Best Amazon Prime Day deals: Mumsnet favourites

Best Amazon Prime Day deals:
Mumsnet favourites

Shop now

Please or to access all these features

Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

How do you split housework with your partner? Especially if they moved in with you?

38 replies

goinfthruchanges · 11/06/2026 15:44

Just wondering how couples fairly split housework, cleaning and cooking etc?

my partner moved into my home, he works longer hours and is out for more hours.

Just wondering how others split things fairly?

i know some couples where the woman is a stay at home mum and the man pays for everything and the woman does pretty much all cooking and cleaning.

but if both partners are paying around the same amount how do you split house work?

OP posts:
Silverbirchleaf · 11/06/2026 15:53

I wouldn’t necessarily look at it as income, but as hours worked. So if one does 30 hours and the other fifty (including commute time etc), then the 30 hour person does more household stuff. However, at the weekends, all is even. Hobbies etc (such as gym, cricket) are excluded from this arrangement, as they’re leisure, not work.

Something has prompted you to post this today, so can you explain more your situation?

You say your dp has moved into your home. Has he become a lazy anrse and is doing nothing and expecting you to run around him? I wouldn’t. Expect one person to be the ‘slave’ of the other though, and woukd expect a basic level of ‘work’, ie put dishes in dishwasher, empty dishwasher if needed, etc

mindutopia · 11/06/2026 16:12

No one sits around on their bum while the other does everything and if you see a job that needs doing, you do it.

There is no conscious split of duties. Just neither of us is lazy. We just fell into the jobs we’re best at that need doing at the time when we’re home and available.

I care about food (dh doesn’t, would eat frozen pizza every day). So I do the meal planning, shopping and cooking. I am also more likely to be home at the time those need doing. He does all the evening tidying of the kitchen and loading the dishwasher, putting it on, because I’m more likely to be heading to bed then.

He does all the lawn mowing, dealing with hedges, digging a hole when the water pipe bursts, strimming, moving gravel around on the drive, I don’t do anything outside involving any sort of tools or machinery. I also don’t do anything outside involving DIY. Dh does 90% with the dog because he wanted her more than me. I do the fun bits only, he does the feeding, walking, vet visits. I do medical and dental care for dc because I’m better at that.

We both clean and tidy inside basically when it’s dirty whoever happens to be standing there tidies it up. We both do the school runs. We both look after the kids, drive them around to activities, take them to friends houses.

Basically, we each have our strengths and we use them. Dh less good at catering for a BBQ or dealing with a child with a broken arm, but he’s really good if a pipe breaks. And no one sits around watching the other do everything because we aren’t lazy and we care about each other. If you’re both decent people, you’ll both want to have each other’s back and work as a team. No one should have to be pulled along kicking and screaming.

DierdreDaphne · 11/06/2026 16:17

If he's newly moved in watch out what precedents.are being set OP. I hope you haven't been "spoiling" him to make him feel welcome...he'll only feel properly at home once he's cleaned the toilet a few times, remember that!

goinfthruchanges · 11/06/2026 16:45

@Silverbirchleafthe reason for the post is because I am doing a lot more than my dp. He works longer hours and I work from home most of the time so no travel time, even when I go out for work I will be home before him.

I do most of the cooking but he is more than happy to help me cooking when he is in but as he gets in late that means eating very late. I also take over in the kitchen as I’m more efficient in that area.

after dinner he will do dishes and clean the kitchen, but I don’t find that so helpful as when I eat without him my meals are much simpler and less cleaning needed after.

he has also been working on a DIY project for us since he moved in, but that is only weekends.

so I feel like all week he only does dishes and the kitchen, he hoovers and mops sometimes. But I do all of our washing and cleaning the bathroom etc and most of the kitchen cleaning.

I just don’t know how it can be more balanced as he works longer hours and then goes to the gym most evenings.

I have a friend and she does all cleaning and her partner does all cooking and she is happy in that situation. So I feel like something like that would be more fair but not sure it could work.

OP posts:
goinfthruchanges · 11/06/2026 16:47

@DierdreDaphnei don’t feel I have been spoiling him, but he has never cleaned the toilet so maybe I am?

I just think if you brush your teeth everyday, use the toilet and shower we should all be cleaning the bathroom!

OP posts:
DierdreDaphne · 11/06/2026 17:00

note what @Silverbirchleaf says about gym time. If he's going to the gym most evenings then I wouldn't be bothering with the elaborate food you've been giving him (if he wants that he can find the time to prepare it) but I'd also be asking him "since you're out most nights, do you want me to do some quick day to day wiping and you do a blitz on Saturday mornings [while I go out for a nice walk/run/swim/catchup with a mate]" - or some other proposal that feels definitely fair to you, and he can argue why it isn't (and lose the argument...)

Silverbirchleaf · 11/06/2026 17:01

So he’s got his cake and eating it. He goes to work and goes to the gym, and you do everything else. Instead of gaining a partner, you’ve gained a dependent.

What did he do before he moved With you? I presume he did his cleaning, cooking, washing then, and still worked long hours? If so, he’s perfectly capable to do mores at yours. If he’s got capacity and time to go to the gym, then he’s gut time to do housework.

FunnySam · 11/06/2026 17:16

We decided ours by discussing who hates which jobs the most - before that we kept ‘taking turns’ doing washing up etc but it got a bit tit-for-tat and sometimes we got exhausted or forgot who’s turn it was.
it turned out I hate washing up (wet food, ew) and laundry as it’s so boring. My partner hates hoovering, cooking, any other general cleaning, wiping bathrooms etc. So we decided he does the washing up & laundry, and I’ll do everything else. We’re a (little bit) blue/pink jobs still as he instinctively does the bins and I instinctively sort out dinner anyway.

FunnySam · 11/06/2026 17:17

Have you thought about listing all the household jobs, and then putting it to him & asking him to pick which ones he wants to be responsible for? Then he feels he’s picking his own jobs and you still get some taken off your plate (and hopefully he sees how much you do…)

NoCommentingFromNowOn · 11/06/2026 17:20

and then goes to the gym most evenings.

Yeah, that’s not going to work out.

What is happening with the new law (or maybe it’s not???) re people you live with being to claim some of your assets? I’ve not been following it but I suggest you ensure you know about it.

What is the point of him living with you? I can’t see one. How much does he contribute financially compared to you?

SpudGunToo · 11/06/2026 17:28

I do the laundry and much of the cleaning and also arrange the cleaners, decorators, nanny, handymen etc.

DH does the food shopping, the cooking, the car admin admin, any repairs that we don’t have done for us, maintains the computer systems, sorts out the house insurance, Sky TCX broadband, council tax and similar.

We share putting the children to bed, taking them to and from school and clubs, doing their homework, gardening, and tidying.

Icanseeasquirrel · 11/06/2026 17:34

You should both be better off. Financially and sharing domestic duties. Your post hints that one of you has become better off than the other…

goinfthruchanges · 11/06/2026 17:36

@DierdreDaphneyes I have started making easier food more often as the clean up after more decent meals takes ages!

and yes maybe I will start doing that

OP posts:
goinfthruchanges · 11/06/2026 17:37

@Silverbirchleafi am starting to feel about like that. Tbh he never comes home and sits down, he usually comes in helps with the last bits of dinner then washes up and by then it’s bed time nearly.

before he moved in he lived very close to his work so moving in with me has added about two hours travel time, he said he will look for a new job to make things better.

OP posts:
measuretwicecutonce · 11/06/2026 17:38

Well he’s lucked out hadn’t he! It will only get worse OP. It’s amazing that I find in relationships where both are working it’s always the men that work really long hours, I secretly suspect this is intentional.

In my view there are 2 types of jobs, the everyday/a few times a week job normally I find referred to as pink jobs and the once a year or a few times a year jobs that are blue jobs. Often on Mumsnet again amazingly these jobs also fall into people’s strengths - pink for the girls and blue for the boys. Don’t fall for it OP, he should be doing 50/50 pink regardless of his big long hours job after which he still manages to find time for the gym!

Cook simple meals that you like and he’ll either way it or do his own. Don’t do his laundry and get a cleaner and pay 50/50.

goinfthruchanges · 11/06/2026 17:39

@FunnySamyes I could list the jobs but I feel like as I’m dealing with an adult he should just know what the jobs are! And I have spoken with him about it so I’m not just doing everything and not saying a word

OP posts:
goinfthruchanges · 11/06/2026 17:40

@NoCommentingFromNowOnwe pay roughly the same, he may be paying about more as he pays for the food! He also pays for all of our dates out and pays more for holidays. But tbh I think a balanced daily life is more important that the “fun” activities etc

OP posts:
goinfthruchanges · 11/06/2026 17:41

@Icanseeasquirreli agree I’m not feeling better off with the housework load. But he does fix things and build things which I wouldn’t be able to do

OP posts:
ScorpionLioness79 · 11/06/2026 17:42

For some couples it just happens more easily without any or minimal discussion and they each feel a fairness. That's not happening with you two, so as suggested, sit down with him and discuss which chores you want him to take over or that you two can rotate doing.

PermanentTemporary · 11/06/2026 17:42

Dp does about 80% of what we do, and we have professionals to do the rest. I cook a bit, have been known to tidy up briefly, do a lot of ironing (while watching telly) and do a reasonable amount of admin.

I inherited dp from a sexless marriage and as long as I keep it coming in that department, he is the Duracell bunny for housework. He somehow feels slightly guilty that he’s not doing enough. Frankly it’s bliss.

goinfthruchanges · 11/06/2026 17:44

@measuretwicecutonceeven if we get a cleaner that would be only once per week. The bathroom and kitchen both need to be cleaned a few times per week! And the house needs to be hoovered multiple times.

I have also considered just stopping cleaning and see if that changes anything but I hate things being dirty

OP posts:
goinfthruchanges · 11/06/2026 17:45

@PermanentTemporarysounds like a great set up to me 🤣🤣

OP posts:
Silverbirchleaf · 11/06/2026 17:55

goinfthruchanges · 11/06/2026 17:39

@FunnySamyes I could list the jobs but I feel like as I’m dealing with an adult he should just know what the jobs are! And I have spoken with him about it so I’m not just doing everything and not saying a word

If you don’t speak up, how is she going to know you’re unhappy with the current situation. He probably thinks it’s fine, and you’re happy for him to disappear most evenings , and not contribute. The resentment is beginning to build, so you need to sort this sooner than later.

Has he started looking for more local jobs yet?

Thundertoast · 11/06/2026 18:00

So my partner moved in with me, we both work similar hours full time but he travels for work more and has a hobby that takes him away from the house more so isnt as available.
He proactively says to me to not do x and y tasks and leave them for him for when he gets back, because he realised quickly that simply by me being at home more, things ended up uneven and he doesnt think I should do any more cleaning than him 'because of his life choices' (as he puts it) ie what job he does, what hobbies he pursues. But thats because he hates cleaning and therefore doesn't like the idea of me having to 'suffer' more than him! I had to explain to him that its more 'normal' (and not right) for a person who hates cleaning to try and sneakily leave it all to their partner and he looked at me like I had two heads.
(Yes, I am pretty smug. No he's not an alien, just lucky enough to grow up around very loving households where the idea is primarily you get stuff done so someone else doesnt have to! Which is good because I am no man's maid...)

goinfthruchanges · 11/06/2026 18:02

@Silverbirchleaf at the end of that post I did say I have told him I feel like I’m doing way more, from that conversation he said he would look for a new job (and no he hasn’t started looking yet) and he will buy and install a dishwasher as we spend way to much time washing up after dinners which is annoying me!

OP posts: