Everyday Chores at Home: 300 English Phrases

Getting Up

I have already hit snooze twice this morning.
The alarm goes off at half past six every weekday.
I used to get up at eight, but the dog changed that.
First I open the curtains and let the light in.
I am going to make the bed before I forget.
Why are my slippers never where I left them?
Do you check your phone before you get out of bed?
I have not managed to wake up early all week.
A cold shower wakes me up faster than coffee.
While the kettle boils, I put yesterday's clothes away.
It takes me about twenty minutes to feel human.
How long does your morning routine usually take?

Breakfast and Coffee

I have run out of coffee again, so it is tea today.
Porridge takes five minutes and keeps me full until lunch.
I usually have toast standing up, which my wife hates.
The bread has gone stale, but it is fine toasted.
I should stop skipping breakfast on busy mornings.
Do you eat breakfast at home or on the way?
I have been drinking my coffee black for a month.
There is no milk left, so black coffee it is.
Why does the first pancake always come out wrong?
Scrambled eggs are my limit as a cook in the morning.
I am going to buy a bigger cup this weekend.
Nothing beats breakfast on a slow Sunday morning.

Doing the Dishes

I hate leaving dirty dishes in the sink overnight.
The dishwasher has finished, but nobody has emptied it.
I will load it properly, or half the plates stay dirty.
We have run out of dishwasher tablets again.
Some pans have to be washed by hand.
I rinse the cups straight away, it saves time later.
Do you wash up as you cook or afterwards?
The tea towel is damp, so everything dries slowly.
How have I broken two glasses in one month?
Burnt pots need to soak for an hour.
I do not mind washing up if music is on.
Putting everything away is the part I keep postponing.

Bins and Wiping Down

I need to take the bins out before the truck comes.
The bin bag has split again, which is the worst.
We sort plastic and glass, though it takes extra space.
I always wipe down the counters after cooking.
Crumbs get everywhere if you do not sweep straight away.
The bin smells, so I am going to change it now.
Have you ever forgotten to take the rubbish out for a week?
I keep a spare roll of bags under the sink.
Where does all this packaging come from every week?
I do not throw away food if it can be frozen.
Wiping the table takes ten seconds and saves a lot.
The kitchen feels twice as big when the counters are clear.

Laundry Day

I have put a dark wash on before work.
Whites and colours should go in separate loads.
The machine is full, so the rest can wait until tomorrow.
I always check pockets after washing a tissue once.
This shirt has shrunk, although I used a cold wash.
How often do you change the bed sheets?
I have not sorted the laundry basket since Sunday.
Where do all the single socks actually go?
A short cycle is enough for lightly worn clothes.
I use half the powder the box recommends.
The machine beeps and I pretend not to hear it.
Wet clothes left overnight smell terrible by morning.

Drying and Ironing

I hang everything on the dryer by the window.
Towels take two days to dry in this weather.
Shirts dry almost smooth if you shake them first.
I would rather hang things out than use the dryer.
I have been avoiding the ironing pile for days.
Do you iron bed linen or is that too much?
The iron leaks if I fill it too full.
I only iron the collar and the front, honestly.
Folding while it is warm saves ironing later.
Nothing goes back in the wardrobe until it is dry.
Is a steamer really faster than an iron?
Clean laundry smells better than any air freshener.

Dust and the Vacuum

Dust builds up on the shelves within a week.
I vacuum the flat every Saturday morning.
The vacuum has lost suction, so the filter needs cleaning.
I move the chairs first, otherwise I miss half the floor.
A damp cloth picks up more dust than a dry one.
Have you ever vacuumed under the sofa and regretted it?
I do not dust the top shelf as often as I should.
Pet hair gets into everything, even the curtains.
I have emptied the vacuum twice today already.
Why do skirting boards look awful once you notice them?
It takes forty minutes to do the whole flat properly.
The place feels calmer when the dust is gone.

Floors and the Bathroom

I mop the kitchen floor after I vacuum.
The bathroom needs a proper clean once a week.
Limescale builds up on the taps very quickly here.
I scrub the tiles while the shower is still steamy.
Mirrors streak unless you dry them with something soft.
Do you wear gloves when you clean the bathroom?
I have not cleaned the grout since we moved in.
The mop leaves the floor too wet, so I wring it out.
I keep all the cleaning things in one basket.
Does vinegar really work better than expensive sprays?
Wet floors and socks are a bad combination.
A clean bathroom makes the whole flat feel looked after.

Bed and Bedding

I change the sheets every Sunday without fail.
Putting a duvet cover on is a two-person job.
I have washed the pillowcases, but they are still damp.
Fresh bedding is the best part of the week.
We used to have a heavy blanket, now we prefer a duvet.
How often do you turn your mattress over?
I do not make the bed if I am in a hurry.
The spare set lives in the cupboard in the hall.
I air the room before I put clean sheets on.
When did that pillow go completely flat?
I am going to buy a lighter duvet for summer.
Even a made bed makes the whole room look tidy.

Putting Things Away

I put things away as I go, or chaos wins.
The chair in the hall has turned into a pile of clothes.
We have collected too many things we never use.
I am going to sort out the wardrobe this weekend.
If I have not worn it for a year, it goes.
Do you keep cables you cannot even identify?
Everything has a place, though not everything is in it.
I have filled two bags for the charity shop.
Why will this drawer never close properly?
Boxes under the bed hide the mess quite well.
I never throw away instruction manuals, and I never read them.
Ten minutes of tidying changes how the flat feels.

The Fridge

Half the fridge is jars we opened months ago.
I check the dates before I put the shopping away.
The milk has gone off, although the date says Friday.
I defrost the freezer twice a year, more or less.
Vegetables last longer in the bottom drawer.
How often do you actually clean inside your fridge?
I have thrown out a whole bag of salad again.
We keep bread in a box, not in the fridge.
Leftovers go on the middle shelf where I can see them.
The freezer is full, so nothing else fits this week.
I do not buy in bulk anymore, it always spoils.
An empty fridge on Sunday evening is a sad sight.

Shopping and Delivery

I keep a shopping list on my phone all week.
We have run out of washing powder and toilet paper.
I order the heavy things online and carry the rest.
The delivery slot is between six and eight tonight.
Shopping while hungry costs me at least ten pounds.
Do you plan meals for the week or buy day by day?
How did I forget the one thing I went out for?
Own-brand products are usually just as good.
I always take my own bags, though I often leave them home.
The shop round the corner is open until eleven.
Prices have gone up noticeably since last spring.
Unpacking the shopping is somehow worse than buying it.

Cooking Dinner

I am making something simple, because it is already late.
Dinner takes half an hour if everything is chopped first.
I have been cooking the same five dishes for years.
Soup is the easiest way to use up old vegetables.
I taste everything twice while I cook, which is dangerous.
What do you cook when you have no energy at all?
I do not follow recipes exactly, I never have.
Pasta water should taste like the sea, they say.
I have burnt the garlic again, so I am starting over.
Does everything really taste better cooked together?
The smell of onions frying makes the flat feel like home.
I always cook more than we need, just in case.

Hob, Oven and Microwave

The oven takes ten minutes to heat up properly.
I set a timer, otherwise I forget things completely.
The microwave is for reheating, not for cooking, in my opinion.
That ring on the hob has stopped working.
I should clean the oven, but I keep putting it off.
Do you cover food in the microwave or risk it?
The extractor fan is louder than the television.
I have splattered oil across the whole hob again.
Foil on the tray saves half the washing up.
I never leave the kitchen while something is frying.
Why does baking make a flat smell like home?
A slow cooker would save me an hour every evening.

Leftovers

I put the leftovers in a container while they are warm.
Tomorrow's lunch is tonight's dinner, and I am fine with that.
None of my lids match their boxes anymore.
I label the freezer bags, otherwise it is a lottery.
Rice should not be kept for more than a day.
Do you eat leftovers cold or reheat them properly?
What is this container at the back of the fridge?
Soup tastes better on the second day, everyone knows that.
We do not waste food, we just postpone the decision.
Glass containers are heavier but they last for years.
I freeze portions on Sunday and thank myself on Wednesday.
An organised fridge means fewer takeaways during the week.

Small Repairs

The handle on the cupboard door has come loose again.
I have been meaning to fix that shelf for a month.
A screwdriver and five minutes solve most of it.
The door squeaks, although I oiled it in spring.
I watched a video and fixed it myself.
Do you call someone or try to repair things first?
Why does my toolbox have everything except what I need?
I have not hung that picture since we moved in.
The chair wobbles, so I put paper under one leg.
Tape is a temporary solution that lasts for years.
I would rather spend an hour than pay for a call-out.
Fixing something small yourself feels surprisingly good.

Bulbs and Batteries

The bulb in the hall has gone again.
I have switched everything to LED to save money.
There are never enough sockets where you need them.
The remote has died, and we have no batteries left.
I keep spare bulbs in the drawer for this reason.
Have you ever changed a bulb and still had no light?
The extension lead behind the sofa worries me slightly.
I do not leave chargers plugged in overnight.
Warm light makes the room feel much cosier.
Why does the fuse go whenever I turn the kettle on?
I am going to put a lamp by the armchair.
Good lighting changes a flat more than new furniture.

Taps and Drains

The kitchen tap has been dripping since Tuesday.
A new washer costs almost nothing and takes minutes.
The sink is draining slowly, so something is stuck.
I pour boiling water down the drain once a week.
We should not put oil down the sink at all.
Do you know where your water stopcock is?
The shower pressure has dropped since last month.
I have cleaned the filter and it works fine now.
How much water has that little leak wasted?
Hair in the plughole is the usual culprit.
I am not brave enough to touch the pipes myself.
Silence in the kitchen at night means the tap is fixed.

Appliances

The washing machine makes a strange noise when it spins.
I have descaled the kettle and it boils faster now.
The fridge hums loudly whenever the kitchen gets warm.
Our vacuum is ten years old and still going.
I should read the manual before pressing random buttons.
Is it worth repairing an old appliance these days?
The guarantee ran out two months before it broke.
I have unplugged it and plugged it in again, of course.
Filters need cleaning more often than people think.
We do not buy the cheapest option anymore.
Why does everything break in the same week?
A quiet machine is worth the extra money.

Bills

The electricity bill arrived this morning and it hurt.
I send the meter readings on the first of the month.
We have switched to a cheaper tariff since the autumn.
I pay everything by direct debit so I do not forget.
Heating is the biggest part of our winter bills.
Do you check your bills or just pay them?
I have not paid the internet yet, and it is due today.
Turning the thermostat down by one degree adds up.
How did they put the prices up so quietly?
I keep all the receipts in one folder now.
We do not use half the services we pay for.
Sorting the bills once a month takes twenty minutes.

Plants at Home

I water the plants on Saturdays, and they survive.
This one has grown twice as tall since spring.
How have I managed to kill three cacti?
The leaves have gone yellow, so I am watering too much.
Most plants prefer light but not direct sun.
Do you talk to your plants when nobody is home?
I repot them in spring, or they stop growing.
The herbs on the windowsill actually get used.
I do not buy flowers often, but they change a room.
Someone waters them while we are away.
Dust on the leaves stops them breathing properly.
Green things in the corner make the flat feel alive.

Living with Pets

The cat wakes me up before the alarm every day.
I walk the dog twice a day, whatever the weather.
Their bowls get washed as often as ours.
I have been brushing him daily to save the sofa.
We used to leave food out all day, now we do not.
How do you get pet hair off a dark coat?
The litter tray has to be cleaned every single day.
He has chewed through another charging cable.
The vet appointment is on Thursday afternoon.
I do not let him on the bed, in theory.
Is all that mess worth it in the end?
Pets turn a flat into a household very quickly.

Windows and Fresh Air

I open the windows for ten minutes every morning.
The flat gets stuffy if nobody airs it.
I have washed the windows twice this year, no more.
Newspaper leaves fewer streaks than any cloth.
The balcony has become a storage room, unfortunately.
Do you dry your washing on the balcony in winter?
Fresh air helps more than any air freshener.
We should clear the balcony before the summer.
When did the blinds get so dusty?
I do not open the windows when the street is loud.
Sunlight through clean glass changes the whole room.
Ten minutes of airing is worth an hour of cleaning.

Sharing the Chores

We split the chores, although not exactly equally.
I cook and she cleans, which suits us both.
The children have their own jobs from Monday to Friday.
Nobody wants to take the bins out, ever.
We have a list on the fridge that mostly works.
Who does the washing up in your house?
I have stopped redoing what somebody else has done.
Is it worth arguing about chores for twenty minutes?
Saturday morning is when we do the big clean.
It is fairer if everyone chooses what they hate least.
Doing it together takes half the time.
A shared flat works only if the rules are clear.

Evening and Tomorrow

I tidy the kitchen before I sit down, always.
Coming down to a clean kitchen changes the morning.
I have set the coffee machine for seven o'clock.
Clothes for tomorrow are already on the chair.
I check the door and the windows before bed.
What is the last thing you do before you sleep?
I do not start anything new after ten at night.
Ten minutes now saves half an hour tomorrow.
The dishwasher runs overnight while we sleep.
I have written tomorrow's list, so my head is empty.
Is there a better sound than a quiet flat at eleven?
Home looks after you if you look after it.