When you’re opening up shop, you have to get there early to turn on the lights, restock supplies, and get things up and running before customers arrive. For the uninitiated, this is part of the “opening shift” that kicks off the day and ensures everything runs smoothly.
On TikTok, the same concept has been applied to morning routines at home and it’s a total game changer. Instead of rolling out of bed at the last minute, the idea is to get up early and follow your opening shift checklist before the day begins. This list includes all the little things you want and need to do to feel organized and ready. Think opening your windows, brewing coffee, folding blankets, running a load of laundry, etc.
On the app, creator @leelakim unloads her dishwasher and makes her bed while @laurenehalee straightens up her living room and then drinks coffee in the sunlight. Creator @stellajane64 always throws open her curtains and makes coffee before sitting down to WFH while @nikkilynnbrown turns on lights, puts on a candle warmer, and cleans up before making a bagel.
In their comments sections, people are talking about how peaceful these routines seem, and how helpful it is to reframe a bland morning routine as an “opening shift.” Here’s what to know about this trend, as well as how to do it yourself.
The Benefits Of An “Opening Shift”
If you’ve ever tried to start a morning routine and stick with it, you know how hard it can be. It’s so tempting to sleep in, but that often means you wake up late and then have to run around chaotically to get ready before work.
It’s also common to do something different every morning, even when you’d really like to complete certain daily tasks. While there are always a few non-negotiables, like feeding your cat or making breakfast, some mornings you might feel too disheveled and disorganized to do much else.
When you have a solid opening shift routine, these issues can be avoided. Just as if you were opening a shop for the day, you’ll methodically walk through your home, turn everything on, clean, and organize with the mindset that you’re “opening up shop.” It’s a refreshing take on a typical morning routine that has more benefits than you might realize.
If you work from home, the opening shift gives you the perfect clean slate for the day. And if you don’t, think about how nice it would be to come home to an organized space.
It’s also the perfect time to reset your house from the night before. If you don’t have a closing shift — aka all the things you do before bed — then this is when you’ll put away blankets, dishes, snacks, or anything else that might get in your way.
Creating Your Morning Routine
To create your own opening shift routine, think about your goals. For some, it’s to peacefully and calmly ease into the day. These are the folks who spend their mornings slowly opening curtains, lighting candles, and making a nice breakfast. When you think of this as your “opening shift,” it almost feels like self-care.
If your goal is to become more organized, then you could create a checklist — just like the kind you’d see when opening a coffee shop or retail store. This list will include everything that needs to happen no matter what before the day truly begins, but instead of restocking cups or flipping over an “open” sign, you’d unload the dishwasher, take out the trash, or throw in a load of laundry. If you’re feeling crafty, you could even write the list down and leave it in your kitchen.
The fun thing about this trend is that it reframes your morning routine into something that feels like a benefit versus a pointless chore, but it’s also customizable. No two stores have an identical opening shift routine, so you can make yours fit your lifestyle.
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