Co-living 101: Chores & Cleaning: Are You Pulling Your Weight?

Q: Your housemate leaves dishes in the sink for days, claiming they'll 'get to it eventually.' What's the best way to handle this?

Set a house rule that dishes must be done within 24 hours. Clear and reasonable. A time-bound rule sets expectations without being overly rigid, encouraging accountability while keeping the kitchen functional for everyone.

Q: A roommate proposes a chore chart where tasks are assigned monthly. Is this a good idea?

Yes. It's organized and ensures everyone knows their role. A chore chart promotes clarity and accountability. Monthly assignments can work if paired with regular check-ins to ensure tasks are done and adjustments are made collaboratively.

Q: Is it reasonable to expect everyone to clean common areas daily?

No. Weekly cleaning is enough for shared spaces. Practical and balanced. Weekly cleaning keeps common areas tidy without overwhelming anyone. It respects different schedules while maintaining a fair standard.

5 Questions

By: The Platuni Team

03 Jun, 2025

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1. Your roommate suggests everyone takes turns cleaning the bathroom weekly. Is this a fair approach?

No. Some people use it more, so they should clean more

Yes. A rotating schedule ensures everyone contributes equally

Only if everyone agrees on what 'cleaning' means

No. Whoever makes the mess should clean it

2. Your housemate leaves dishes in the sink for days, claiming they'll 'get to it eventually.' What's the best way to handle this?

Co-living 101: Chores & Cleaning: Are You Pulling Your Weight?

1. Your roommate suggests everyone takes turns cleaning the bathroom weekly. Is this a fair approach?

No. Some people use it more, so they should clean more

Yes. A rotating schedule ensures everyone contributes equally

Only if everyone agrees on what 'cleaning' means

No. Whoever makes the mess should clean it

2. Your housemate leaves dishes in the sink for days, claiming they'll 'get to it eventually.' What's the best way to handle this?

Wash their dishes to keep the kitchen usable

Set a house rule that dishes must be done within 24 hours

Ignore it and let the dishes pile up

Leave a note saying their dishes are grossing you out

3. A roommate proposes a chore chart where tasks are assigned monthly. Is this a good idea?

No. Monthly assignments are too long and people might slack

Yes. It's organized and ensures everyone knows their role

Only if you can swap tasks when needed

No. People should just clean what they see needs cleaning

4. Your housemate says they're too busy to do chores this week and asks you to cover. What's the fairest response?

Do their chores to avoid conflict

Suggest trading tasks or rescheduling their chores for next week

Tell them to figure it out because chores are non-negotiable

Skip your own chores to make it even

5. Is it reasonable to expect everyone to clean common areas daily?

Yes. Daily cleaning keeps the space spotless for everyone

No. Weekly cleaning is enough for shared spaces

Only if everyone agrees to it

Not unless someone's paid to do it