The Paper Chore Chart: An Outdated Classic?

The magnetic board on the fridge with names and checked tasks... Who hasn't tried it? It's simple, visual, and costs almost nothing. But in practice, this system quickly shows its limits.

Limitations of the Paper Chart

No Historical Tracking

Once the week passes, you erase and start over. Impossible to objectively prove who did what over the last month. Discussions like "I always do more than you" remain unanswered.

No Task Weighting

Checking "dishes" and checking "deep cleaning" count the same on a chart. Yet the effort isn't comparable. The paper system can't reflect this difference.

Schedule Rigidity

"Monday is you, Tuesday is me." What happens if you're not there Monday? The system doesn't provide flexibility or catch-up.

No Remote Access

The chart is on the fridge. You're at the office wondering if the laundry was hung? Impossible to check.

Forgetfulness and Manipulation

You forget to check. Or worse, someone checks without having done it. No traceability, no accountability.

Digital Solutions: A Growing Market

Facing these limitations, many apps have emerged. Here are the main approaches.

Generic To-Do Lists (Todoist, Any.do...)

Advantages: Free, versatile, automatic reminders

Disadvantages: Not designed for shared household tasks. No notion of equity or contribution tracking. Who did what? Mystery.

Shared Calendars (Google Calendar)

Advantages: Free, time visualization

Disadvantages: Same, no tracking of who does what. You see what's planned, not what's done.

Household Apps with Rotation

Advantages: Designed for cleaning, automatic scheduling

Disadvantages: Rigid rotation system. No task weighting. No flexibility.

The FairChore Approach: Mathematical Equity

FairChore adopts a different philosophy: rather than imposing a schedule, the app lets everyone freely do what they want, when they want, and guarantees equity through the point system.

The Debt/Credit System

Each task has a point value. When you do a task, you gain points, and others lose some. The sum is always zero. The one who never does anything accumulates a visible "debt."

Task Weighting

Doing dishes (10 points) isn't the same as deep cleaning (50 points). The system objectively reflects effort expended.

Total Flexibility

No imposed schedule. You do more this week? You can ease up next week. Balance happens naturally over time.

Complete History

Who did what and when? Everything is recorded. No more sterile discussions about past contributions.

Affected Members

Unique feature: you can define who is affected by each task. A 6-year-old isn't affected by "cooking," an absent roommate isn't affected by the week's dishes.

Solution Comparison

Criteria	Paper Chart	Generic Apps	FairChore
Historical tracking	❌	⚠️ Limited	✅
Task weighting	❌	❌	✅
Proven equity	❌	❌	✅
Flexibility	❌	✅	✅
Mobile access	❌	✅	✅
Affected members	❌	❌	✅
Free	✅	✅ / Freemium	✅

How to Migrate to FairChore

Create your group: Family, roommates or couple
Invite members: By code or invitation link
Customize tasks: FairChore offers default tasks, but you can adapt everything
Adjust points: According to your group's perceived difficulty
Start recording: One click per completed task

Conclusion

The paper chart has had its day. For modern, fair, conflict-free chore management, digital solutions offer decisive advantages.

FairChore stands out with its unique approach based on mathematical equity and flexibility. No more rigid schedules and disputes about who does what: the points speak for themselves.

Ready to ditch the fridge chart? Try FairChore for free.