Tidy Tidbits with Tyler Moore | Tidy Up Your Life with Home Organization & Daily Routines

In this solo episode of Tidy Tidbits, Tidy Dad shares the story behind a video of his untidy living room on a random Thursday morning, and why he left the mess behind.

In a world of perfectly curated homes and unrealistic expectations, Tidy Dad offers a reminder: Your home doesn’t need to be always tidy. It just needs to be easily tidied.

He explores how the messes in our homes often tell stories about the lives we’re living, why not every mess needs to be addressed immediately, and the important difference between decluttering, orga...

“Must be nice…” “If only I could…” “She has it so easy.” “Did you hear what they have?”

We’ve all thought it. Maybe we’ve even said it out loud. That little twinge we feel when someone else has something we want. A bigger house. A better job. More money. More freedom. A life that looks just a little bit easier than our own.

Inspired by the book Envy, this episode explores why we compare ourselves to others, how envy shows up in our relationships, careers, parenting, and everyday lives, and what those uncomfortable feelings might reveal ab...

Before the gifts, decorations, and toys start piling up, let’s make a little space. And no, I’m not suggesting a massive weekend decluttering spree. Instead, I’m sharing three categories that actually make sense to declutter right now, not just because they’ll free up space in your home, but because other people are looking for these items now.

In this episode of Tidy Tidbits, we’re talking about seasonal decluttering, the Great Toy Edit, and why timing matters when it comes to letting things go.

Pre-Holiday Decluttering Checklist:

* Dress-Up Clothes & Holiday Ou...

In this episode of Tidy Tidbits, Tidy Dad welcomes bestselling authors Jo Piazza and Christine Pride to discuss their new novel, I Never Knew You at All, a thought-provoking story about secrets, betrayal, family relationships, forgiveness, and the consequences of uncovering the past.

Together, they explore why we keep secrets, whether protecting someone can justify withholding the truth, and how decisions made decades ago can shape families for generations. Jo and Christine also share a behind-the-scenes look at their collaborative writing process, the inspiration behind the novel, and why they intentionally leave readers with complicated questions rather...

Want to read more books but can’t seem to find the time? Between work, parenting, and never-ending to-do lists, making time to read can feel impossible.

In this solo episode of Tidy Tidbits, Tidy Dad shares how he makes room for books as a father of three, full-time NYC public school teacher, and marathon runner.

From his five-minute morning reading routine to swapping bedtime scrolling for a good book, he’s sharing practical ways to read more without adding another chore to your to-do list. Plus, a special announcement about a new chapter for Tidy...

What if the goal isn’t to finally finish your to-do list, but to accept that you never will?

In this episode, I’m talking with Jess Ekstrom, author of Making It Without Losing It, about the never-ending to-do list, why accomplishment rarely gives us the feeling we expect it to, and how to decide what actually deserves our time and attention.

I also share my word for the year and ask Jess: Is that selfish?

If you’ve ever thought, “Once I get through this, then I can relax,” this conversation is for you.<...

The planning. The decision-making. The meals. The work. The parenting. The exercise. The endless list of things you’re somehow supposed to fit into one day.

In this solo episode, I’m taking my own advice from Tidy Up Your Life and revisiting one of my favorite ideas: Stop Doing All the Work.

When life feels like too much, there are three ways to lighten the load: eliminate it, share it, or outsource it. I’m sharing examples of how I’m doing all three right now, from school lunches and household chores to meal planning...

Tidy Tidbits #77 - How to Stop Buying Things You Don’t Need

In this episode, I’m talking with Eric Atlas, the author of Saying No to New: Why New Things Are Stealing Your Time, Money, and Happiness―and How to Take Back Your Life.

His book is about the psychology of understanding why we want new things and how to make better informed decisions about the things that we bring into our home.

It’s not about never getting anything new again, but Eric shares about the idea of “adding friction”, which is some sort...

It’s been a messy week. We made the switch from Pennsylvania back to NYC, I officially started year 19 of teaching, and our three kids started back to school.

In this episode, I’m sharing three simple things I’m doing to make the transition feel more manageable: tidying what I can control, putting on my own oxygen mask first, and asking what actually matters to our family right now.

When life feels messy, the answer doesn’t always have to be a massive reset and getting back into a rhythm doesn’t have to mean getti...

This episode is sponsored by Plantifique. Emily and I both turned 40 years old this summer, so quality skincare has been on the mind. Plantifique is a female-founded, Korean-developed skincare brand built on one idea: feed your skin barrier, don’t fight it. You can head to plantifique.com/tidydad and use code TIDYDAD20 for 20% off an order + a FREE gift.

What should our kids be eating? Should we be adding more protein? Should every meal be perfectly balanced? Should we sneak vegetables into foods they already love?

And is there even such thing as a sh...

I was standing on a beach in Bermuda in my butterfly swim briefs when my sisters broke the news via text: Dolly Parton had passed away at the age of 80.

Butterflies had always been a symbol for Dolly, and for my 40th birthday, my sisters had given me a Dolly “Cup of Ambition” mug, a nod to her iconic song “9 to 5.”

There was something especially poignant about learning of Dolly’s death the same week I’m sharing my conversation with Amil Niazi, author of Life After Ambition: A Good Enough Memoir. Ambition can have such a hold...

What does tidying up your life have to do with becoming a clown in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade? Apparently, more than you might think.

Tyler Moore (Tidy Dad) shares how a childhood tradition of watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in Kentucky eventually led to attending the parade with his own kids in New York City, becoming a Ronald McDonald balloon handler, touring Macy’s Studio, and now applying to become a clown in the 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. And The New York Times broke the news before he did.

Tyler ta...

Building on Episode #70, “Back-to-School Isn’t a Day, It’s a Season,” this episode is focused on the routine I’d address first. It’s small but surprisingly complicated: getting out the door and then getting everything put away when you come home.

Using strategies from my experience as a teacher, school administrator, and dad of three, I’m sharing my simple routine framework that actually works.

The goal isn’t a picture-perfect entryway or a flawless morning routine. It’s to design a routine that makes an ordinary part of your day a little smoother. Notice t...

In episode #55 of Tidy Tidbits, I asked, “When was the last time you actually used a cookbook? Not your phone. Not a blog post. A real, physical cookbook with a spine, pages, and a table of contents.”

Ever since then, my family has been cooking from Caro Chambers’ cookbook, What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking, almost every day. Her brand new cookbook, Make It Fast, is filled with simple 15-minute, 30-minute or “walk away” recipes that make getting dinner on the table feel a whole lot more manageable. We’ve been trying out an early copy...

In this episode of Tidy Tidbits, Tidy Dad (Tyler Moore) shares a simple mindset shift that’s helped him navigate nearly two decades in education, as both a teacher, an administrator and a parent. Whether you have school-age children or you simply feel the shift that comes with a new season, this episode offers a calmer approach to one of the busiest times of the year.

Instead of adding more back-to-school hacks to your to-do list, focus on a simple reminder: back-to-school isn’t a day, it’s a season, and a practical exercise that helps families prepar...

Six months ago, I started a simple 30-day experiment: no checking social media or news between 5:00 and 7:00 a.m. That one change created more time, more mental space, and eventually led to another experiment: moving my workouts to the early morning. But jumping straight from sleep into an intense workout wasn’t easy, so I added one more habit: a short morning yoga practice while my coffee brews.

What began as an experiment has become a daily routine that helps me feel calmer, stronger, and more intentional before the day even begins.

In this episode, I’...

What if the traditional path to homeownership isn’t the only path?

This week I’m joined by my friend, fellow Astoria Queens neighbor, and host of the Second Home First podcast, Katie Cline. Katie and I both rent our apartments in New York City as our primary homes, while owning vacation properties outside the city.

We talk about the realities of owning and managing short-term rental properties, and our conversation also explores what “home” really means. Is it the home you “own”? Where your family gathers? Where your stuff is? Or simply where your life unfolds...

This week I’m joined by bestselling author Jo Piazza to celebrate the release of her newest novel, The Parisian Heist. Our conversation starts with a simple question: Is it ever okay to steal? From there, we dive into the real-life story of Jo Van Gogh, the woman responsible for transforming Vincent van Gogh from an overlooked artist into one of the most celebrated painters in history. We also explore how storytelling, branding, and preserving someone’s legacy can become a kind of heist of their own.

If you enjoy strong female characters, fascinating historical details, and page...

It’s time to order the paperback version of the “original, whimsical, and altogether practical,” Tidy Up Your LIFE book! In print August 4th. Grab your copy of Tidy Up Your Life today!

Tidy Up Your Life is about more than organizing your home. It’s about building routines and systems that help you navigate the inevitable messes of everyday life.

Today’s episode is about one of those messes: teaching kids how to actually get clean.

This is a Tidy Tidbits Replay that I originally shared last summer, and it’s just as relevant...

Our family started our summer break this week! Whenever life changes and transitions happen, I think it’s worth asking: How do we stay connected?

This spring I took twelve graduate credits to move up to the final salary step as a teacher. One of my courses focused on building classroom culture, and it made me realize something. Teachers spend a lot of time thinking about how to help students talk to one another, reflect together, solve problems, and build community.

Why wouldn’t we think about our families and friend groups the same way?

If you’ve been craving a little more quiet, a little more stillness, or a reminder that you don’t have to keep pace with everyone around you, this episode is for you.

While walking the Camino de Santiago in Northern Spain I occasionally pulled out my phone and recorded voice memos. This week on Tidy Tidbits, I’m sharing some of those audio recordings with my personal reflections, complete with the sound of footsteps, birds, wind, and the quiet that made the walk so meaningful.

If you want to learn more about the Camino:

📚...

This week, I’m turning 40! We’re also celebrating major family milestones, including one daughter graduating from kindergarten and another graduating from elementary school. As Father’s Day and summer break approach, I’m reflecting on this season of life, and revisiting the idea of Surthrival, the space between surviving and thriving. If you’re navigating a surthrival season of your own, this episode is for you!

In this episode, I’m exploring the different seasons of adulthood: building in my twenties, proving in my thirties, and maintaining in my forties. From marathon recovery to family life, I’m sharing...

In this episode, I’m joined by Darby Saxbe, PhD, the author of the new book Dad Brain, which explores the science and psychology of modern fatherhood. It’s a fascinating book about the ways fatherhood changes men, challenges them, and reshapes identities in ways we don’t always expect.

If you’re a dad listening, you need to read this book. And if you’re a mom listening, you need to read this book too. It’s a book that I can’t stop thinking about.

📚 Dad Brain: The New Science of Fatherhood and How It Shapes Men...

After finally taking down a giant birthday balloon arch that had slowly turned a corner of our living room into an unexpected clutter magnet, I found myself considering, “What does it actually mean to be organized... enough?”

Inspired by a recent contribution to Real Simple magazine, I’m sharing practical, realistic strategies for organizing common problem areas, shaped by how our family organizes a 750-square-foot New York City apartment.

In this episode:

* Why “organized enough” may be a better goal than perfectly organized

* How “flexible organization systems” can adapt as your life changes<...

In this episode of Tidy Tidbits, I’m sharing a simple three-part framework for organizing school papers and artwork in a realistic, functional way. We’ll talk about how to decide what to let go of, what to keep, and how to create systems that honor your children’s creativity without letting artwork and worksheets take over your home.

Mentioned in this episode:

* 5-tier paper file system

* File storage boxes with hanging folders

* Art display frames with extra storage

If you’re overwhelmed by piles of school papers, artwork, workshee...

This week on Tidy Tidbits, I’m joined by Julia Clarke for a fascinating conversation about what happened when her family downsized from a three-bedroom apartment to a one-bedroom apartment in Glasgow, Scotland. I first read her story HERE.

We talk about the assumptions many of us carry about space, privacy, and what kids “need,” and how their family unexpectedly found more connection, simplicity, and ease by living smaller.

In this episode, we discuss:

* Why they chose to downsize

* The tradeoffs between more space and better location

* Privacy, screens, and mo...

This week on Tidy Tidbits, I’m sharing the 15-minute weekday cleaning routine that quietly changed my life. What started as a survival strategy during a chaotic season of parenting and work became the foundation for a calmer home, less mental clutter, and more manageable routines.

I break down my “one space per weekday” system, explain why spreading cleaning across the week works for certain seasons of life, and share how small, repeatable routines can help tidy up your life beyond just your home.

Grab a free download of my Weekday Cleaning Checklist!

More f...

What if one small shift could completely change the energy of your home at night?

In this episode of Tidy Tidbits, I sit down with Jon Gustin, fatherhood creator, advocate for sobriety, and author of The Tired Dad: 100 Reflections on Showing Up for What Matters Most. With a community of over 1 million followers, Jon shares honest, grounded insights on parenting, presence, and what it really means to show up for your family.

Together, we talk about a simple but powerful routine his family calls “Quiet Hour.” No screens. No distractions. Just intentional time together through read...

People always ask if my life is always tidy. Short answer: it’s not.

It’s often easier to focus on what isn’t working than to name what actually is.

We’re so used to thinking about what we should be doing better or more efficiently… but what if we paused to name the routines that are already serving us?

In this episode of Tidy Tidbits, I share 5 simple routines I rely on daily to keep things tidy (putting away shoes, putting away clothes, washing dishes in the evening, 10-minute resets and meal plann...

When was the last time you actually used a cookbook? Not your phone. Not a blog post. A real physical cookbook, with a spine, pages, and a table of contents.

In this episode of Tidy Tidbits, I share how a simple weekend organizing project unintentionally brought cookbooks back into our daily routine and completely changed how we plan meals, reduce decision fatigue, and connect as a family.

Important Links:

We’ve been cooking through our family’s cookbook collection!

-What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking by Caroline Chambe...

What feels “normal” in parenting often depends on where you live… until you step outside your bubble.

In this episode of Tidy Tidbits, Tyler is joined by Tara Clark (Modern Mom Probs) for a fun, honest, and slightly unhinged conversation about the everyday choices parents make and judge… even when we say we don’t.

This is a conversation about:

* Tiny tot transportaion in strollers and wagon

* How environment shapes parenting norms

* City life vs. suburb life differences

* Scooters, screens, and survival-mode decisions

* Why “doing what works”...

What if the thing you’ve been thinking about doing for years… actually started with one small step?

In this episode of Tidy Tidbits, I sit down with author Ruth O’Leary, whose novel introduced me to the idea of walking the Camino in northern Spain. At the time of recording, I was preparing to walk that very path with my dad and sister, proof that inspiration can turn into action.

We talk about what it really looks like to start something new, especially when it feels overwhelming or out of reach.

Ruth shares...

Shopping these days is overwhelming, especially as an expectant parent staring down a long list of things you’re told you need. Do you buy new? What’s actually safe to buy secondhand? And how do you stop overspending on things you’ll barely use?

Today’s episode is sponsored by Stork Exchange, and I’m talking with founder Ben Norment, a fellow dad of three who knows firsthand what it’s like to navigate the overwhelm.

We get into the big questions every parent faces:

* What do you actually need?

* What should...

When you get invited to someone’s house, do you ever plug their address into Zillow first? Just to see the layout, the photos, maybe even the price history? You know you do, and you’re not alone. We’re all a little curious about how other people live.

In this episode of Tidy Tidbits, I talk with Khrystyne Jaspers, who lives with her husband and two kids in a one-bedroom New York City apartment. Her home has sparked a lot of conversation online, mostly because of one question: Where do you sleep?

Her answer: a Murp...

In this episode of Tidy Tidbits, Tidy Dad talks with Eli Weinstein, therapist and author of the new book, “From I Do to We Do: Navigating Marriage in the Parenting Years,” about simple systems that can transform how couples communicate during the busiest seasons of life.

Between work, kids, school schedules, and the everyday chaos of family life, many couples feel like ships passing in the night. Conversations that once lasted hours now happen in quick bursts across the kitchen while someone is asking for a snack and someone else is looking for their shoes.

Eli...

In American culture, we’re often told that bigger is better: start in an apartment, move to a starter home, and eventually land in your forever home. Somewhere in that story is the idea that the suburban dream of more space, quieter streets, and a bigger house will make you happier.

But not every move away from the city sticks.

In this episode, I talk with Alexis Adegoke, who moved her family from New York City to Texas, and then a few years later, with three kids in tow, decided to move back to NYC. I...

Every winter, we hunker down. January and February become survival season. The light fades early. The air is cold. We spend more time inside our homes than any other stretch of the year.

And then March arrives. The light shifts. The air softens. The mornings feel brighter.

And suddenly… you see everything.

The dust. The grime. The fingerprints on the light switches and doorknobs. The hidden surfaces that didn’t bother you in February now feel impossible to ignore.

In this episode, we talk about:

* A new, flexible Spring Clea...

In this episode of Tidy Tidbits, I’m joined by Martin, my personal trainer who’s been quietly working behind the scenes during my past year of physical transformation.

If you’ve ever wondered how I rebuilt my fitness routine without joining a gym, or how I stayed consistent through a full year, this conversation pulls back the curtain.

We discuss how sustainable fitness looks a lot like tidying your home: you don’t need brand-new skills, you just need to layer on routines so that they are actually working for you. Together, we break down how...

I’m starting this episode with a hot take. I recently shared a post on Instagram with 3 hot takes, including one about Disney, and people had thoughts. It got me thinking about why travel feels joyful for some and exhausting for others.

Here’s the core idea: Not all vacations are meant to give us the same thing.

Some trips are about amusement, fast-paced, full, distracting.

Some trips are about a muse, slower, quieter, and inspiring.

Neither is wrong, but different seasons of life can call for different kinds of travel.

In this episode of Tidy Tidbits, Tidy Dad talks with Kate Strickler, the creator of the Instagram account Naptime Kitchen, and the author of the book “I Just Wish I Had a Bigger Kitchen: And Other Lies I Think Will Make Me Happy (Small Habits and Mindset Shifts to Find Contentment and Joy in Life)”.

Together, we explore the mindset shifts needed as we move into February, when the “new year, new you” energy of January often fades and self-doubt creeps in. This conversation focuses on finding the middle ground, breaking free from all-or-nothing thinking, and building sustaina...