Like many people, I had a retail job in college. What it failed to deliver in financial rewards, it made up for by teaching me life skills. I learned how to stay calm when someone was being loud and wrong, how to negotiate, and how to manage my time. Other learned skills weren’t as obvious. For instance, I didn’t realize, whenever I worked a closing shift, that I was learning to manage my own home. At least, that’s what CleanTok influencers would have me believe with this latest cleaning trend. It’s called “closing shift cleaning” and you may have seen it on TikTok or Reels .
What is “closing shift cleaning”?
Closing shift cleaning is what it sounds like, as long as you know what a closing shift is all about: You tidy up at night and get everything ready for the openers. In this case, you’re not only the closer, but the opener. If you ever had to work a “clopen” shift, you might recall that you put more effort into closing to make opening up easier for yourself in the morning. This is like that, but for your home.
If you’ve ever closed up a cafe, you know you need to make sure the food is prepped for the next morning. If you’ve ever closed up a mall store, you know you need to make sure the displays are in order. You need to count the cash in the till, throw out the trash, and turn off all the machines. The idea is to get all that done so the opener can focus on the actual opening tasks, like getting the muffins in the oven or coordinating a drop-off with the restock agent.
When you do a “closing shift” at home, you’re thinking about what you’ll need the next morning and getting it ready. If you know you’ll need coffee, make sure the machine is clean and you have a fresh mug available. If you have to go to the office, make sure your clothes are steamed and laid out. Take out the trash, put away any clutter that accumulated during the day, and generally get your home ready to “open” in the morning.
Why does closing shift cleaning work?
Thinking of your home as a business isn’t a new concept in the decluttering space. In the past, I’ve recommended a technique that involves storing extra products in a “backstock” area , like you would in a store. Treating your home as a business allows you to be more methodical and objective, and removes a much of the hesitation or decision paralysis.
As is true in any business, you want to start your day off with no bumps or missteps; you want everything to go according to plan. Preparing the night before by tidying up your kitchen, assembling everything you’ll need in the morning, and “closing down” the house gives you a head start on the day. Not only does it make the next day better before it even begins, but it gives you a sense of accomplishment as you head to bed.
To make this work, spend a few days taking note of what holds you up in the morning, whether it’s digging your rain boots out from the back of the hall closet or tripping over the folded clothes you haven’t yet put away. What, if eliminated or dealt with, would make your morning better? Take note, too, of what weighs on you when you go to sleep, like dishes left in the sink or trash you didn’t take out. Then, commit to addressing these concerns at night, building a personal checklist of “closing” responsibilities.
