How to divide up chores and cleaning

Keeping your space clean is really important, not only for hygiene reasons but your overall mood tends to be calmer when your environment is tidy. If you are the type of person who likes a squeaky clean environment, looking after your flat can be a big task when you aren’t getting any help. For me, in my flat, this was one of the biggest causes of tension. One person would do all the cleaning with no help and then be exhausted when they didn’t have to be. In this article, I’ll be sharing some tips that helped me throughout uni, divide chores and cleaning. 

Cleaning Chart 

This is maybe the most obvious tip but making a cleaning chart can be really helpful. A lot of housemates will probably say “I’ll just clean up after myself” but when it comes to things that affect you all, like sweeping the floor and emptying the bins, a cleaning rota helps hold people accountable for the overall cleanliness of the flat not just their stuff. 

For cleaning tips, check out this article by Kirsty!

Allocate who doesn’t want to do what 

When making this rota it’s quite handy to take ownership of the tasks you would rather do. For example, if you hate taking the bins out but don’t mind sweeping the floor you can take on that task and let someone who doesn’t mind taking the bins out do that. This way everyone can do something they don’t mind doing and everyone will be happier. 

Have a ‘Savings Pot’ for cleaning supplies 

This is something I wish I’d done in the first year. If there’s one person buying supplies all the time, that’s not going to be fair on their bank account. However, if you create a separate bank account or perhaps have a loose change pot, everyone can contribute and just take money out of there for supplies. 

Educate each other 

You’re all living on your own for the first time and some of you will be more used to looking after yourselves than others. When it comes to cleaning it’s important not to judge other people’s skill levels. If there’s something that you or a housemate isn’t sure how to do, you can reach out for help, or a quick Google search will show you how to have your flat looking spotless. 

For tips on how to get along with your flatmates, check out this article written by Emily!

Whether it’s taking the bins out, cleaning the sink or wiping the kitchen countertops, dividing the workload of cleaning is a great way to keep your flat in good shape and also avoid some conflicts!