Stock image of housekeeper cleaning.Photo:GettyThe original poster (OP) agreed to split household chores 50/50 despite splitting expenses 75/25 with his girlfriendOP hired a housekeeper to handle his chores only, upsetting his girlfriend, who feels the setup is unfairCommenters believe OP had the right to do what he did because his girlfriend is particular about how she cleansDividing household responsibilities can be a tricky topic to tackle in any relationship. One man’s approach has resulted in backlash from his girlfriend, leading him to ask Reddit if he’s in the wrong.On the site’sAmITheA—— subreddit, one user shared the story of how he handled dividing chores with his girlfriend after she moved in. The original poster (OP) used some creative solutions his partner wasn’t too pleased with.“My girlfriend moved to my house 6 months ago,” he explained. “Despite me paying 3/4 of the rent (she is a student), we still agreed that we would split the chores of the house 50/50.“OP explained his girlfriend “doesn’t have OCD, but she borderline can sometimes be when it comes to cleaning; everything must be done her way.““I cleaned the kitchen, and there was some dust on top of the fridge? Now I didn’t clean properly and I’m just doing things the wrong way so I can get away without cleaning properly. I do laundry, and I miss-paired some socks that look similar? I’m just trying to be annoying on purpose,” he shared as examples.“Since she wasn’t happy about my cleaning and it was a constant problem, I decided to hire a professional cleaner to come once a week and do all of the chores that were assigned to me: cleaning the bathroom, living room, kitchen, windows, doing laundry, etc.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Stock image of person doing dishes.GettyOP thought this would solve the problem and notes that while he does get outside help, “this doesn’t mean I don’t do any work around the house.““I still take the trash out and clean dishes if the cleaner won’t come in the next three days. I’ll also do some handiwork required occasionally that my girlfriend doesn’t know how to do,” he wrote.OP’s girlfriend went along with the agreement for five months before she complained that it “isn’t fair because while she is cleaning and using her free time to do her chores, I just sit on my computer playing games.““I told her that her chores were her own responsibility and that we agreed to split 50/50, I just offloaded my work to another person,” he shared.“She told me that being in a relationship is about helping each other and not being petty about things. I told her that she should have applied the same mindset when I was doing the chores myself and she was complaining all the time,” he concluded, asking Redditors to weigh in on whether he was in the wrong.Stock image overhead view of woman vacuuming.GettyMany in the replies felt that OP wasn’t wrong for handling a situation in his own home how he saw fit.“You are still helping. You’re PAYING someone to complete your 50% of the chores to a higher standard to please her. You are doing exactly what she stated there,” one commenterreasoned, adding, “The REAL problem now is she is jealous she cannot offload her chores to a professional. I think she expects you to pay the cleaner to do her 50% of the chores as well.“Another commenterwrote, “You are responsible for ensuring that half the chores are completed, and you’ve made arrangements to meet that expectation. She doesn’t get to be upset about how they are done. ‘She told me being in a relationship is helping each other’ is kind of a tough sell from her when she ‘helps’ a quarter of the bills and complains when you clean things yourself. She seems like a lot to deal with.“However, a few commenters pointed to the bigger issue at hand — communication between the newly cohabitating couple.“You are both in a combative mode about cleaning. The best solution would have been for the two of you to jointly hire a cleaner to take care of all the tasks,” theysuggested.
Stock image of housekeeper cleaning.Photo:Getty
Getty
The original poster (OP) agreed to split household chores 50/50 despite splitting expenses 75/25 with his girlfriendOP hired a housekeeper to handle his chores only, upsetting his girlfriend, who feels the setup is unfairCommenters believe OP had the right to do what he did because his girlfriend is particular about how she cleansDividing household responsibilities can be a tricky topic to tackle in any relationship. One man’s approach has resulted in backlash from his girlfriend, leading him to ask Reddit if he’s in the wrong.On the site’sAmITheA—— subreddit, one user shared the story of how he handled dividing chores with his girlfriend after she moved in. The original poster (OP) used some creative solutions his partner wasn’t too pleased with.“My girlfriend moved to my house 6 months ago,” he explained. “Despite me paying 3/4 of the rent (she is a student), we still agreed that we would split the chores of the house 50/50.“OP explained his girlfriend “doesn’t have OCD, but she borderline can sometimes be when it comes to cleaning; everything must be done her way.““I cleaned the kitchen, and there was some dust on top of the fridge? Now I didn’t clean properly and I’m just doing things the wrong way so I can get away without cleaning properly. I do laundry, and I miss-paired some socks that look similar? I’m just trying to be annoying on purpose,” he shared as examples.“Since she wasn’t happy about my cleaning and it was a constant problem, I decided to hire a professional cleaner to come once a week and do all of the chores that were assigned to me: cleaning the bathroom, living room, kitchen, windows, doing laundry, etc.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Stock image of person doing dishes.GettyOP thought this would solve the problem and notes that while he does get outside help, “this doesn’t mean I don’t do any work around the house.““I still take the trash out and clean dishes if the cleaner won’t come in the next three days. I’ll also do some handiwork required occasionally that my girlfriend doesn’t know how to do,” he wrote.OP’s girlfriend went along with the agreement for five months before she complained that it “isn’t fair because while she is cleaning and using her free time to do her chores, I just sit on my computer playing games.““I told her that her chores were her own responsibility and that we agreed to split 50/50, I just offloaded my work to another person,” he shared.“She told me that being in a relationship is about helping each other and not being petty about things. I told her that she should have applied the same mindset when I was doing the chores myself and she was complaining all the time,” he concluded, asking Redditors to weigh in on whether he was in the wrong.Stock image overhead view of woman vacuuming.GettyMany in the replies felt that OP wasn’t wrong for handling a situation in his own home how he saw fit.“You are still helping. You’re PAYING someone to complete your 50% of the chores to a higher standard to please her. You are doing exactly what she stated there,” one commenterreasoned, adding, “The REAL problem now is she is jealous she cannot offload her chores to a professional. I think she expects you to pay the cleaner to do her 50% of the chores as well.“Another commenterwrote, “You are responsible for ensuring that half the chores are completed, and you’ve made arrangements to meet that expectation. She doesn’t get to be upset about how they are done. ‘She told me being in a relationship is helping each other’ is kind of a tough sell from her when she ‘helps’ a quarter of the bills and complains when you clean things yourself. She seems like a lot to deal with.“However, a few commenters pointed to the bigger issue at hand — communication between the newly cohabitating couple.“You are both in a combative mode about cleaning. The best solution would have been for the two of you to jointly hire a cleaner to take care of all the tasks,” theysuggested.
Dividing household responsibilities can be a tricky topic to tackle in any relationship. One man’s approach has resulted in backlash from his girlfriend, leading him to ask Reddit if he’s in the wrong.
On the site’sAmITheA—— subreddit, one user shared the story of how he handled dividing chores with his girlfriend after she moved in. The original poster (OP) used some creative solutions his partner wasn’t too pleased with.
“My girlfriend moved to my house 6 months ago,” he explained. “Despite me paying 3/4 of the rent (she is a student), we still agreed that we would split the chores of the house 50/50.”
OP explained his girlfriend “doesn’t have OCD, but she borderline can sometimes be when it comes to cleaning; everything must be done her way.”
“I cleaned the kitchen, and there was some dust on top of the fridge? Now I didn’t clean properly and I’m just doing things the wrong way so I can get away without cleaning properly. I do laundry, and I miss-paired some socks that look similar? I’m just trying to be annoying on purpose,” he shared as examples.
“Since she wasn’t happy about my cleaning and it was a constant problem, I decided to hire a professional cleaner to come once a week and do all of the chores that were assigned to me: cleaning the bathroom, living room, kitchen, windows, doing laundry, etc.”
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Stock image of person doing dishes.Getty
OP thought this would solve the problem and notes that while he does get outside help, “this doesn’t mean I don’t do any work around the house.”
“I still take the trash out and clean dishes if the cleaner won’t come in the next three days. I’ll also do some handiwork required occasionally that my girlfriend doesn’t know how to do,” he wrote.
OP’s girlfriend went along with the agreement for five months before she complained that it “isn’t fair because while she is cleaning and using her free time to do her chores, I just sit on my computer playing games.”
“I told her that her chores were her own responsibility and that we agreed to split 50/50, I just offloaded my work to another person,” he shared.
“She told me that being in a relationship is about helping each other and not being petty about things. I told her that she should have applied the same mindset when I was doing the chores myself and she was complaining all the time,” he concluded, asking Redditors to weigh in on whether he was in the wrong.
Stock image overhead view of woman vacuuming.Getty
Many in the replies felt that OP wasn’t wrong for handling a situation in his own home how he saw fit.
“You are still helping. You’re PAYING someone to complete your 50% of the chores to a higher standard to please her. You are doing exactly what she stated there,” one commenterreasoned, adding, “The REAL problem now is she is jealous she cannot offload her chores to a professional. I think she expects you to pay the cleaner to do her 50% of the chores as well.”
Another commenterwrote, “You are responsible for ensuring that half the chores are completed, and you’ve made arrangements to meet that expectation. She doesn’t get to be upset about how they are done. ‘She told me being in a relationship is helping each other’ is kind of a tough sell from her when she ‘helps’ a quarter of the bills and complains when you clean things yourself. She seems like a lot to deal with.”
However, a few commenters pointed to the bigger issue at hand — communication between the newly cohabitating couple.
“You are both in a combative mode about cleaning. The best solution would have been for the two of you to jointly hire a cleaner to take care of all the tasks,” theysuggested.
source: people.com
