Chore list template
A chore list template has two parts: the list of jobs that need doing, and the grid that says who does them when. This page covers both for housemates, couples and other adult households. It is not a kids' reward chart.
Step 1: write the list of jobs
Start with the jobs that make the home unpleasant when skipped for a week. Give each one a name of one or two words and a single line saying what counts as done.
- Bins: empty the kitchen and bathroom bins, take rubbish and recycling outside.
- Kitchen: wipe the worktops and hob, clear the sink, mop the floor.
- Bathroom: clean the sink, toilet and shower, wipe the mirror.
- Extras: hallway, stairs, shared fridge, laundry room or garden, only if your home needs them.
Step 2: assign the list with a blank grid
Print this page from your browser (the menu and footer are left off the paper) and write a name in each box.
| Week | Bins | Kitchen | Bathroom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | |||
| Week 2 | |||
| Week 3 | |||
| Week 4 |
Example: four people, three jobs
Ivy, Joe, Kay and Lou share a house with three jobs, so one person has a week off each time. The rotation moves every job one person along per week, which also moves the week off.
| Week | Bins | Kitchen | Bathroom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Ivy | Joe | Kay |
| Week 2 | Joe | Kay | Lou |
| Week 3 | Kay | Lou | Ivy |
| Week 4 | Lou | Ivy | Joe |
Lou is off in week 1, Ivy in week 2, Joe in week 3 and Kay in week 4. Nobody gets a second week off before everyone else has had one.
Keeping the list honest
- Update the list when the house changes. A new housemate or a new rule, such as a compost bin, means a new row or a new column.
- Do not hide big jobs. If "kitchen" really means an hour of work, say so and give it its own column rather than burying it in a long list.
- Keep the list short enough to read at a glance. Three to six jobs is the range where people actually follow the sheet.
Skip the writing: make the rota with calendar links
Once the list is written, the chore rota generator does the assigning: it takes the names and jobs, adds real dates and gives every housemate a personal link that downloads their own calendar (.ics) file.
The free version makes rotas for up to 4 people and up to 4 weeks. More people, or a run past four weeks, need the paid Chore Rota Pro licence, which covers up to 12 people and up to 26 weeks and nothing above that.
Privacy: the schedule lives only in the link. Anyone with the link can read the names and chores in it, and nothing is stored on a server. Details are on the privacy page.