The TikTok-Approved Decluttering Method That Ends Your Day On A Cleaner Note

Nowadays, it seems like everyone leads a busy life. Whether you have work or school, there often isn't much time at the end of the day to relax, let alone reset the entire house. After rushing from task to task, the last thing most people want to do is dive into a deep cleaning checklist. The problem is that when you come downstairs to a messy house each morning, you often wish you had taken care of it the night before. Luckily, there is a TikTok-approved tidying hack that can help clear clutter from your main living spaces without requiring a major time commitment: the "closing shift" tidy.

The cleaning trend is widely attributed to TikTok creator Clara Peirce, who shared the idea in a viral video in 2023. "Whenever I'm really trying to set myself up for success the next day, I will do what I call a closing shift ... I just close up my apartment like I would if I was at work," she explained in a video. The concept is to straighten up your living spaces much like you would tidy a store or restaurant at the end of a shift. There are no hard-and-fast rules for how much you need to accomplish for the "morning crew" — tomorrow's version of you. Ultimately, the goal is to make life easier for yourself the next morning.

@clararpeirce

goodnight 😴🫶🏼 #closingshift #closingshiftcleaning #nightroutine

♬ original sound – Clara Peirce

Over time, the idea has morphed into a more structured routine, where you now treat it like an actual closing shift, completing the same core tasks each evening – or at least aiming to. That way, the essentials are already done by morning. Many people also tack on a start and end time, which makes the task feel less open-ended.

The whole point of nightly "closing duties" is to quickly tidy up and declutter your main living spaces, so this isn't the time for deep cleaning. Instead, focus on the tasks that have the biggest impact. For example, your morning is likely to be more stressful if you're greeted by a sink full of dishes, a half-loaded dishwasher, and crumbs all over the countertops and table. Tackling those tasks before bed means they won't compete for your attention while you're trying to get out the door.

Similarly, in the living room, focus on whatever creates the biggest eyesores. The goal is to reduce visual clutter and make the space feel more organized. That might mean putting away kids' or pets' toys, collecting drinking glasses or bottles, and vacuuming up any crumbs from rugs or floors. In the dining room, a closing shift might include clearing away items that have accumulated on the table throughout the day. If you don't have the energy to run those things back and forth to multiple rooms in the house, you can keep baskets on hand as a storage solution to stop everyday clutter. Toss stray items into it and sort them later when you have more time and energy.

The closing shift can also extend to your entryway, where you straighten shoes and make sure accessories and bags are where they should be. You might also include your pets' areas by tidying bedding, cleaning litter boxes, or refreshing food stations. Ultimately, the best closing shift routine is the one that addresses the sections that create the most visual clutter in your home. Spend your allotted time tackling those spaces, and your future self will thank you.