Chore list
The complete list of household chores, room by room
Every chore it takes to run a home: 301 jobs across 18 rooms and areas, from the kitchen to the car. Each one shows how often it usually needs doing and, where kids can pitch in, the age they can start. Use it to plan a cleaning routine, share the load fairly, or build a chore chart.
Free, no sign-up. Prints on US Letter and A4.
- 59daily chores
- 90weekly chores
- 55monthly chores
- 57every few months chores
- 40yearly chores
Kitchen chores
43 choresThe hardest-working room in the house, and the one that slides fastest if it's skipped.
DDaily
- Wash dishes or load the dishwasherkids 6+
- Unload the dishwasher and put dishes awaykids 5+
- Hand-wash pots, pans and kniveskids 10+
- Wipe kitchen counterskids 5+
- Wipe the stovetopkids 10+
- Scrub and rinse the kitchen sinkkids 8+
- Sweep the kitchen floorkids 5+
- Cook mealskids 12+
- Help prepare meals (wash produce, measure, stir)kids 4+
- Pack luncheskids 8+
- Put away leftoverskids 6+
- Take out the kitchen trashkids 6+
- Empty the compost caddykids 6+
- Rinse and sort recyclingkids 5+
- Hang up or replace dish towelskids 4+
WWeekly
- Mop the kitchen floorkids 9+
- Wipe appliance fronts and handleskids 6+
- Clean the microwave inside and outkids 9+
- Wipe the small appliances (toaster, kettle, coffee maker)kids 9+
- Throw out expired food from the fridgekids 8+
- Wipe fridge shelves and spillskids 8+
- Wash the trash and recycling binskids 10+
- Replace sponges and dishclothskids 6+
- Wipe cabinet fronts and drawer pullskids 6+
- Wash the kitchen rug or matkids 8+
MMonthly
- Clean the ovenkids 12+
- Descale the kettle and coffee makerkids 12+
- Clean the dishwasher filterkids 10+
- Run a dishwasher cleaning cyclekids 10+
- Clean the garbage disposalkids 12+
- Degrease the range hood and filterkids 12+
- Clean the toaster crumb traykids 8+
- Wipe down the kitchen backsplashkids 8+
- Organize the pantrykids 7+
SEvery few months
- Wipe inside the cabinets and drawerskids 8+
- Deep clean the fridge (shelves, drawers, seals)kids 10+
- Defrost and clean out the freezerkids 10+
- Sort and refresh the spice rackkids 8+
- Sharpen kitchen knives
- Clean the light fixtures and top of the cabinets
YYearly
- Vacuum the fridge coils
- Clean behind and under the fridge and stove
- Declutter rarely used gadgets and disheskids 10+
Bathroom chores
23 choresSmall rooms that need little and often, plus a proper scrub once a week.
DDaily
- Wipe the sink and faucetkids 6+
- Hang up towels and bath matskids 3+
- Squeegee the shower glass after usekids 8+
- Put away toiletries and hair toolskids 5+
WWeekly
- Clean the toilet bowl, seat and basekids 8+
- Scrub the shower and bathtubkids 10+
- Clean the bathroom mirrorkids 6+
- Wipe counters and cabinet frontskids 6+
- Mop the bathroom floorkids 9+
- Empty the bathroom trashkids 5+
- Wash towels, washcloths and bath matskids 9+
- Refill soap and restock toilet paperkids 5+
- Clean toothbrush holders and soap disheskids 7+
MMonthly
- Wash the shower curtain and linerkids 10+
- Clean the groutkids 12+
- Descale shower heads and faucetskids 12+
- Wipe light switches, door handles and the toilet handlekids 6+
- Clear hair from drainskids 10+
- Wash the toilet brush and holderkids 10+
SEvery few months
- Clean the exhaust fan cover
- Declutter the medicine cabinet and toss expired items
YYearly
- Replace the shower curtain liner
- Re-caulk the tub or shower if it's cracked
Bedroom chores
19 choresMostly about putting things back, plus fresh bedding every week or two.
DDaily
- Make the bedkids 4+
- Put dirty clothes in the hamperkids 3+
- Put away clean clotheskids 5+
- Clear the nightstand of cups and clutterkids 5+
- Open curtains and air the roomkids 5+
WWeekly
- Change the sheets and pillowcaseskids 9+
- Dust furniture and surfaceskids 5+
- Vacuum the floor and under the bedkids 8+
- Empty the bedroom trashkids 5+
- Tidy dresser tops and drawerskids 7+
MMonthly
- Wash blankets and throwskids 10+
- Wash the mattress protectorkids 10+
SEvery few months
- Vacuum the mattresskids 10+
- Flip or rotate the mattress
- Wash pillows and the duvet
- Wipe baseboards and door frameskids 7+
- Swap out seasonal clotheskids 8+
- Declutter the closet and donate clotheskids 8+
- Wash or vacuum curtains
Kids' rooms and playroom chores
14 choresThe perfect place to start kids on chores: lots of small, visible wins.
DDaily
- Put toys back in binskids 2+
- Put books back on the shelfkids 3+
- Pack the school bag for tomorrowkids 6+
- Lay out clothes for the morningkids 5+
- Clear the desk or homework areakids 6+
WWeekly
- Wipe down tables and play surfaceskids 5+
- Sanitize frequently used toyskids 8+
- Clean out the school bag and lunch boxkids 7+
MMonthly
- Sort art supplies and toss dried-out markerskids 6+
- Check games and puzzles for missing pieceskids 6+
SEvery few months
- Wash stuffed animalskids 8+
- Rotate toys in and out of storagekids 5+
- Clear out outgrown clothes and shoeskids 7+
- Declutter and donate toyskids 6+
Living room and family room chores
17 choresA quick nightly reset keeps the shared spaces ready for everyone.
DDaily
- Tidy up and put things back where they belongkids 3+
- Fluff and straighten cushions and throwskids 4+
- Clear cups, plates and snack wrapperskids 4+
WWeekly
- Dust surfaces and shelveskids 5+
- Vacuum carpets and rugskids 8+
- Vacuum the sofa and under the cushionskids 8+
- Wipe the TV screen and remote controlskids 7+
- Water houseplantskids 4+
- Sort magazines, mail and paperworkkids 9+
MMonthly
- Dust lampshades, picture frames and decorkids 6+
- Wipe light switches and door handleskids 6+
- Dust ceiling fans and light fixtures
SEvery few months
- Clean the fireplace or wood stove
- Wash cushion covers and throw blanketskids 10+
- Move furniture and vacuum underneathkids 12+
YYearly
- Clean upholstery
- Shampoo carpets and rugs
Dining room chores
10 choresBuilt around mealtimes, so it's easy to share between the whole family.
DDaily
- Set the tablekids 4+
- Clear the table after mealskids 4+
- Wipe the table and chairskids 5+
- Sweep or vacuum crumbs under the tablekids 6+
WWeekly
- Wash placemats and napkinskids 9+
- Wash the tableclothkids 10+
MMonthly
- Polish the tablekids 8+
- Wipe chair legs and rungskids 6+
SEvery few months
- Dust the sideboard, display cabinet and chinakids 10+
YYearly
- Polish silverwarekids 10+
Entryway, hallways and stairs chores
12 choresFirst impressions, and where shoes, coats and bags tend to pile up.
DDaily
- Put shoes on the rackkids 3+
- Hang up coats, bags and backpackskids 4+
- Bring in mail and packageskids 6+
WWeekly
- Sweep or vacuum the entrywaykids 6+
- Vacuum the stairskids 9+
- Shake out or wash the doormatkids 6+
- Wipe the banisters and handrailskids 6+
- Mop hallway floorskids 9+
MMonthly
- Clean the inside of the front door and glasskids 7+
SEvery few months
- Sort the coat closet and shoe pilekids 8+
- Swap seasonal coats, hats and gloveskids 7+
- Wipe scuffs and fingerprints off wallskids 7+
Laundry chores
16 choresNever finished, but much easier with a routine and a few extra hands.
DDaily
- Clean the dryer lint trapkids 7+
WWeekly
- Sort dirty laundry by color and fabrickids 5+
- Wash laundrykids 10+
- Move clothes to the dryer or hang them to drykids 8+
- Fold clean laundrykids 6+
- Match sockskids 3+
- Put clean laundry awaykids 5+
- Iron or steam clotheskids 12+
- Treat stains before washingkids 10+
- Wipe the washer and dryer topskids 6+
- Hand-wash delicateskids 12+
MMonthly
- Run a washing machine cleaning cyclekids 12+
- Clean the washer door seal and detergent drawerkids 10+
- Mend clothes and sew on buttonskids 11+
SEvery few months
- Organize the linen closetkids 8+
YYearly
- Clean the dryer vent duct
Home office chores
9 choresClear desk, clear head: a few minutes a week keeps paper from taking over.
DDaily
- Clear the desk at the end of the daykids 7+
WWeekly
- Wipe the desk, keyboard and mousekids 8+
- Empty the office trash and shred paperskids 8+
- File or scan paperwork
- Dust shelves and screenskids 6+
MMonthly
- Restock printer paper, ink and supplieskids 10+
- Back up computers and phones
SEvery few months
- Untangle and tidy cableskids 10+
YYearly
- Clear out old files and documents
Whole house chores
18 choresJobs that run through every room. Batch them and do one sweep of the house.
DDaily
- Do a 10-minute whole-house tidykids 3+
- Sweep or vacuum high-traffic floorskids 7+
WWeekly
- Vacuum all floorskids 8+
- Mop all hard floorskids 9+
- Dust all roomskids 5+
- Empty all trash canskids 5+
- Wipe light switches, doorknobs and handleskids 6+
MMonthly
- Clean interior windows and glass doorskids 8+
- Wipe window sills and trackskids 7+
- Dust or wipe blinds and shutterskids 8+
SEvery few months
- Wipe baseboardskids 6+
- Dust vents and air returnskids 8+
- Wipe walls and doorskids 8+
- Clean cobwebs from ceilings and cornerskids 8+
- Wash windows inside and out
YYearly
- Deep clean carpets
- Wash or replace curtains
- Declutter each room and donate what you don't usekids 8+
Garage, basement and attic chores
11 choresOut of sight, so easy to forget. A couple of big sessions a year keeps them usable.
WWeekly
- Take the trash and recycling bins to the curbkids 8+
- Bring the empty bins back inkids 7+
- Put tools and sports gear back in placekids 6+
MMonthly
- Sweep the garage floorkids 8+
SEvery few months
- Check for leaks, damp and pests
- Take recycling, batteries and e-waste to the drop-off
- Organize shelves and storage binskids 10+
- Clean and store seasonal gear (bikes, sleds, pool toys)kids 9+
YYearly
- Declutter the garagekids 10+
- Declutter the basement and attickids 12+
- Clean and oil toolskids 12+
Yard and garden chores
20 choresSeasonal work that rewards a little attention each week in the growing months.
DDaily
- Water the garden and potskids 4+
WWeekly
- Mow the lawnkids 12+
- Pull weedskids 5+
- Pick up litter and fallen stickskids 6+
- Sweep paths, steps and the drivewaykids 7+
- Deadhead flowerskids 6+
- Harvest vegetables and herbskids 4+
MMonthly
- Trim lawn edgeskids 12+
- Turn the compost pilekids 9+
SEvery few months
- Fertilize the lawn and plants
- Rake leaveskids 6+
- Prune shrubs and hedges
- Plant flowers, bulbs and vegetableskids 5+
- Add mulch to flower bedskids 8+
- Shovel snow and salt the pathskids 10+
- Clean the gutters
YYearly
- Clean and store garden toolskids 9+
- Service the lawn mower
- Prune trees
- Aerate and reseed the lawn
Patio, deck and outdoor living chores
12 choresKeep the outdoor spaces ready for good weather with a few seasonal jobs.
WWeekly
- Sweep the patio, deck or porchkids 6+
- Wipe down outdoor furniturekids 6+
- Bring in or cover cushions before rainkids 6+
- Clean the grill grateskids 12+
- Skim and check the pool or hot tub
SEvery few months
- Clean outside windows and glass doors
- Wash the outdoor furniture and cushionskids 9+
- Deep clean the grill
- Wash the porch and front doorkids 8+
YYearly
- Pressure wash the deck, patio and driveway
- Reseal or stain the deck
- Store outdoor furniture for winterkids 10+
Car chores
12 choresA tidy car makes the school run calmer. Kids can own most of the inside.
WWeekly
- Clear trash and clutter from the carkids 5+
MMonthly
- Wash the outside of the carkids 8+
- Vacuum the car seats, floor and matskids 9+
- Wipe the dashboard and inside of the windowskids 8+
- Check tire pressure
- Top up washer fluid
SEvery few months
- Clean car seats and booster seatskids 10+
- Book an oil change or service
- Wax the carkids 12+
YYearly
- Restock the car emergency kit
- Renew registration and insurance
- Swap winter and summer tires
Pets chores
18 choresPets need care every single day, which makes these great chores for building responsibility.
DDaily
- Feed petskids 4+
- Refresh water bowlskids 4+
- Walk the dogkids 10+
- Scoop the litter boxkids 8+
- Play with and exercise petskids 3+
- Wash food and water bowlskids 6+
- Pick up dog waste in the yardkids 7+
WWeekly
- Brush petskids 6+
- Clean the cage, tank or hutchkids 9+
- Wash pet beddingkids 9+
- Vacuum pet hair from furniturekids 8+
- Fully change the litter and wash the boxkids 10+
MMonthly
- Wash pet toyskids 6+
- Give flea, tick and worming treatments
- Bathe petskids 10+
- Trim pet nails
- Restock pet food and supplieskids 10+
YYearly
- Book vet checkups and vaccinations
Household admin and errands
21 choresThe invisible chores. Counting them makes it much easier to share the load fairly.
DDaily
- Sort the mailkids 9+
- Check the family calendarkids 8+
WWeekly
- Plan meals for the weekkids 8+
- Write the grocery listkids 7+
- Go grocery shoppingkids 12+
- Put groceries awaykids 4+
- Prep ingredients and batch cookkids 10+
- Sign school forms and reply to messages
- Return library books and packageskids 8+
- Run errands (pharmacy, post office, dry cleaning)
MMonthly
- Pay bills
- Review the budget and bank statements
- Restock household supplies (cleaning products, toiletries)kids 10+
- Buy and wrap birthday gifts and cardskids 6+
SEvery few months
- Book appointments (doctor, dentist, haircuts)
- Review subscriptions and memberships
YYearly
- Update the emergency contacts list
- Do taxes
- Review insurance policies
- Renew passports, licenses and IDs
- Organize important documents
Home maintenance and safety chores
17 choresEasy to put off and expensive to ignore. Set reminders for these.
MMonthly
- Replace burned-out light bulbskids 12+
- Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
- Check for leaks under sinks
- Flush drains with hot waterkids 12+
- Clean the humidifier or dehumidifier
SEvery few months
- Replace HVAC and air purifier filters
- Check fire extinguishers
- Replace water filters
- Tighten loose handles, hinges and screwskids 10+
YYearly
- Replace smoke alarm batteries
- Flush the water heater
- Service the furnace, boiler or AC
- Clean the chimney
- Inspect the roof, gutters and downspouts
- Touch up paint and fill wall holes
- Check window and door seals for drafts
- Review the family fire escape plankids 5+
Personal routine chores
9 choresNot housework exactly, but they're on most kids' chore charts for good reason.
DDaily
- Brush teeth morning and nightkids 3+
- Get dressedkids 3+
- Brush hairkids 4+
- Wash hands before mealskids 2+
- Shower or bathekids 7+
- Do homework and readingkids 5+
WWeekly
- Pack sports and activity bagskids 7+
- Clean shoes and sports gearkids 8+
- Trim fingernails and toenailskids 9+
How to use this chore list
Start with the daily and weekly chores. They’re what keeps a home feeling under control. The monthly, seasonal and yearly jobs can go on a calendar, so nobody has to remember them.
Cross out what doesn’t apply. No garden, no pets, no car? Strike those sections from the printable list and you’ll be left with your household’s real workload.
Share it out by time, not by count. Cleaning the oven and feeding the cat are both one chore, but they’re not the same amount of work. Give each person whole jobs to own, including the invisible admin, and check in every few weeks.
Hand some to the kids. The purple age badges show when most children can start helping. For a full breakdown by age, see age-appropriate chores, or make a free chore chart for each child in under a minute.
Frequently asked questions
What are chores?
Chores are the routine jobs that keep a home running: cleaning, cooking, laundry, tidying, yard work, looking after pets, and the admin like paying bills and planning meals. Some need doing every day, like washing dishes; others only once or twice a year, like cleaning the gutters.
What are the most common household chores?
The everyday core is washing dishes, wiping kitchen counters, cooking, taking out the trash, making beds, tidying up and feeding pets. Each week most homes also vacuum and mop, clean the bathrooms, do the laundry, change the sheets, dust and go grocery shopping.
How many household chores are there?
This list has 301 chores across 18 rooms and areas of the home: 59 daily, 90 weekly, 55 monthly, 57 every few months and 40 yearly. Your own list will be shorter or longer depending on your home, garden, car and pets.
How often should you clean each room?
Kitchens need a quick clean every day and a deeper clean weekly. Bathrooms need a daily wipe and a full clean weekly. Bedrooms and living areas need daily tidying with weekly dusting and vacuuming. Deep-cleaning jobs such as ovens, fridges, windows and carpets can be done monthly, every few months or yearly.
What chores can kids do?
Children can help with a surprising amount: 233 of the chores on this list are marked with the age most kids can start helping. Toddlers can put toys away and match socks; 6 to 8 year olds can set the table, feed pets and empty the dishwasher; tweens and teens can cook, do laundry and mow the lawn.
How do you split household chores fairly?
Write every chore down first, including the invisible ones such as meal planning, booking appointments and paying bills. Then share them by time and effort rather than by number of jobs, give each person ownership of whole tasks, and review the split every few weeks.
Is there a printable chore list?
Yes. The full list is a free printable PDF with a tick box beside every chore, grouped by room and marked with how often each one needs doing. It prints on US Letter and A4, in color or black and white.