Study Says Men Only “Own” One Household Task at Home

Amy brought a question to the Bobby Bones Show, asking what the only household task is that men fully own, including both the planning and the doing.

She clarified that the question came from the Journal of Family Psychology, which examined 30 household tasks and found that only one was fully owned by men. The guys first discussed whether yard work would qualify, but Amy clarified that the category was specifically household tasks, so yard work was excluded. Bobby suggested taking out the trash, explaining that at his house it was his responsibility, even though he sometimes needed reminders and occasionally forgot to replace the liner. Amy questioned whether it counted as full ownership if reminders were necessary. Eddie guessed that it was securing the house at night by locking doors and turning off lights. Eddie said he fully handles that responsibility, partly due to anxiety about safety, and said his wife notices when he is not home to go through the checklist. Lunchbox suggested controlling the remote and choosing what to watch on television, saying he always has control of it. Amy then revealed that the correct answer was taking out the trash. She clarified that the study did not suggest partners do not care about other tasks, but rather highlighted how the mental load of household responsibilities is distributed. According to the findings, men tend to handle trash responsibilities.

The conversation then shifted to discussing the worst household chore. Bobby said folding clothes was the worst, explaining frustration with mismatched socks. Noting he would rather clean a toilet than fold laundry. Eddie said dishes were the worst, even with a dishwasher, because loading it is still required. Amy thought cleaning toilets and scrubbing a shower were some of the worst tasks. Bobby argued that that laundry happens more frequently than scrubbing a shower, so the bathroom cleans don't feel as bad.