Here is a list showing how I break down the household chores. Organization is essential in effectively maintaining your household. If you develop a plan and stick to your schedule, it will prevent the work from building up too much. If you do a little each day, you will not become overwhelmed and frustrated.
Note from Tawra: this was written when I just had 2 younger kids ages 2 and 3.
You will note that I have included a list of mandatory chores for my three year old son. It is important that children have ever increasing responsibilities in the household. This teaches them skills that they need to become more independent and builds their self esteem through learning to achieve new tasks.
Though I have not devised an official chore list for our two year old daughter, we find that she whines and complains less overall when we also give her household tasks.
Daily Chores (Things I do every day)
* Brush kids’ teeth (under 4 yrs)
* Dress kids (under 4 yrs)
* Make beds
* Clear table- my kids help
* Start dinner in the morning
* Do dishes after every meal
* Sweep kitchen floor
* Vacuum under table
* Pick up family room
Day Specific Chores
Monday
* Laundry
* Clean bathroom
* Microwave
* Kitchen sink
* Clean counters and canisters
* Refrigerator
* Mop kitchen floor
Tuesday
* Iron
* Paperwork
* One or two monthly chores
Wednesday
* Laundry
* Wash sheets
* Dust kids bedrooms, office and playroom
Thursday
* Dust mud-rooms
* Sweep mud-rooms
* One monthly chore
* One semi-annual chore
Friday
* Laundry
* Clean bathroom
* Dust living room
* Dust bedroom
* Clean trash can
* Vacuum house
Saturday
* Shopping
Sunday
* Rest! 😉
Monthly
* Organize closets- One or two a week
* Organize pantry
* Straighten closets
* Straighten shelves
* Straighten drawers
* Wash fronts of kitchen cabinets
Semi-Annually
* Wash windows
* Vacuum and dust pictures
* Dust blinds
* Straighten and dust bathroom shelves
* Straighten and dust utility room shelves
* Remove cobwebs
My Kids’ Chores
Daily
* Dress
* Put PJ’s or laundry away
* Wash face
* Comb hair
* Make bed
* Pick up bedroom
* Help clear table
* Unload Dishwasher
* Empty Trash
* Pick up toys
* Brush teeth
* Put on PJ’s
Weekly
* Help empty all trash cans in the house.
For lots more helpful tips and examples of how to organize your kids, how to get kids to help and how to teach them about money and practical living skills, check out our Saving With Kids e-books.
Photo By: it.activecentre
Bea says
July 22, 2010 at 10:18 amI like this chart, even for this big kid, me.
cindy goodson says
July 27, 2010 at 11:50 amThis is exactly what I needed,a breakdown of how to get stuff done.I really enjoy everything I find on your website.Thanks for all the great advice,tips,and recipes.You definitely have a new devoted fan of livng on a dime,sincerly ,cindy
Joan says
September 30, 2010 at 1:04 pmMy son, 8 yrs old at the time, had a friend come over right after school. I gently reminded my son to do his chores before playing with his friend. His friend couldn’t believe my son had to do chores and didn’t get paid for them or get an allowance. The friend was so puzzled, that he wanted to help with the “chores”. lol. In another way it was really sad, because I know the boy’s Mom doesn’t get any help from her husband or kids and she works part-time. Just remember when we are teaching our kids to do housework we are helping their character and future relationships with their own families. (Responsibility, charity, respect, humbleness, authority, pleasure in a job well-done, peace, getting-along, etc.) I just have to remember to be a good example too.
Joan says
August 2, 2011 at 12:54 pmI like the idea of some chores being ‘because you are a part of the family’ and some being paid for – like work. : ) There are great things to teach kids about handling money – saving some, giving some, spending some. Kids don’t have to be very old to begin learning about money. Home is a great place to practice handling money. Chores for pay might be things like vacuuming the car, weeding a flower bed, helping straighten and clean the freezer. Absolutely – some chores are ‘because you need to learn and because you are a part of the family’ – but paying for some things teaches good work ethics.
Amy says
August 3, 2011 at 5:47 amI am trying to emphasize this in my house. It is really harder than it sounds though for me. I have 3 children 5 1/2, 4, and 2 1/2 and expecting #4 on the 28th of Aug.
I have been stressed about everything…we moved from a 3 bedroom to a 4 bedroom only a couple months ago. I am still unpacking and trying to organize.
Jill says
August 3, 2011 at 7:56 amDon’t feel too bad Amy. Tawra will really enjoy your post. When I talked to her the other day she asked me what is she doing wrong because the neighbors who moved in 2 weeks ago have their garage and house all unpacked and in perfect order and hers still looks like a bomb blew up.
You guys can’t be too hard on yourselves and just try the best you can. I told her the neighbor doesn’t have any kids, didn’t move across country, moved into a totally finished house, doesn’t have a chronic illness (in your case expecting), had professionals hang their blinds (Tawra had to do her own) etc.
So a person just has to do the best you can at the moment.
Dana says
August 5, 2011 at 5:48 amI absolutely agree on making children do their chores. I have a question, What is the best way to handle the children arguing while they do the dishes? I have one wash and the other dry and sometimes it sounds like the next world war is getting ready to begin. “You’re going too fast, that one is still dirty-no it’s not, you’re in my way” I’ve heard it all. I want them to learn to work together but I’m at my wits end.
Jill says
August 5, 2011 at 2:22 pmDana the age old question of how do I get my kids to stop fighting – anytime 🙂 🙂 Who ever comes up with that answer will be the wisest person in the world. A couple of the things you might try and it is often hard to advice with out knowing your kids and all, but I would make who ever started it or was complaining do the other person’s job on top of their own. I did find it help control it some if I was in the kitchen or where ever working with them. I know that isn’t always possible but when you can.
Then there was the making them stop and hug each other. That was really torture to them (I had a boy and a girl).
I’ll never forget one night doing the dishes mine had started in and I was there helping too and they wouldn’t stop fighting. All of a sudden I started having chest pains. I said “Will you two please stop fighting you’re giving me chest pains.” They both stopped, there was instant silence and Tawra (15) with a very serious face looked at me and said “Mom do you think you are finally growing?” (I was smaller busted then she was at the time). We started laughing so hard I couldn’t stop. Good come back daughter of mine.
Karla says
August 31, 2011 at 11:37 pmMy 4 children are grown and married and they still get along very well. I would suggest that if the kids argue when doing the dishes, then have them take different nights that they do the dishes alone. Somehow they may see that working together is easier and more fun than doing it by themselves. The old saying “many hands make light work” is so true.
Magdalen says
July 25, 2013 at 9:07 amA really useful plan. Thank you very much.
When my three were school age, and the table needed for homework after dinner, they efficiently rotated, setting, clearing and washing up. Much as they enjoyed Ian’s Famous Spaghetti Bolognese, nobody wanted to be on washing up that evening.