When it comes to rules, you either love them or hate them. And while they are not for everyone, if they can bring harmony to your home they could work for you.
In this article we share some examples of house rules you may want to follow as well as some small things that could be done every day to make home life easier and more fun.
Customising rules for your family home
Every home is different, and whether you live with family, friends or on your own, good habits can lead to a contented home.
Redrow homeowners @cambridge_no11 AKA Megan Bell and Andrew McQuillan shared a few of their house rules on Instagram, including how they stay ahead of home trends 2025 and allocate responsibilities:
- Kitchen shutdown every night before bed
- Weekly clean every Thursday evening
- Laundry is done everyday so there are no washing piles
- Kitchen shelves are to be styled differently every few months
- Megan is in charge of seasonal styling
- The house has to have two Christmas trees
- DIY, garden and outdoor jobs are Andrew’s responsibility
- Blinds are opened every day and windows are opened to let fresh air in
- The office is Andrew’s space, the dressing room is Megan’s
- Interior design is Andrew’s domain
Megan, who runs the account, said: “House rules are essential to keep our home organised. I believe a tidy home means a tidy mind. Rules create clear boundaries for us as a couple and it’s something we will implement once we have children too. My advice to anyone wanting to implement house rules is to start simple. Prioritise jobs by importance and go from there.”
Rules for shared spaces
Our homes are designed to offer you the perfect mix of open plan areas – social spaces that are designed to be the lively hub of your family home – and separate rooms that are more suitable for quieter relaxation, contemplation, home working and watching TV. One of the major benefits of open plan living is how it encourages sociable living where there’s room to spread out and be together.
Dividing and conquering will allow jobs to be done fairly and efficiently, particularly in shared spaces like the kitchen and living room. If someone cooks, the other person could wash up. Or if someone is putting the children to bed, the other one can be tidying up downstairs.
TikTok account @82pondview says the non-negotiables in her home include making beds, saying good morning and good night, removing shoes at the door, eating around the table together and opening curtains. Having a home with plenty of natural light was a popular choice in our recent survey to find out what makes a house a home.
House rules for couples
Whether you’re due to move in with your partner for the first time or have been living with someone for a number of years, it’s never too late (or too early) to lay down some rules.
Meg and Kieran, the couple behind TikTok account @82rick, say some of their “unspoken rules” include sharing the weekly clean, having their dehumidifier and air purifier on and keeping plants watered and healthy.
Small rules that might not take too much effort, but go a long way to keeping the peace, include replacing toilet roll, taking the bin out when it’s full and replacing the bin bag and putting clothes in the wash basket, not on the floor.
Making homelife easier for families with children
Some rules for a happy home where children live may include following an established weekly routine as this will provide structure and stability. This could include all eating dinner together at the same time and making time for a family game once a week.
When it comes to children’s toys, a good rule to lay down is ‘if you get something out, put it back where it came from.’ Show them that everything has a place and model tidying up, so they copy. Read our advice on how to design and maintain order in your playroom.
One way to encourage children to tidy could be to play music and turn tidying up into a game, set a timer and see how much they can get done in that time. For advice on how to organise your home, read our tips for cleaning a cluttered house.
House tips for multigenerational families
For households that have a number of generations living under one roof, one house rule could be taking it in turns to make dinner. Our larger five-bedroom homes like the Hampstead and the Highgrove feature expansive open-plan kitchen dining and family areas, perfect for spending time cooking and eating together. This is a great opportunity for grandparents to pass on family recipes and for the younger generations to get lots of practice in that’ll come in handy when they move out of the family home.
Grandparents and young grandchildren could also oversee washing the dishes after meals.
Eco-friendly habits for a greener home
Some rules to consider if you want to try and be more sustainable at home include switching lights off if the room is not being used and turning appliances off at the wall instead of leaving them on standby.
Recycling is another great rule to follow to be more sustainable. With options and extras such as an eco waste bin and water butt, you can encourage sustainable living at home. You could even decide to always have your food shop delivered – this way just one van drives around delivering to everyone and it means you’re less likely to impulse buy which can help to reduce food waste. To share this job, you could take turns ordering this each week as this will help you mix up dinner choices too.
And of course, you’re helping to reduce your carbon footprint by if you choose a new Redrow home with an air source heat pump. Our Eco Electric homes are helping us go beyond the Future Home Standard 2025. They also won the Gold Award for Best Energy Efficient Homes at the 2024 WhatHouse? Awards. To find out where you can purchase one of our Eco Electric homes visit our website.
Some other house rules to consider introducing in your home might be:
- If it’s not on the shopping list, it isn’t being bought
- No dirty plates or cups left in bedrooms
- Set a 10-minute timer after dinner to tidy the kitchen
- Everyone takes part in a Sunday reset to get the house ready for the new week
Tips on how to share housework
To ensure there’s a happy home, jobs should be shared amongst all occupants. The first thing to do would be to make a list of all the chores that need to be done. Together, split the list into things that need to be done daily, weekly and occasionally.
If you or someone you live with enjoys doing a particular job - for example they love home organisation hacks or they are already researching 2025 home decor colours –let them take ownership. Tasks that take longer such as gardening might be best done together or by taking turns.
If you have children, give them small tasks, such as emptying the dishwasher, tidying their room or putting clean washing away and reward them for doing a good job.
Embracing the new year in your dream home
Rules don’t always have to be boring. If you both love cooking, do it together. Try new recipes and make it something you can look forward to at the weekend. Decorating can be another task to be shared. Why not research together home decor ideas 2025 or choose a room each to style if you both enjoy interior design. Read our interior design trends for 2025 for more inspiration.
Rules to have some fun:
- Once a month try a new hobby or get out your comfort zone by trying something new
- Have one night a week with no phones – use the time to connect with family members
- If you’re a couple, take turns to choose a weekly date night activity
Welcoming the new year in a new Redrow home
A new year is an exciting time to press reset and start 2025 as you mean to go on.
If you’re set to move into a new home, you’ll want to read our life hacks for moving into a new home. Or if you’re still considering your options read our 10 signs it’s time to move.
