Resolution season often comes with pressure: big goals, rigid rules, and quiet guilt when things don’t go as expected. In this episode of Tidy Tidbits, Tidy Dad sits down with Patty Morrissey, Director of KonMari Club and collaborator with Marie Kondo (yes, that Marie Kondo), to explore a lighter, curiosity-driven approach to starting something new.

I’ve known Patty for years, interviewed her for my book Tidy Up Your Life, and even included this idea in the Routines chapter, because her concept of 30-day experiments completely changed how I approach resolution season and how I start each month. Instead of rigid promises, this framework offers permission to try, notice, and decide, without burnout.

30-day self-care experiments are a way to try out new habits without turning them into lifelong promises. Together, we talk about curiosity over perfection, giving to your life instead of taking away, and how small experiments can quietly reshape routines, self-care, and connection.

If traditional resolutions leave you burned out by mid-January, this episode offers a calmer way forward.

What You’ll Learn

* What a 30-day self-care experiment is

* Why experiments work better than resolutions for habit building

* How curiosity replaces guilt when motivation dips

* How to reflect at the end of 30 days and decide what stays

* Why “giving to your life” creates more lasting change than restriction

Resources:

* Free Monthly Experiment Calendar by Tidy Dad - A simple thought-catcher with a guiding word for each month to make starting feel lighter and more doable

* 30-Day Self-Care Experiments Article from Patty Morrissey

Links:

🌟 Check out Patty on IG: Patty Morrissey

👀 Check out KonMari Club: KonMari Club

📚 Check out my book: Tidy Up Your Life

🗞️ Follow Tidy Dad on Substack: The Tidy Times

📸 Follow Tidy Dad 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

#40 - What If Resolutions Were an Experiment, Not a Test?

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