Wife's Rules #7 - Nighttime Chores Part 3

Continuing with our evening chores.

7. Take the trash out (including bathroom & office trash, and cat litter as needed).  As a kid, I did this chore when I got home from school.  Now it's a nighttime chore because having kids diapers, shrimp shells, or any number of other smelly things in the can to greet you in the morning as you are trying to wake up is not something my wife likes.  This also includes bathroom trash (for similar reasons) and the office trash.  When due, this is combined with changing the cat litter which could be a whole other rule/chore.

There are some tasks that I don't anyone else in the family to do (at least until the kids are older).  The trash is one.  We live in a condo that has a trash valet (a service where you set out a garbage can and someone else will take your trash to the trash compacter on the property).  We don't use it because we are within walking distance to the compactor and usually aren't ready to take the garbage out by the time they make their evening rounds.  My wife doesn't feel safe walking to the compactor late at night and I don't really want her to have to deal with the trash/germs/etc. anyways.  So I usually will do this and take the dog so he can have his last stroll of the day.  Usually, the only problem is the weather.

As a side note, our condo neighbors throw out a great deal of stuff that should instead be taken to the dump.  They will usually put it behind the compactor so the property management will have to deal with it later (once a week on average).  Taking the dog and trash out gives me a chance to see if I can salvage something of use or something I can sell for scrap.  (This has been put on hold recently because we are planning a move and extra 'junk' takes up valuable space.)  You'll probably see a post about this activity in the future.