Roommates can be messy! With so many people in an apartment, it is naturally going to become messy very quickly. But even if you live with one other roommate, it’s a good idea to divide the chores, so that one person isn’t stuck doing all the cleaning. Rotate once a month, so no one’s stuck with certain chores, but keep it long enough so that it can become somewhat routine. You may be able to make it work without a chore list, and if so, congrats. If not, here is a sample chore list to help keep your apartment in order.

The Chore Lists

List 1:Tidy and Sweep Common Spaces

• Toss out loose trash from common areas
• Clean out junk mail and tidy remaining mail (or distribute to respective roommates)
• Straighten room: tidy magazines and newspapers, put away DVDs and books, etc.
• Put away forgotten cups and dishes
• Clean counter tops
• Sweep common areas: living room, bathroom, hallways
• Mop all floors

List 2: Bathroom and Recycling

• Take out recycling when bins are full
• Take out bathroom trash when full Wipe bathroom counters, sinks, mirrors
• Clean toilet
• Clean tub/shower stall once a week

List 3: Trash and Fridge

• Take out trash when full
• Throw away rotting food and old leftovers
• Wipe off food stains from shelves
• Fill ice trays Launder kitchen towels and bathmats once a week

List 4: Dishes and Supplies

• Wash dishes
• Put dry dishes away
• Replenish common household supplies (trash bags, paper towels, toilet paper, etc.)