Ultimate Household Chore List: Keeping Every Room Fresh & Clean

Why make a home chores chart? In a perfect world, all tasks would get done in a timely manner without you having to ask or remind your family or housemates. But realistically, pulling it off takes a bit more planning and organization.

Making a list of chores to do around the house can ensure everyone does their fair share of work. Plus, it can take some of the mental burden (or emotional labor, if you will) off the person who typically does the remembering and reminding. Listing everything out and assigning tasks will help put housework on autopilot.

A chore chart can also help you make sure things get done on time. And when things are done on time, tasks won't pile up and become insurmountable. For instance, not folding and putting away clothes one week means you'll have twice as much to do the following week. But if you get it done every weekend, it won't feel so overwhelming. And in the end, a clean, orderly home is simply more enjoyable to be in.

There are a handful of things that need to get done daily, but that doesn't mean they’ll take much time or effort. Like brushing your teeth, completing a task every day may eventually feel more like a habit than doing a chore.

Your daily chore list might include:

• Washing dishes

• Loading/unloading the dishwasher

• Cooking or preparing meals

• Setting thes table

• Packing lunches

• Sweeping or vacuuming the kitchen and eating area

• Feeding pets and getting them fresh water

• Walking the dog

• Taking out the trash

• Checking the mail

• Clearing the counters and putting things away

• Making the bed

As noted, some tasks are more personal, like putting your belongings away and making your bed, though there might be some grey area with couples and families with younger kids. 

Want to make your personal chores list all the more satisfying? Learn How to Layer Your Bed Like a Stylist.

What Household Chores Should Be Done Weekly?

Weekly tasks are things that may not require daily attention but still need to be completed on a regular basis. While every home and household is different, the following list can help get your wheels turning when creating your own chart.

Your weekly chore list might include:

• Vacuuming all rugs and carpets

• Sweeping or vacuuming and mopping all hard floors

• Dusting shelves and window sills

• Cleaning the bathrooms

• Scrubbing all sinks, drains, and faucets

• Changing out hand and kitchen towels

• Changing out bedding

• Doing laundry

• Planning weekly meals

• Grocery shopping

• Watering plants

• Rolling out the garbage and recycling bins

• Mowing the lawn

Depending on your personal needs and preferences, you might do some of these tasks more than once a week, while others may be completed bi-weekly or even monthly.

What Household Chores Should Be Done Monthly?

Each month, you can tackle things that aren't as urgent or that may take a bit longer to complete, such as deep-cleaning and organizing. Still, getting them done is as important as your household's daily and weekly tasks.

Your monthly chores list might include:

• Cleaning all windows and mirrors

• Cleaning out the refrigerator

• Tossing out expired pantry food

• Cleaning out the oven and microwave

• Changing the HVAC filter

• Dusting the blinds or shutters

• Vacuuming or steaming the curtains

• Vacuuming furniture

• Cleaning the walls

• Dusting the baseboards

• Organizing the closets

• Bathing the pets

• Washing the car

• Vacuuming out the car

• Weeding the garden

Some tasks can be done every few months or even annually, such as cleaning out the garage or replenishing cleaning products, toilet paper and other household essentials. You might also have some seasonal outdoor projects, like cleaning the gutters, pressure-washing the driveway and washing the outside of the windows.

Read our article for the quintessential Bedroom Organizing Tips.

Laundry is among the more time-consuming and tedious household chores, but it still needs to get done on a regular basis. Depending on the size of your household and who lives with you, you might be able to break it up so that one person doesn't bear the entire burden. Here's what to consider.

Washing, Folding and Putting Away Clothes

Dirty clothes typically pile up the fastest, so it's vital they're not only washed but also folded and put away. If one person is in charge of washing and folding, you might have another person make sure everything's put back in the proper drawers or closets.

Read our blog to learn How to Wash, Dry and Care for Bathrobes, then check out our How to Wash Organic Cotton Clothing and Organic Clothing Guide for insight into finding and caring for the best high-quality garments for you and your family.

Washing Bedding

You should change out your bedding about once every seven to ten days, whether you do it by grabbing a fresh set from the linen closet or washing your sheets and duvet cover (See our guide on How to Wash Sheets the Right Way). Putting this on your weekend chores list makes the most sense for many households. However, some people like to switch out their pillowcase multiple times a week to minimize the amount of oil buildup and bacteria that touches their face.

For a deeper dive into this topic, see our article How Often Should I Wash Cotton Sheets? And check out our guide on How to Wash and Properly Care for Bedding and for step-by-step instructions.

Washing Bath Linens

Bath towels, hand towels, washcloths and other bath linens should be washed about every three or four uses — or at least once a week, if that's what your schedule allows. Since towels are heavy and bulky, tossing in a few wool dryer balls can help prevent twisting, speed up the tumbling time and even make them fluffier (and if you’re wondering, yes, wool dryer balls really work and are better than dryer sheets!)

Some people like using a fresh makeup towel every night for skincare purposes, in which case it might be worth getting a set of seven. That way, you can wash them once a week and keep a folded stack in your bathroom.

Here’s some helpful resources for keeping your towels fresh and clean:

• How to Wash and Properly Care for Towels 

• Keeping Towels Fresh: How to Get a Smell Out of Your Towels

• How to Fold & Style Towels Like a Hotel

Washing Other Household Linens

You probably have various other household linens that need weekly laundering. These may include tablecloths, cloth napkins, fabric placemats, dish towels, cloth rags and bath mats.

Items like rugs, shower curtains, throws and decorative pillow covers can be cleaned monthly or bi-monthly. Just make sure they're machine-washable before tossing them in your washing machine.

Check out our guides to learn How to Wash, Dry and Care for Bath Mats and Rugs.

Household chores often include tasks that are more or less everyone's responsibility. So then, what should your bedroom chores list look like? On a daily basis, you can make your bed, tidy up your vanity, put dirty clothes in the laundry and bring any water glasses back to the kitchen.

Once a week, you can put your clean clothes away in drawers and on hangers, vacuum the floor, wash your bedding and dust all the hard surfaces. Bedroom tasks you can do less often include cleaning your comforter and bed pillows, organizing your drawers, doing closet inventory and donating unused items.

Wondering if it's time to replace your bed pillows? Read our article How Often to Replace Pillows for Health and Comfort.

Check out our other blogs to learn How to Care for Down Bedding and to discover Why Making Your Bed Matters.

While cleaning the bathroom probably isn't the funnest thing on your chores list, it's definitely not something you want to skip. Whether it's a half bath, a powder room, a guest bathroom or an en-suite primary bath, cleaning this space regularly will ensure it smells fresh while keeping mold and mildew at bay.

In addition to washing the towels weekly, your list might include vacuuming and mopping the floors, cleaning the counters, scrubbing the tile, sanitizing the faucets, wiping down the tub, squeegeeing the shower walls and cleaning the mirror. You may want to launder your shower curtain and clean the liner once a month as well.

See our guide for a complete rundown of Bathroom Essentials and Functional Necessities every home needs.

Since the living room is a shared space and generally a high-traffic area, your living room chores list should cover both daily and weekly tasks. Your daily chart might include folding blankets, straightening throw pillows, putting toys away and placing the remotes back in their designated spot. 

Once a week, you can tackle vacuuming the floors, fluffing up the furniture cushions, dusting all hard surfaces, wiping down the coffee table and end tables and watering plants.

For specific decor tips, see our guide on How to Style Throw Pillows Like a Designer, and check out these 23 Basket Storage Ideas.

What about the kitchen? As with the living room, this high-traffic space is shared by everyone in your home. Since it's used multiple times per day for cooking and eating food, regular cleaning is crucial for preventing stinky smells, mold and pest infestations.

Sweeping and mopping the floors, wiping down the counters and disinfecting all high-touch surfaces are important to-dos. Beyond that, your chores list should focus on doing dishes, taking out the trash, recycling and cleaning out the fridge, pantry and cabinets. Here's what to consider.

Setting the kitchen table is probably a daily chore as you’re preparing for dinner. Here’s a thorough guide on the Best Stylish and Functional Kitchen Table Top Decor Ideas.

Doing Dishes

If you live with roommates and typically prepare your own meals, it might make the most sense for each person to be in charge of their own dishes. But if your home has a dishwasher, you may want to take turns with emptying duties.

For couples and families with kids who eat shared meals, divvying up the kitchen chores list can make things more fair and manageable. For example, if one person cooks dinner, someone else might clean up the dinnerware afterward, and another person might be in charge of emptying or loading the dishwasher.

Taking Out the Trash

As mentioned, household chores are particularly critical in the kitchen to prevent odors. Doing the dishes and wiping down the counters is part of the equation, but taking out the trash daily (or at least every couple of days) will help keep the space smelling fresh.

If your kitchen has a garbage disposal in the sink, be sure to run it after doing dishes. And if your family composts, make sure the bin is regularly emptied.

Recycling

Recycling is key to keeping your home not only clean but also green. In addition to trash and potentially compost, your kitchen should have designated bins for paper products, plastic containers, aluminum cans and glass. (The rules on combining materials vary by region, so check with your local waste-management provider if you're not sure how to separate your recycling).

If you're like the growing number of modern households that receive a package daily, you'll want to have a system in place for cardboard boxes. To minimize clutter and stay on top of your recycling, be sure to break boxes down promptly and put them in the appropriate bin.

Parachute is committed to sustainability and green business practices. Ongoing efforts include a circular program for recycled down pillows, a pledge to be carbon-neutral, strategies to reduce packaging waste, Oeko-Tex and GOTSⓇ certification for our core products, and a goal to replace all virgin polyester with recycled polyester.

Some things are easier to get rid of than others. Here's How to Donate, Recycle and Reuse Old Bed Sheets and Towels.

Cleaning Out the Fridge

Cleaning out your fridge is an essential household chore for maintaining a fresh-smelling kitchen. Each time you buy groceries, do a quick scan of produce, meats, cheeses and other foods that are no longer good.

Once every month or so, check the dates on condiments and other less-perishable items and toss anything that's expired. To prevent your fridge from smelling like a lunch box, you're also wise to take everything out each month and wipe down all the shelves and drawers. Put fridge cleaning on your monthly or bi-monthly chores list.

Cleaning the Pantry and Cupboards

Spices, canned food, baking essentials, snacks and other dry goods typically don't go bad as quickly as refrigerated items. However, anything that's been opened — even if it's resealed or secured with a chip clip — will go stale a little quicker.

As with your fridge, it's a good idea to toss out expired pantry food each time you bring groceries home. Then on a monthly basis, you can do a more thorough inventory and wipe down the shelves while you're at it.

On a similar note, keeping your closets and cabinets organized can actually help you keep your entire home clean. How so? When each item has a designated spot, it's easier to tidy up, and (bonus!) you're less likely to misplace things.

But it's not quite as simple as throwing stuff into a closet or cabinet. Ideally, the interior should be organized into zones with assigned shelves, bins or sections. This is where a label maker can really come in handy.

Also, you'll want to avoid overstuffing your storage areas. There are definitely some exceptions, but a good rule of thumb is to take something out of your home every time you bring a new item in. For instance, if you buy a new sweater, you might donate an old cardigan you no longer wear.

How Should You Organize Your Linen Closet? Read on to find out.

Maintaining a clean and orderly home is easier said than done when you have kids, pets or both. However, creating a household chores list can make things feel less chaotic while preventing an accumulation of sticky residues, crumbs and fur.

Encouraging each child to do a chore can help them develop a sense of responsibility and feel good about contributing. That said, a family task list won't look the same as a chore chart for adults.

Consider the age of each child, and assign duties accordingly. Younger children can do simpler tasks, such as putting away their folded clothes, feeding the pets and cleaning up their toys. Older kids can do tasks like emptying the dishwasher, running a load of laundry, checking the mail, walking the dog or taking out the garbage.

Here’s some helpful resources for Washing & Caring for Baby Bedding and Towels to keep your little ones safe with non-toxic washing techniques.