misc. insurance (i.e., pet insurance)
Misc. personal finance management
Mop floors
Ordering meal delivery
Overseeing financial goals (e.g., savings goals)
Paying online bills (e.g., vehicle loans, mortgage)
Paying paper bills (e.g., vehicle loans, mortgage)
Putting the laundry away
Scrub shower/tub
Setting financial goals
Sweep floors/floors
Sweeping the kitchen floor
Taking out the trash
Taking trash to the curb
Touchup paint on the walls
Vacuum floors
Vacuum rugs
Vacuum rugs
Wash floors
Wash windows
Weekly meal planning
Windex mirrors
Wipe computer
Wipe shower screens
Wipe sinks and countertops
Wipe tub and shower
Wipe down kitchen appliances
Wiping down the countertops
Yard work
