Household Chores Time Planner

Household chores time planner for weekly scheduling and fair splitting

Most households do not argue about whether chores matter. They argue about time. One person feels like they do more, the other person feels like it is not that bad, and both are usually guessing. This planner turns the guessing into a weekly time estimate you can actually use. It focuses on one decision: how much total chore time you should expect in a typical week, and what a fair equal share looks like.

The approach is deliberately practical. Instead of trying to create a perfect calendar, you list a small set of common chores, estimate how many times each happens per week, and estimate how many minutes each one takes. The calculator totals the time, adds an optional buffer for interruptions, and then shows the weekly and daily averages. If you share chores with other people, it also shows the per-person share so you can split work more evenly.

To use it well, start with rough numbers, not perfect numbers. For example, dishes might be 10 to 20 minutes per day, laundry might be two loads per week, and floors might be one longer clean per week. If you are unsure, aim for the middle of what you think is realistic. The output is more useful when you update it over time. After a week, adjust minutes up or down based on what actually happened. In most households, accuracy improves quickly once the time is visible.

Assumptions and how to use this calculator

• This planner estimates time only. It does not score effort, stress, or “mental load,” even though those may be real.
• Chore frequency is per week. If a chore is monthly, convert it to a weekly average (for example, 1 per month becomes about 0.25 per week).
• Blank chore rows are ignored. If you only fill in two or three chores, the calculator still works and totals only those.
• The buffer percentage is a simple adjustment for interruptions and set-up time. If your home has frequent disruptions, increase the buffer.
• The per-person split is an equal split of time. It does not account for preferences, ability, or different standards. Use it as a starting point for agreement, not a final rule.

Common questions

Why does the calculator ask for “chore days per week”?

Some households do chores every day in small chunks. Others batch them into fewer days. “Chore days per week” changes the daily average shown in the results. It does not change the weekly total. If you leave it blank, the calculator assumes 7 days, which is usually the simplest baseline.

What if I do not know how long a chore takes?

Use a reasonable estimate and refine it later. If you want a quick baseline, use conservative minutes so you do not under-plan. A useful method is to time one typical run of the chore once, then use that number going forward. Even one measurement improves the plan.

What if some chores are not weekly, like deep cleaning?

Convert them to a weekly average. For example, a 2-hour deep clean every 4 weeks is 120 minutes divided by 4, which is 30 minutes per week. Add it as a chore with “times per week” set to 1 and “minutes each time” set to 30, or treat it as a separate line item with the weekly minutes directly represented.

Is splitting by time actually “fair”?

It is fair in one limited sense: it aligns workload with time, which is the most common source of resentment. But fairness can also depend on standards, unpleasantness, physical difficulty, and who manages planning. Use the equal time split as a neutral starting point, then adjust specific chores based on what your household considers fair.

How do I make the result more accurate without adding complexity?

Do two things: (1) update the minutes for any chore that is consistently wrong, and (2) increase the buffer if real life keeps breaking the plan. Most inaccuracy comes from underestimating transition time and interruptions, not from the core math.