How to share a home to-do list with your partner (so you both actually use it)

In most homes, one person carries the list. They know the gutters are due, the tap in the ensuite drips and the side gate won’t latch. The other person would happily help, if only they knew what needed doing. That’s how a to-do list turns into nagging.

A shared list fixes it. Both of you can add what you notice, see what’s left, and pick something off when you’ve got a spare half hour. Nobody has to be the project manager.

Why the usual ways fall apart

Method	What goes wrong
One person’s notes app	Only one of you can see it, so only one of you uses it
Family group chat	Jobs get buried under school notices and dinner plans
Whiteboard on the fridge	Useless when you’re standing in the hardware store
Shared spreadsheet	Nobody opens a spreadsheet with a toddler on their hip

What works is a list that lives on both phones, updates by itself, and takes seconds to add to.

How sharing a house works in Jib

1. Open Settings and find Share this house under Your house.
2. Tap Invite someone. Jib gives you a 6-character code, like K7Q 2MX.
3. Send it by text, email or whatever you like. The code works for 7 days.
4. Your partner opens Jib, signs in, goes to Settings › Join a house and types the code.

That’s it. The house appears on their phone with everything in it.

What you both see

• Every job, in every space. Add a job on your phone and it shows up on theirs a few seconds later.
• The shopping list. Whoever’s passing the hardware store can grab what’s needed, and tick it off.
• Photos and the timeline. Before and after photos from both of you land in the same gallery.
• The inventory. One list of the tools you own between you, so neither of you buys a second stud finder.

If you both edit at the same time, Jib keeps both changes. One of you can add a job while the other ticks one off, and nothing gets lost.

Tips for sharing the load without the nagging

• Snap it, don’t say it. When you notice something, add it to the list instead of mentioning it. It won’t get forgotten, and it doesn’t feel like a demand.
• Let the time estimates do the matching. Every job shows roughly how long it takes. Whoever has 20 minutes free can pick a 20-minute job.
• Star the ones that matter. Starred jobs sit at the top as Priority, so the urgent stuff is obvious to both of you.
• Split by type, not by fairness. One of you might love garden jobs and hate painting. Let people claim what they like.
• Tick things off together. Seeing the Completed list grow is oddly motivating.

Housemates, family and rentals

Sharing isn’t just for couples. People share a house in Jib with:

• Housemates keeping on top of a rental together
• Grown-up kids helping look after a parent’s place
• Co-owners of a holiday house

Each house is shared separately, so sharing your home doesn’t share your rental or the beach house.

Frequently asked questions

Does my partner need to pay? Sharing a house is part of Jib’s paid plans, but the person you invite can join for free. The AI features they use on their own phone follow their own plan.

Can I stop sharing? Yes. The person who shared the house can remove anyone or stop sharing at any time from Settings. You keep the house and everything in it.

What if my partner leaves? Anyone can leave a shared house from Settings. The jobs and photos they added stay in the house.

Do they see my other houses? No. Only the house you shared.

Does it work if we’re both offline? Your changes are saved on your phone straight away and sync when you’re back online.

This guide is general information, not legal or professional advice. Rules differ between states, councils and individual properties, and they change. Confirm with your state regulator or council before starting work, and if in doubt, get a licensed tradesperson.