Keeping up on your housework is so much easier when you have a good plan! I made this free printable chore chart to go along with my chore system that is being used by adults all over the world. Swapping out your long to-do list with this simple chart and new routine will be a total game changer in your family’s life!
Here’s a bit of a backstory behind this housework routine and chore checklist. I’ve always been a “neat freak” ever since I was a kid. And as a mom of three little girls, I was easily able to keep my whole house nice and tidy practically all the time.
But, in 2017, we welcomed twin boys into our family and started building our forever home. That’s when things got really hard to manage and I knew I needed to find a new routine that helped me to get my housework done without spending my whole day cleaning.
Learn about my nighttime routine for moms to set yourself up for a good morning.
I started sharing my housework routine on social media a few years ago, with hundreds of other women around the world wanting to give it a try too! The one request I get all the time is to come up with a free chore chart to use with my daily routine. And the good news is, I’ve finally made one!
Four years into using and tweaking this chore system, I’m finally able to share a chore checklist to go with the routine that has changed my daily life and so many others. If you’re struggling to find a better way to keep up with your chores, why not give this one a try? It might just be the game changer you’ve been needing!
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Get my full disclosurehere.
why you should use printable chore charts (even as an adult)
using a visual is motivating
I know for me, it’s so helpful to have my plans laid out in a visual way and literally plastered to the wall where I’m reminded about them throughout the day.
Plus being able to put a check mark by each chore as you knock it out gives you a real sense of accomplishment that motivates you to keep going!
Looking for a free printable chore chart set for kids? This responsibility chart is great for young children because the chores are marked with pictures instead of words.
stay on track
Having a chore chart that you can print out and look at from time to time while you’re going about your busy day, is the best way to stay on track to complete everything you want to get done.
Seeing what you had decided needs to be done today, can also keep you from taking on too many extra things. You’ll be able to see when you’re done and give yourself the ok to take it easy for the rest of the day!
you won’t forget anything
I don’t know about you but I’m definitely at the point where I walk into a room and completely forget what I came in there for. Like multiple times a day, lately. So you better believe I’d forget my chores for the day if they weren’t written out on a chart.
saves time planning
Figuring out your to do list from scratch each day can be a big waste of time if you don’t have a good housework plan.
With these printable chore charts, you can easily decide what you want to get done each day by filling in the slots with 5 simple tasks that fit into each of the 5 chore categories (more on that later on in this post).
To help you get started, I’ve made lists of chore ideas to choose from to save you even more time!
easier to stick to long term
I think the hardest thing about having a housework routine is sticking with it long term. Having a chart really is key when it comes to being consistent. Being able to physically check off each task is really motivating and give you the push you need to keep going with your routine week after week.
What is a good housecleaning routine?
These printable charts go along with my housework routine that I call 5×5. Five chores per day, five days a week.
The chores are divided into 5 categories, so that you make progress in all of the areas of your housework each day, without neglecting any of them.
The 5 chore categories are:
routine cleaning (about 15 minutes)
For this task, you need to follow a house cleaning routine checklist that covers all of the areas of your house. I’ve included a chore checklist that you can use with your printable chore charts so that you can get started right away!
laundry (about 15 minutes)
Making some kind of progress on your laundry each weekday.
Need help getting into a good laundry routine? Here are 10 tips for keeping up on laundry.
food prep (about 15 minutes)
This chore is all about making food for another day. Prepping snacks, dinner or breakfast for another day. Getting a little ahead goes a long way when it comes to food prep!
One of my family’s favorite make ahead breakfasts is banana baked oatmeal.
project (about 15 minutes)
The project chore could be mending, patching, repairing or improving something in your house. If you’re trying to tackle a big project like painting a whole room, divide the job into smaller tasks that way you don’t spend too much time on this one chore category.
deep cleaning/organizing (about 15 minutes)
This chore covers all of the extra nitty gritty cleaning and organizing that isn’t included in your cleaning routine. Think, inside cabinets, closets, your garage shelves, your storage room…
If you’re looking for even MORE structure, check out my full homemaking planner!
why you’ll like these printable chore charts for adults
simple and easy to understand
Figuring out how to get started with this housework method and simple chore chart is super easy. When you go to print out your charts, you’ll receive a quick step by step guide for filling it out in case you have any questions about how it works!
easy to use
It takes all of 10 minutes each week to fill in the 5 daily chores for each of the 5 weekdays ahead. The 5 chores fall into 5 categories making the decision making process really easy!
pretty
I tried to make these free printable chore charts something that would look pretty displayed on the wall, or included in your planner. There are 4 different color schemes to choose from as well!
being used by adults all around the world!
I have received positive feedback from women who are using this housework method every day all around the world! Many of them saying that they had never been able to stick to a cleaning routine until they gave this one a try.
I know personally, as a stay at home mom of 7, it has added so much needed structure to my day.
How These Charts Work
These free editable printable chore charts are extremely easy to use. You only need to follow a couple steps to get the hang of how they work:
- On Sunday evening, or Monday morning, print out a new blank chore chart.
- Next, fill in 5 chores for each of the 5 chore categories. They don’t need to be in any particular order.
- Each day of the week, choose 1 chore from each category to tackle.
- As you do each chore, check it off.
- On Friday, finish up the 5 remaining chores.
- Repeat this process each week.
Tips For Success
Here are a few tips to help you succeed with this housework routine!
Keep your daily tasks small and manageable
If you find yourself struggling to get to all 5 chores each day, you’ve probably set out to do too much. Scale your expectations back to ones that are more doable in your life circ*mstances.
set a timer
My number one tip is to set a timer for each task so that you don’t spend too much time on one category. I personally struggle with time management, so the timer hack has really been a great idea for me.
For example, say your cleaning chore for the day is to clean your dining room table and chairs. Set the timer for 5, 10 , 15 or 20 minutes. Start cleaning right when you set it, and stop when it goes off. You might have a few chairs left undone, but that’s ok! You can get to those next time you come around to that task in a few weeks.
save the easier chores for busier days
The beauty of this housework routine is that it’s flexible. You get to pick your chores each day based off how much time you think you’ll have.
If you’re going to be running to doctor’s appointments on Tuesday, save the quickest chores for that day and tackle the more time consuming ones on days when you’ll be home more of the day.
Catch up on Saturday
There aren’t any assigned Saturday chores with this routine. If you aren’t able to get to every single chore during the week, play catch up on Saturday!
What cleaning should be done daily?
There are some basic chores that need to be done every single day to keep your house running smoothly. They don’t take long, but make a huge difference in the overall cleanliness of your home:
- Making your bed and tidying your bedroom. Having the master bedroom picked up really helps start and end the day on a good note.
- Washing and putting away all dishes.
- Cleaning out your kitchen sink and stove top. Not deep cleaning but just a quick wiping down.
- Wiping off the kitchen counters, high chair and dining table.
- Sweeping the floors in the main living areas. Mopping or using a Swiffer if you have time. As a mom of 7, I generally don’t get to this.
- Tidying up what is on the floor before bed. If you have kids, they can help by picking up their toys at the end of the day.
Read more abouthow to keep up with your housework here.
how much time Should you spend cleaning everyday?
You could ask this question to 10 different people and get 10 different answers. The amount of time you spend cleaning every day will depend a lot on the phase of life you’re in.
According to a survey done by the Bureau of Labor Statistics the average American spends about an hour a day doing household chores. That’s about what I aim for myself. Some days it ends up taking longer, but an hour is the goal.
That hour doesn’t have to be an hour straight of doing chores though. Experts actually recommend splitting your housework up into 20 minute chunks of time. The reason for that is the fact that most adults have a 20 minute attention span limit. (kind of sad to think about, but anyway).
want your own printable chore chart Set For adults?
You can get started with this cleaning routine today! Just enter your email address to get your free printable weekly chore charts delivered right to your inbox. What are you waiting for? You’ve got this!
More Cleaning Posts You Might Enjoy:
If you found this post helpful, I think you’d enjoy these other cleaning related posts too!
- How to Clean a White Enamel Sink
- How to Clean a Black Glass Top Stove
- 10 Simple Ways to Keep Up With Your Laundry Pile
- How to Keep Up With Your Housework With a Toddler
- Night Time Routine For Moms
If you found these tips helpful, share this post with your friends and family members who might need help too! I hope you enjoy your free printables for your weekly chores. Get the whole family involved by printing out extra charts for your older kids to keep track of their own chores with!
Pin these steps to try later. Tag @athomeontheprairie onInstagramto share what you’ve made with us!
