“I think you need a little treat —  something to reward all the writing work you’ve been doing,” my editor Marnie’s email began. “See attached…four cover concepts!”

 

It was December 15th of last year — a day when my brain felt as cluttered as a junk drawer, wedged somewhere between school stress, holiday prep, and writing revisions. An unexpected gift in the inbox. I clicked open as if unwrapping a present, equal parts excitement and nervousness.

 

Four covers. Four moods. Four visions for Tidy Up Your Life.

 

 

Still deep in the trenches of writing the first draft, the email felt both thrilling and overwhelming. Four covers. Four invitations for readers. How could I possibly step out of my writer’s head and into a reader’s, when the arc of the book wasn’t even yet finalized?

 

Choosing a cover felt like a lot of pressure.

 

Good book covers whisper promises — subtle hints of the journey ahead, a glimpse of what the writer values, and what they’re offering to the reader. 

 

It’s no small feat to design one image that captures the essence of a story. 

 

As I studied the options, my thoughts, reflections, and feelings swirled together like a jumbled mess — color, font, shape, meaning. It was as if I needed to declutter my mind to see the cover clearly, to uncover the one that felt just right.

 

So, like any mess — mental, emotional, or physical — I turned to my four-step decluttering process: clear, sort, assess, and plan. I grabbed my writer’s notebook, studied each cover carefully, and invited myself to step into the reader’s perspective.

 

I wanted to see what thoughts I could unearth, what feelings surfaced, and whether one of the covers would speak to me.

 

After careful consideration, I sent my notes to Marnie:

 

 

- As nice as these are, I don’t feel they’re right for the book. I am hoping for more energy & liveliness.

-There is a beautiful simplicity about these covers, but I'm not sure if the designer’s idea of how to show clutter vs tidy really works, as the images are almost identical. It’s smart, but perhaps too subtle for the average person to see the differences & make the connection.

-The title and name visually pop off the page, but I think it’s key that “Tidy Dad” really pops.

-Both the white and green color have a calming effect but overall, I don’t love these designs, as I feel they lack some sense of energy that I feel we need.

 

 

-There's a playfulness to this cover

-The title and Tidy Dad name visually pop off the page

-The buildings and cab are playful - but I think this makes the book seem to be too small space/NYC focused.

 

 

-This is my favorite so far

-Love the playful quality of the shapes - reminds me of playing blocks - this is something that people with kids could immediately connect with

-The color and energy are a contrast to what you'd typically expect from a decluttering/home organization esq. book - but could be in a good way

-I agree that it is overly cluttered. The words on the cover get a bit lost - if the number of shapes are edited/pared down this could create a bit more space. Also, it may be better not to break the subtitle into the squares, keeping it as a complete thought in one (or two) shapes.

-Personally there are many elements included in the 4th cover that resonate with me. It seems to embrace the idea of "beautiful mess," and also plays on the "messy house/messy mind" sort of theme. If there is a way to, as you say, pare down the shapes and make the subtitle (and the name/byline) more prominent. I’d love for us to try that. 

 

There was something about the fourth design. The blocks just kept speaking to me, there was a metaphor there for the larger themes in the book. 

 

 

 

The goal for the next round was to “tidy up” the blocks on the cover and decide where to place the various shaped blocks. We also explored new variations for the title and subheading placement. We were aiming for vibrancy, life, and movement — a touch of playful mess — but it still needed to feel tidy.

 

Who knew choosing a cover could feel like both art and science? We chose #3!

 

 

 

We had our design. Now it was time to finalize colors and fonts. We played around with different shades for the blocks and which text elements to bold. 

 

It was fascinating to follow the email exchanges between my editor and the designer as they discussed the “hierarchy” of your eye going to the title first, and the psychology of other design elements (like making “Tidy Up”, the subtitle, and “Tidy Dad” all have a yellow background), the subtle messages different types of fonts communicate, and the emotional impact of color theory. 

 

Nailing the shades for each block was crucial. I sent Marnie my thoughts:

 

 

The right balance of color, clarity, and confidence was coming together. #1!

 

 

We now have a finalized US cover — and a streamlined version from our UK publisher! After several months of tweaks, feedback, and fine-tuning, the result is a cover that feels absolutely beautiful. It’s vibrant, cheerful, and perfectly encapsulates the heart of the book.

 

I wanted a cover that would inspire readers — something that felt like an invitation, a promise of what’s inside. But I didn’t want it to feel “perfectly perfect.” Because nothing in life ever is.

 

And as I began writing the epilogue, I found myself inspired by the cover. 

 

Here’s the concept I explored in the epilogue:

 

Life, in so many ways, feels like a game of building blocks. We stack them, rearrange them, and sometimes hold our breath, wondering what will happen if one block is shifted or removed. Will everything come tumbling down?

 

But here’s the truth: life is a beautiful mess, and the cover reflects that perfectly. A little playful, a little imperfect, and full of possibility.

 

I’m so excited for you to read Tidy Up Your Life.

 

Writer’s Notebook Invitation: The Beautiful Mess 

 

P.S. We're less than a month away from “Tidy Up Your Life ” hitting the shelves! 

I'd be honored and grateful if you'd snag your copy now!