Chore Wheel for Roommates: Split Tasks Fairly

Agree on the household rules before using the Wheel

Random selection can distribute agreed chores, but it cannot create the agreement. Roommates should first decide which spaces and supplies are shared, how often each job is needed, what completion looks like, and when assignments reset. A visible rule prevents the Wheel from becoming a substitute for a missing household conversation.

Start with shared responsibilities such as kitchen surfaces, common floors, rubbish and recycling, or a shared bathroom. Keep personal bedrooms, private laundry, somebody else’s possessions, and lease or maintenance duties out unless everyone has explicitly agreed otherwise. University Housing at UW–Madison similarly recommends an open conversation about shared-space expectations, a cleaning routine that can include a chore chart, and a date to revisit the agreement.

The quick-start list contains Clean kitchen surfaces, Vacuum shared floors, Clean shared bathroom, Rubbish and recycling, Dust common areas, and Clean fridge and microwave. Treat it as an editable example, not a universal rota: remove anything that is not shared or appropriate and replace it with the household’s actual agreed work.

Write a short definition for any disputed chore outside the Wheel. “Clean shared bathroom” might mean wipe the sink and mirror, clean the toilet, empty the bin, and mop the floor. The Wheel needs only the short label, while the household note keeps the agreed standard and avoids filling a Shared Setup with addresses or personal details.

Make the chores comparable before assigning them

A random result is not automatically a fair workload. Break a very large chore into smaller Entries, bundle several tiny jobs, or agree on time limits so the options are reasonably comparable. Handle preferences, physical access, schedules, equipment, and safety before a chore becomes eligible.

Do not duplicate an unpleasant chore to make it more likely to appear. Duplicate Entries change the odds; they do not make the work more equal. If one task consistently takes twice as long, split it, pair it with fewer future duties, or assign it through a direct rotation everyone understands.

Use one no-repeat Selection per roommate

For a simple weekly allocation, put only the current chores on the Wheel, turn repeats off, agree on the order in which roommates will select, and let each person accept one result. Because each selected chore leaves the eligible pool, the same task cannot be assigned twice during that round.

Randomly is a single-list selector, not an automatic person-to-task matching system. Putting names and chores together on one Wheel would produce ambiguous results. The clean workflow is chores on the Wheel and roommates taking turns; for a long-running rota, keep the durable schedule in a shared chart or task system.

UC San Diego recommends discussing the division of household duties and using a daily or weekly cleaning schedule. Columbia University publishes a simple dated roommate chore chart. Both reinforce the important distinction: the Wheel can make the current allocation visible, but the household still needs a record and a reset rhythm.

1. Review the chore list together and remove work that is private, unavailable, unsafe, already complete, or not comparable.
2. Paste each eligible chore once, keep repeat Winners off, and confirm the reset date before the first Selection.
3. Choose a neutral selection order, or rotate who selects first each week. Each roommate makes one Selection and records the assignment in the household’s usual shared note or chart.
4. If chores outnumber roommates, begin a second pass in the same order or create agreed bundles before starting. Do not improvise a new rule after seeing the results.
5. Use Undo only for a real setup mistake. At the next review, update the chores and Reset to make the new round eligible.

Know when random assignment is the wrong method

Do not randomize a chore when it requires training, creates a safety risk, conflicts with an accommodation, depends on somebody’s work schedule, or carries a clearly different cost. Talk directly and assign the work by capability, availability, preference, or an agreed rotation instead.

Entries stay in the browser by default. A Shared Setup stores its configuration in the URL fragment, which the Randomly server does not receive with the page request, but anyone with the complete link can read it. Use ordinary task labels, omit names and addresses where possible, and keep private disputes or personal circumstances out of the Wheel.

The Wheel should reduce one small allocation decision, not decide who is responsible for damage, money, lease obligations, pets, medication, caregiving, or another consequential duty. Those questions need explicit agreement and the appropriate documented process.