Tidy Tidbits

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
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📚 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

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 shares four helpful questions couples can ask before starting an important conversation. These questions help set the tone, clarify expectations, and reduce misunderstandings before they even start.
In this episode, we talk about:
* The four simple questions couples can ask before starting important conversations to reduce conflict and misunderstanding
* How to create space for communication with a couple’s journal
* The importance of having a daily 10-minute check-in
Tidy Takeaway
Just like maintaining a home requires systems, maintaining a relationship does too.
Important Links:
👀 Follow Eli Weinstein on IG: @thedudetherapist
📚 Order Eli’s Book: From I Do to We Do: Navigating Marriage in the Parenting Years
—
📚 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