Running a happy household isn’t always as easy as it seems. Not only do you have to make sure all the household chores get completed, but you also have to delegate tasks in a way that keeps everybody satisfied. It seems that there’s always someone who complains about getting the short end of the stick or a slacker who fails to hold up their end of the bargain. Here’s how you can divide the household chores in a way that will maintain a sense of unity within the household.

Have A Meeting Where Everyone Can Speak Their Mind
Getting the entire household together in a single room is the best way to begin the process of dividing chores. When everyone’s together, each individual member of the household will have the chance to voice their opinions and air their grievances. Before starting the meeting, insist that everyone remains calm and respectful. Such an atmosphere gives you the best chance of coming up with a plan that will last.

Let People Choose The Tasks That Suit Them
Make sure that the process resembles a democracy rather than a tyranny. If one person assigns the others chores without considering their preference, a certain degree of resentment is almost inevitable. You’re much better off allowing each person to suggest the tasks they’d most like to complete. If one person loves the outdoors, then let them sign up for raking, shoveling, and watering the garden. If someone else enjoys the kitchen, let them take charge of the dishes.

Encourage Bargaining And Look For Compromise
Unfortunately, not every chore is going to be picked as a favorite. This means certain unpleasant tasks (like cleaning the toilet bowl) might be left for last. In that case, you’ll have to divide up the chores and negotiate. Let everyone say their piece, and encourage trades and bargains so that everyone has the opportunity to negotiate for a better situation.

Some big jobs should be done by a professional. For instance, the carpet cleaning process requires special equipment and a great deal of time. It would be difficult to assign such a big chore to one family member.

Write Down The Assignments
Once the bargaining is complete and compromises have been reached, make sure you write down everybody’s weekly assignments. This is the only to ensure future compliance with the agreements. If you want to make the document more formal, consider having everybody sign. This piece of paper will be the key to household harmony.

Hold People Accountable
After doing the hard work of coming up with an agreement, you need to make sure that everyone lives up to their obligations. The great thing about a written plan is that people are forced to accept the responsibilities they agreed to. Use the document to hold your housemates accountable. If you let people get away with freeriding, the whole plan will break down.