Split chores like adults (without the “I do everything!” argument). Use the sliders to estimate how much weekly chore time your home needs and divide it based on time + energy. You’ll get a simple weekly plan you can screenshot and share.
Slide to match your week. The calculator estimates total chore minutes, then assigns a fair share to each person using available time (work + commute + sleep) and a simple energy factor. You can also add an “income fairness” adjustment if you want (optional).
Most chore fights aren’t really about dishes. They’re about fairness, recognition, and the feeling that someone is carrying the home alone. This calculator is built to do one thing: take the “vibes-based arguing” and turn it into a clear, adjustable plan that you can agree on.
The key idea is simple: if two people share a home, chores represent a weekly “workload” — and workloads can be divided the same way we divide any other shared responsibility: using time, capacity, and preferences. The calculator uses a transparent, editable formula so you can see the logic and tweak it until it feels right for your household.
You start by choosing Total chore time per week (in hours). This is a quick “household demand” estimate: cleaning, laundry, dishes, cooking basics, trash, tidying, errands, and the random stuff that happens because life exists. Most two-adult homes land somewhere between 6–14 hours/week, and homes with kids/pets often land between 12–25 hours/week. The slider is intentionally wide because different homes have very different standards and routines.
You’ll also choose a Household intensity level: Low, Medium, or High. This doesn’t directly change the total hours you entered — instead, it influences the suggested “focus areas” in your plan (for example, in High intensity homes, “Daily reset + dishes” becomes more important). Think of intensity as “how fast mess returns.”
Next, we estimate how much flexible time each person realistically has in a week. A week has 168 hours (24 × 7). We subtract the big “fixed” blocks:
So the base availability is:
AvailabilityHours = 168 − WorkHours − CommuteHours − (SleepPerNight × 7)
Important: this is not “free time.” It still includes eating, showering, exercise, parenting time, and downtime. But since those exist for both people, availability is a reasonable approximation for “who has more capacity to absorb chores this week.”
Time isn’t the whole story. Someone can technically have time but be exhausted, injured, depressed, or burnt out. That’s why the calculator includes an Energy slider for each person. This is a gentle multiplier: if your energy is 60%, you can still do chores — but you should do a smaller share than someone at 90% energy.
We convert energy into a multiplier:
EffectiveCapacity = AvailabilityHours × (Energy% / 100)
Then we compute each person’s chore share:
ShareA = EffectiveCapacityA ÷ (EffectiveCapacityA + EffectiveCapacityB)
ShareB = 1 − ShareA
Finally we assign weekly chore time:
ChoreMinutesA = TotalChoreMinutes × ShareA
ChoreMinutesB = TotalChoreMinutes × ShareB
Some households prefer a “money time is time” approach: if one person’s income significantly supports the household, the other person may take on a bit more housework. Other households hate this idea. Because it’s personal, income is optional and off by default.
If you enable it (by moving “Income adjustment strength” above 0%), we compute an income-based share:
IncomeShareA = IncomeB ÷ (IncomeA + IncomeB)
IncomeShareB = IncomeA ÷ (IncomeA + IncomeB)
Notice what that does: the higher earner gets a smaller chore share. Then we blend the result:
FinalShareA = (1 − t) × ShareA + t × IncomeShareA
Where t is your “Income adjustment strength” from 0 to 0.35. That cap is intentional — it keeps income from fully overruling time/energy (which would feel unfair in many real-world situations).
Person A works 40 hours, commutes 5 hours, sleeps 8 hours/night. Person B is the same. Both have 60% energy and you estimate 10 hours of chores (600 minutes). Availability is equal, energy is equal, so the split is about 50/50: around 300 minutes each (5 hours each).
Person A works 60 hours and commutes 8 hours. Person B works 35 hours and commutes 2 hours. Both sleep 8 hours/night. Energy: A is 45%, B is 75%. You estimate 14 hours of chores (840 minutes). The calculator will assign a larger share to Person B because B has more available time and energy. The output might land around 25% A / 75% B, depending on the sliders. That’s not “punishment” — it’s a temporary fairness match to current capacity.
Suppose the schedule split is 50/50, but Person A earns significantly more and your household agrees that income should shift chores a bit. Set Income adjustment strength to 30% and increase Person A income. You’ll see Person A’s chore share drop slightly. If that feels wrong, set the slider back to 0 — no judgment.
The calculator gives you weekly minutes and a suggested focus for each person. To make it actionable, assign ownership:
It’s not a psychological test — it’s a transparent workload model. The math is simple and the inputs are yours, which is the point: you can debate the assumptions and adjust them together.
Invisible chores (planning, scheduling, reminding, anticipating needs) are real work. Use the Energy slider to reflect that mental load, or increase total chore hours to include planning time.
Lower their Energy slider. Fairness is about capacity, not equality every single week. Re-run the calculator when things improve.
Only if you both agree it feels fair. Many couples prefer pure time/energy fairness. Others prefer a small income-based nudge. That’s why it’s optional and capped.
Treat the sliders like negotiation knobs. Don’t argue about the output; agree on the inputs. Once the inputs feel honest, the result is just math.
Yes. Rename Person A/B to names, set work/commute/energy, and use the result as a baseline. For 3+ people, run pairs and average, or create a shared “household hours” pool and assign rotations.
Note: People have different cleanliness standards. If you’re consistently fighting about “what counts as clean,” agree on a baseline standard first, then divide the work.
Want maximum peace? Make the plan visible and predictable — surprise chores feel like unfair chores.
MaximCalculator provides simple, user-friendly tools. Always treat results as guidance and double-check important decisions together.