Chores can change depending on your individual needs, but here are some common ones.

Taking out the trash, unloading, loading & running the dishwasher if you have one, Sweeping the kitchen floor, Wiping down counter tops, Squeegeeing shower doors and walls, Cleaning the bathrooms, including: Scrubbing sinks, tubs, showers, and (yes) toilets, Sweeping and mopping the floor, Windexing mirrors. Cleaning the stove top, Cleaning inside of the microwave, Cleaning out the fridge, throwing away food that’s gone bad and washing out containers that can be reused, Vacuuming and/or mopping floors, Dusting surfaces, Laundering and replacing dish and hand towels, Maintaining your personal space, including changing your sheets, tidying up your room, and sorting your mail.

Some tasks aren’t realistic to accomplish once a week, but setting a monthly reminder can help maintain your home over time. Some of these things fall under the category of deep cleaning, which you might want to do monthly or even seasonally. We’re talking about stuff like: Cleaning inside and outside of kitchen cabinets , Scrubbing out the fridge, Reorganizing and wiping down the pantry and cupboards in the kitchen, Reorganizing closets, storage cupboards, and medicine cabinets, Laundering curtains, carpets, furniture, and other fabrics throughout your home, Tackling tough dirt that has accumulated on floors, walls, baseboards, and tile, Checking for mold and mildew in bathrooms and scrubbing grout on tile floors and walls, Washing windows inside and out (if you’re able to do so safely) and even dusting difficult-to-reach spots.

Living in an organized space free of grime and germs will improve your mental and physical health, and communicating with your roommates about chores will improve your relationships. It can even be cathartic and satisfying!

Having a cleaning service come monthly reduces your chore-load—leaving more time for doing the things you love.