Tips for Dividing Housework as a Married Couple

I have been married for a little over fives years. In the first few years of my marriage housework was a constant source of conflict. The situation has gotten better as we have defined our roles and learned how to work together to keep the house running smoothly. Here are three tips that will keep your house in order and help keep your marriage in harmony.

Clearly define your roles

When we were first married the biggest obstacle to getting housework done was a lack of communication. We just didn't know what roles we were supposed to play when it came to the daily chores. I devised a plan of having a chore draft. I conducted it much like a sports draft is run. We listed all of the household chores on a sheet of paper. After the list was complete, we took turns picking chores that we wanted to do.

The draft didn't get complicated until we got to the last few chores. Inevitably we ended up with the dishes, laundry, litter box, and dusting as the chores that no one wanted to draft. The consensus for least favorite chore was the dishes. I agreed to tackle the dishes as long as my wife took the other three choices. It was agreeable to me at the time, but after many nights scrubbing away I wonder if I made the right choice.

We stick to our roles about 99% of the time. Sometimes we need to be flexible when I'm heading out of town on business, or when one of us isn't feeling well. Other than that we know our roles and it helps us get things done.

Use rewards as incentives

Sometimes the reward of a clean house just isn't enough motivation. It helps to create rewards you can partake in only after the housework is complete. Try to pick things that you will both enjoy, like going out to dinner, or watching a movie.

When your spouse is falling behind, pitch in

Both you and your spouse should have to do their share of chores around the house. However there are times in life when one of you may fall behind due to circumstances out of your control. Instead of blaming your spouse, use those times as an opportunity to show how much you care by helping out with their chores. Your spouse will appreciate it and you'll reap the rewards of a pleasant living space.