Domestic Bliss

If you're like me, one of the biggest surprises about living with a significant other is the amount of time/effort spent divvying up or hashing out chore duties. If you're used to doing dishes this way (ie every day vs every meal), he's used to cleaning up that way (once a week major clean ups vs every day tidying up), and the list goes on. Especially if the two of you can be a bit stubborn at times, things can get ugly. And the last thing you want to argue over is the Swiffer. Of course after some time and effort, every couple should be able to make a system that works for them- a little compromise and patience for one another can go a looong way.

(If none of the above applies to you, then congratu-freakin-lations.)

This article, I found on the ever informative Yahoo makes a ton of sense. Economics: the key to happy couples division of labor quotes that "splitting the dishes, laundry, vacuuming, and other household chores may seem fair, but an unbending line right down the middle can lead to more friction, not less, because no one is good and fast at all things. But when couples adopt the economic principle of “comparative advantage,” which says it’s not efficient to take on every task you’re good at, only the ones you are relatively better at, couples can gain time for the things they really want to do."

Granted, no one wants to mow the lawn or pick up Scruffy's poo in the yard, but if one partner likes to spend more time outdoors than the other, then those chores would be designated for them. Same goes for cooking and post-dinner cleanup: if one partner is the better cook- they cook, while the other (who may be quicker at cleaning up those grungy pans after) does the dirty work. For us, Ross is simply better than me at laundry tasks- he has a serious case of SFP-Severe Folding Particularity- and loves for things to be organized (and Lord knows I don't want him to refold after I spent 20 minutes doing it already). It's all about allocating time and resources to do chores you are better/faster at, so that the time you do spend together as a couple is better spent.

The book that the article is based on is Spousanomics: Using Economics to Master Love, Marriage, and Dirty Dishes.by Paula Szuchman and Jenny Anderson, but I think a better name for it would be Cohabitationomics (as many couples do live together and have the same issues as married couples, duh). Take a peek at the article and let me know what you think!

xo,
L