About Household Chores

Household chores are tasks that allow the home to function properly and efficiently. Does this Spark an idea?

The Facts

Household chores are physical tasks related to making the home and household function properly, including cleaning, lawn maintenance, home repair, home maintenance, taking care of animals, taking out rubbish and more. Whether you live in an apartment or a house, you have household chores.

Type

There are several general categories of household chores: indoor chores such as house cleaning and housekeeping, doing dishes and laundry, and feeding indoor pets; outdoor chores such as routine maintenance to the house exterior, taking out the trash, power washing and cleaning up the garage; and landscape maintenance such grass mowing, weed whacking, gardening and weeding.

Benefits

The benefits to performing household chores routinely are that your home stays clean and functions properly, and you get a sense of order and accomplishment. Not only are things better organized, but the household has more order and rhythm.

Time Frame

You should be able to finish household chores in no more than three hours a day. They can take even less time if the chores are caught up and simple maintenance is all that needs to be completed each day. Designating a specific daily or weekly time to complete chores will keep you on a schedule and allow time for other activities.

Effects

Routine household chores keep areas of the home tidy, clean and easily accessible. You can often save money and time by repairing items before they become damaged or broken.

Evolution

There has been a revolution since the 1950s in how household chores are performed. Laundry and dishes were once done by hand, rubbish and garbage were burned, and lawns were cut with push mowers. Now, most households have washing machines and dishwashers, regular trash pickup and gas-powered lawn mowers or even tractors.

Resources

• Good Housekeeping's Do-It-All Cleaning Guide