Repeat from completion vs fixed schedule for chores
Most chores should repeat from the day you complete them. If you finish late, the next date moves too, so a chore never comes back too soon. Chores tied to the calendar, like trash day, should use a fixed schedule instead. One reviewer described the problem exactly: "I set a chore to be done every 3 months. The app reminded me it needed to be done 23 days after I marked it completed."
The difference
Example: "Clean the AC filter every 3 months", due January 1, done February 7.
| Repeat from completion | Fixed schedule | |
|---|---|---|
| Next date | May 7 (done + 3 months) | April 1 (due + 3 months) |
| If you're late | Interval stays the same | Interval gets shorter |
| Good for | Cleaning, filters, bedding | Trash day, bills, appointments |
How to choose
- Care about how long since you last did it → repeat from completion
- Care about a specific date → fixed schedule
- Not sure? Use repeat from completion. Most chores belong there.
How Dustlist does it
Dustlist lets you pick "when done" or "fixed" for each chore, with "when done" as the default. Daily, every N days, weekdays, monthly and yearly repeats all calculate the next date from that choice, so a monthly chore doesn't show up as due every day.
Finish late, and the next date moves with you
Get Dustlist on Google Play