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How to Divide and Conquer Chores With Your SO For a Tidy Home All Year

Published on 1/10/2020 at 10:20 AM

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Moving in with your significant other can be a big adjustment — and not just because you're going to be sharing the same space 24/7. Before you even start living together, you have to figure out whose apartment you'll live in and whose furniture you're keeping — a task that's a lot more complicated than it looks. You might be surprised at how much it hurts to give up your beloved red velvet couch! (Not that I'm speaking from experience . . . )

Once you've unpacked your boxes and figured out the closet-sharing situation, there's another big hurdle to cross: learning how to divvy up the household chores. Without a game plan for who is cleaning what, it's all too easy to have a minor tiff about dirty dishes devolve into a full-on argument. Before things get that extreme, sit down with your partner and make a plan to divide and conquer chores — here's how.

Pick Your Battles

Relationships are all about compromise. In this case, it means both of you are going to end up with cleaning projects you don't particularly enjoy — and that's OK. The good news is, you're in it together!

Trade Off the Truly Icky Tasks

It's only fair to divide up the worst tasks, right? If you both loathe cleaning the toilet (or any other household task), switch off who has to tackle that chore every week. That way, no one winds up feeling like they got the short end of the stick — and you'll avoid some unnecessary arguments.

Invest in Better Cleaning Supplies

Chores go so much faster and feel so much less painful when you have the right equipment. A scrubbing pad works much better than a ratty old sponge you've had for months when it comes to removing baked-on food. Invest in some cleaning essentials — like sturdy rubber gloves and Clorox® Regular Bleach with CLOROMAX® — that make it easier to get the job done. For hard surfaces in the kitchen, Clorox® Clean-up® Cleaner + Bleach is just the thing, and you absolutely need Clorox® Toilet Bowl Cleaner Clinging Bleach Gel to to ensure your toilet is clean.

Make It as Fun as You Can

OK, cleaning the house might not be your favorite date-night activity, but you can at least make it a bit more fun. Find a time to tackle your chores together and blast your favorite music as you each check things off your list. Having a buddy makes a big difference!

Get on a Regular Schedule

Keeping your home clean and tidy is much easier when it's not filthy to begin with. Instead of waiting for things to get noticeably dirty, stick to a regular cleaning schedule so it never becomes unmanageable. Use whatever works for you — phone reminders, sticky notes on the fridge, a literal calendar — just don't let it slide.