Astoria resident and “Tidy Dad” Tyler Moore releases book on transforming cluttered spaces. Photo courtesy of Tyler Moore
Feb. 14, 2025 By Jessica Militello
Families in Queens looking to reclaim their living space—and their peace of mind—now have a new resource to turn to.
Astoria resident Tyler Moore, better known as “Tidy Dad,” has released his debut book, Tidy Up Your Life, a guide designed to help busy New Yorkers transform their cluttered apartments into organized, functional spaces.
Photo courtesy of Tyler Moore
Released in January, the book provides practical advice for families and individuals who are short on space and time, making the art of decluttering an everyday habit. But Tidy Up Your Life goes beyond just clearing out physical clutter—Moore encourages readers to reframe their mindset, too.
“The goal of the book is really to inspire readers to make space for what they feel is really important,” Moore said. “Sometimes that’s square footage, sometimes it’s career—it’s quieting that noise that we sometimes feel in our heads that we’ve got to pursue more and more.”
Photo courtesy of Tyler Moore
From cluttered spaces to social media success
Moore’s journey as Tidy Dad began in 2019, sparked by a Netflix binge of Tidying Up with Marie Kondo. He and his wife’s parenting group frequently discussed the show, but many found Kondo’s methods challenging to implement in homes with young children. Recognizing this gap, Moore set out to create a more realistic approach—one that balanced tidying with the everyday chaos of family life.
While working full-time as a teacher in Queens, he started sharing decluttering tips on Instagram, helping families—especially those with small children—find simple, practical ways to stay organized.
“People were intrigued by some of Marie’s concepts, but the overwhelming sentiment was, ‘That’s great, but that’s not realistic with kids,’” Moore said. “I set out to prove that a tidy space with kids was possible and that decluttering wasn’t a one-and-done process.”
At first, Moore visited people’s homes, offering hands-on decluttering guidance. But after just a single walkthrough, many families felt confident enough to tackle the work themselves. He then pivoted to hosting in-person group sessions, but despite strong interest on social media, busy schedules kept parents from attending. That’s when he decided to shift focus entirely to blogging and Instagram, bringing his advice directly to families when and where they needed it.
“Busy parents just want digestible tips, and everybody is on social media, so I was like, let’s just give it to people at a time when they can consume it,” Moore said.
Photo courtesy of Tyler Moore
An Astoria connection leads to a book deal
Moore’s content quickly gained traction, leading to collaborations with Apartment Therapy, where he wrote articles on decluttering and organizing. Among his early followers was Jess Errera, a literary agent from Astoria who works for the Jane Rotrosen Agency. She had been following his journey for years and, recognizing the potential, reached out to see if he had ever considered turning his advice into a book.
“It was cool to have this Astoria connection with my agent who gets the stories that I was trying to tell, and also knew that there was an audience,” Moore said.
The journey from idea to finished book took about two and a half years, going through multiple drafts and edits before reaching the final product. The result is a book that speaks directly to city dwellers who are struggling with limited apartment space—and, often, an equally cluttered mindset.
“[The book] is broken up into two parts, which is tidy up your mind and tidy up your space,” Moore said. “I just think that connection between mental clutter and physical clutter that we experience in our space is so closely connected.”
Photo courtesy of Tyler Moore
A love letter to Queens and city living
Tidy Up Your Life is now available everywhere books are sold, including Amazon and local shops like the Astoria Bookshop at 36-19 30th St. Moore also narrated an audiobook version and plans to share additional locations where the book will be available.
For Moore, the book is more than just a guide—it’s a reflection of the life and community that shaped him.
“When I’m thinking about our story, it’s almost like Queens and Astoria is so woven into the heart and fabric of the stories that I share,” Moore said. “I hope that it’s like a love letter in a sense—of life in New York City, but also this neighborhood, because so many people can relate to it.”
*This story first published in the February issue of BORO Magazine.
Featured Events
