Among the many reasons to love Mr. Rogers, my favorite might be his perfected “arriving at home” routine. Hanging up the coat, zipping up the cardigan, stowing the shoes, getting ready to learn something new… the consistency is orderly and soothing, and it keeps Mr. Roger’s pretend home very tidy.
I suggest you choreograph a Mr. Roger’s inspired arrival routine of your very own.
Now, this might seem totally contrived and a touch insane, but actually planning out how you are going to arrive home on a typical day, even writing or sketching it out on paper, is a simple way to a more organized home and life. You likely already have some habits surrounding your arrival, and it’s worth examining if those habits are serving you and your home, or if it’s time to design a new approach.
(When you have the everyday arrival down, move on to the bon de revenir masterclass.)
Here’s my everyday arrival routine:
Arrive at front door → Check the mailbox → Enter, stow shoes by the door → Walk to wall hook and hang up keys →Continue to kitchen counter “command center,” stow work bag underneath, immediately process mail → recycle junk mail → put important mail in command center caddy→ clear items, lunch dishes, and trash out of work bag →store any items that need to be stored on the first floor/ place them on the bottom stair if they belong upstairs --> walk back towards wall hook to hang up coat → plop on couch, commence vegging.
Done.
This reads like a robot manual, and I’m really proud of that. I don’t have to consciously think about any of these steps. I just execute them, on auto-pilot, while still listening to my audiobook or heck, maybe even singing about how beautiful it is in this neighborhood. I move through my house in a fluid circle, accomplishing a dozen tiny tasks that have a huge impact on my house, and my next departure from it, all in just a few minutes.
As you go through your own routine, think about how to optimize for organization and efficiency. I installed hooks for coats and keys, repurposed a utensil caddy to store bills, stamps, envelopes, and checkbooks, and designated a small bin for recycling in the pantry of the kitchen so I don’t have to go outside to process junk mail.
You might want to utilize a beautiful serving tray that’s gathering dust on a high shelf to hold keys, dog leashes, sunglasses, and other get-out-the-door necessities. Or you might want to relocate that chair that becomes a dumping ground for coats and bags away from the door so you don’t have that option anymore. Rehearse, refine, repeat, and reflect.
And for my dear readers with children, help them master an arrival routine, too. Choreograph putting notices in the “parent inbox,” placing homework in a visible spot for study time, clearing out any leftovers from lunch boxes before they start to stink up the whole house, etc.
You may even go so far as printing it out and sliding into a sheet protector so they can check off each step with a dry erase marker to help build the routine. (No judgement if you also try this with the grown-ups in your home.)
We arrive home virtually every single day, so we might as well totally nail that part of life.