Tidy Tidbits

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 Chambers
-Oh $#!% What’s For Dinner? by Maria Sansone
-The Blood Sugar Balance Cookbook by Meredith Mann
-Kids Cook by Betty Crocker
-Cookbookery Collective - The cookbook exclusive Substack I’ve been loving!
More from Tidy Dad:📚 Order my book: Tidy Up Your Life🗞️ Subscribe to The Tidy Times: tidydad.substack.com📸 Follow along on IG: Tidy Dad


This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tidydad.substack.com/subscribe

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” looks different for every family
This is a light, rant-style episode with plenty of laughs. If you’ve ever had a strong opinion about how kids get from point A to point B… this one’s for you.
And here’s the NY Post article about our family in “stroller wars” that I referenced!
🎧 Listen, follow, and leave a review to help more people find Tidy Tidbits.
Important Links:
👀 Follow Tara Clark on IG: @modernmomprobs
📚 Order Tara’s book: Modern Mom Probs: A Survival Guide for 21st Century Mothers
🎧 Listen to Tara’s podcast: Modern Mom Probs (I was a recent guest!) —
📚 Order my book: Tidy Up Your Life
🗞️ Subscribe to The Tidy Times: tidydad.substack.com
📸 Follow along on IG: Tidy Dad


This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tidydad.substack.com/subscribe

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 how she didn’t publish her first novel until her late 50s, and how life experience helped her push past imposter syndrome and finally go for it. We also unpack the power of small, consistent steps, including the Pomodoro Method, and why you don’t need hours of time or a perfect plan to make meaningful progress.
This conversation is a reminder that:
* You don’t need to have it all figured out
* You don’t need the perfect timing
* You just need to take the next step
Whether your goal is writing a book, training for a race, building routines, or simply showing up better for your life, this episode will leave you feeling inspired to begin.
Important Links:
👀 Follow Ruth O’Leary on IG: Ruth O'Leary
📚 The Weekend Break: Four Friends, Four Secrets, One Explosive Weekend
📚 A Week to Remember: Three strangers, the Camino, One Week to Change Everything
📚 The Last Week of Him: Thirty Years of Friendship, Three Women, One Devastating Truth
—
📚 Order my book: Tidy Up Your Life
🗞️ Subscribe to The Tidy Times: tidydad.substack.com
📸 Follow along on IG: Tidy Dad


This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tidydad.substack.com/subscribe

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 you always buy new?
* And what’s perfectly safe to buy secondhand?
Ben breaks down the categories that matter most, including why car seats should always be purchased new, and where families can save significantly by choosing open-box or gently used gear.
Important Links:
👀 Check out Stork Exchange (use code TIDY10 for 10% an order of $100 or more)
—
📚 Order my book: Tidy Up Your Life
🗞️ Subscribe to The Tidy Times: tidydad.substack.com
📸 Follow along on IG: Tidy Dad


This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tidydad.substack.com/subscribe

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 Murphy bed in the living room.
What sounds unconventional has completely transformed how their home functions, feels, and flows.
Important Links:
👀 Follow Khrystyne on IG: @khrystynejaspers💻 Follow Khrystyne on Substack: Space Jams—📚 Order my book: Tidy Up Your Life🗞️ Subscribe to The Tidy Times: tidydad.substack.com📸 Follow along on IG: Tidy Dad



This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tidydad.substack.com/subscribe