There never seems to be enough hours in the day to get everything done, does there? This is especially true when it comes to managing a household. Between taking care of the kids, cooking meals and doing laundry, it can feel like there's never a moment to spare. Thankfully, we have some tips and tricks to make managing household chores more manageable.
Related: Guide on chores for kids
10 tips on how to manage all your household chores
Manage your household chores with these X easy-to-implement tips:
1. Identify daily, weekly, and monthly chores
2. Set tasks with GoHenry
3. Make chores fun
4. Introduce rewards for chores with GoHenry
5. Create a chore schedule
6. Prioritise tasks
7. Involve all of the family in chore discussions
8. Set realistic expectations
9. Use time management techniques
10. Establish a routine for chores
1. Identify daily, weekly, and monthly chores
Make a list of all the chores that need to be done around the house, then break them down into daily, weekly and monthly tasks. This will help you better plan your time and ensure all the essential tasks are completed.
Some examples of daily tasks include making the bed, doing the dishes and taking out the rubbish. Weekly duties could consist of vacuuming floors and cleaning the bathroom. Monthly tasks might be deep-cleaning the kitchen or shampooing the carpets.
It's essential to give your children chores that they can complete so they don't get frustrated or overwhelmed. Ensuring they enjoy the process can provide them with a sense of accomplishment. Here are our handy lists of age-appropriate tasks to give your children:
2. Set tasks with GoHenry
If you're looking for a fun and easy way to involve your kids in household chores, why not use GoHenry? With a pocket money & chores app like GoHenry, you can assign paid tasks so that everyone knows what needs to be done and what they will get as a reward. You can also use the app to keep track of who has completed their tasks and give rewards for a job well done. GoHenry is an excellent tool for teaching kids about the value of hard work and money. It's also perfect for motivating your children to do their chores and earn regular pocket money.
3. Make chores fun
If you're struggling to get your kids excited about doing chores, there are a few things that you can do to make them more fun. One way is to give them stickers or stamps for every task they complete, and once they've earned enough, they can cash them in for a prize. This could be their favourite treat, extra screen time or even extra pocket money. You could also make a game of it by seeing who can finish their tasks the quickest (or best). Or, have a dance party while cleaning up by putting on their favourite songs.
Making chores fun is a great way to get your kids engaged and excited about helping around the house. By finding ways to make it more enjoyable, they'll be more likely to stick with it and develop positive habits for life. And who knows, they'll even like doing chores!
Looking for more ways to make chores fun for kids? Look at our 7 ways to make chores fun for kids for inspiration.
4. Introduce rewards for chores with GoHenry
One way to ensure your children do their tasks is by offering rewards for a job well done. With GoHenry, you can set up paid tasks, assigning them with extra pocket money. For example, you could give them £0.70 for making their bed daily without being asked. Or, you could provide them £1.00 every time they wash the dishes. This can help keep them motivated and excited to help out around the house. Plus, you can stay on track with what's been done and quickly set up regular pocket money payments within the GoHenry app.
You can also use GoHenry to teach your kids about budgeting and saving up for things they want. With our app, they can keep track of their spending and set savings goals. This is a great way to show them the importance of being responsible with their hard-earned money.
5. Create a schedule
Establishing a regular chore schedule with a chore chart or app helps keep chores on track and allows all family members to see what they need to do and when. To help them, assign specific chores to certain days and ensure a fair distribution of responsibilities. Make the chore chart as fun as possible, or even get your kids to create one.
6. Prioritise tasks
To ensure that chores go smoothly, Identify high-priority chores and focus on them first. For younger children, break down larger chores or hard ones into smaller, manageable steps to make them less overwhelming.
7. Involve all family members in the chore process
Remember, the more you include everyone in the discussion about chores and why everyone has to contribute, the better your children understand why they have to do household chores.
8. Set realistic expectations
Be realistic about what can be accomplished in a given time frame. Avoid setting overly ambitious goals that may lead to your kids getting frustrated. Adjust expectations based on factors like the size of your household, the age of family members, and daily schedules.
9. Use time management techniques
Implement time-saving strategies to help maintain focus during chore sessions. Consider setting a timer for short bursts of cleaning followed by brief breaks to keep motivation high; this is especially good for younger children.
10. Establish a routine
Develop a daily or weekly routine that includes specific times for chores. Consistency helps create habits and reduces the likelihood of chores piling up. For example, you could make tidying up before bedtime or doing a quick sweep after dinner a key part of daily routines.
Why include your child in household chores?
One of the best ways to teach your children responsibility is to have them help out with tasks around the house. By including them in your daily list of tasks, they'll learn how to work as part of a team and develop essential life skills like time management, organisation, self-reliance and problem-solving - all great benefits of chores. It's also a great way to bond with your children as you work together, building a stronger, more connected family.
How much should you pay children for household chores?
This is down to personal choice, as it's up to you to decide what is fair, reasonable and within your means. But, to give a bit of guidance, according to GoHenry’s Youth Economy Report, in the UK, weekly earnings from paid tasks averaged £0.73, and the average total weekly earnings, including pocket money and payment for tasks, stand at £8.20 per child. Older teenagers tend to earn more. Again, finding the right balance for your family is up to you.
How much should you pay children for different household chores?
It entirely depends on your child's age and the complexity and time taken to complete the task. Here are some earning averages from our Youth Economy Report for reference:
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Tidy room - £1.03
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Homework - £1.18
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Load / empty dishwasher - £0.88
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Make the bed - £0.81
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Put clothes away - £0.70
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Vacuuming - £1.20
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Empty bins/recycling - of £0.76
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Brush teeth - £0.70
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Feed pets - £0.88
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Get ready for school - £0.74
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