Last week, we received a fabulous compliment: 

“Artifcts is so easy to use. And every time I think, “Oh, I wish it could do {this}, then suddenly I SEE that I can, because now that I’m looking for it, I realize that feature is real. Other products are so cluttered with buttons and widgets, I never know where I’m supposed to look. Thank you, thank you, thank you!” 

This glowing feedback was about something seemingly so small and inconsequential: the hashtag (#).  

Hashtags are used everywhere online, so us including it at Artifcts as an option to help you stay organized seemed intuitive. And yet when people use the hashtag and see it simplifies their Artifcting, they are grateful. We’re grateful, too. We’re grateful to all members of the Artifcts for their continuous feedback and accolades. 

If you’re wondering what you’ve missed, why hashtags as well as our @ feature are so valuable, keep reading!

Embrace the #Hashtag

Every object, every story, every moment you capture at Artifcts is instantly organized by design. Your #hashtags can be 100% custom to you, or you can select from a drop down of the most popular to-date among Artifcts community members. And by tapping on any #hashtag, you can view all other Artifcts with the same tag.

You can learn a lot about yourself and your life as you start seeing these tags accumulate, too. 

Our co-founder Heather’s top three most used #hashtags are:  

1. 1. 1. #ThatsMyGirl, for all things created by her daughter 
      2. #MomsEstate, for the items she kept from her mom’s estate 
      3. #FavoriteRecipes, because she hates flipping through dozens of cookbooks to find THAT recipe.

Our co-founder Ellen’s top three tags are:  

1. 1. 1. #Violet, her daughter  
      2. #ArtifctsVideo, which is added automatically to any Artifct that includes a video 
      3. #décor, because her 'stuff' has stories! (#MoreThanAnObject would be a great tag, too.)

Artifcts “Categories” Work like #Hashtags

Categories are required for each Artifct because they are important for structure and sorting as well as for providing ideas for what you may want to Artifct next.  

We started building and blending our unique categories list with the types of items you’d see at auction or in collectors groups. We then customized our categories further to include all of the life stuff we tend to collect and/or accumulate around our homes, in our workshops, and with the passing of loved ones, too. No auction house has the need for a category of “Life’s Moments,” with items like cards and letters, awards, memorabilia, and photographs. But you certainly have need for this category at Artifcts. 

Fall in Love With the @ Feature 

Whether you’re writing a text, email, or social media post, typing @ unlocks the ability to link to other people and groups. It’s an efficient way to loop in and alert others. 

At Artifcts, we evolved the @ feature a step further to meet our community's needs. We wanted @ to help us all to weave others into the stories we tell about the objects that pass through our lives. We also wanted to be able to link one Artifct to another. Maybe the Artifcts are part of a collection or one is simply part of a much bigger story. 

“The @ feature is hands down my favorite boost for any Artifct I create. I love being able to lead people down the rabbit hole from one part of a story to another without having to write an essay,” said Artifcts co-founder Ellen Goodwin. “And it saves me time, too. If I use @person then the Artifct is automatically shared with them. Done and done!”

And with these tips in mind, we wish you happy Artifcting!

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© 2025 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Hello April, and hello to our fourth installment of Around the House, With Artifcts. This month’s focus? Our walls, and all the ‘stuff,’ photos, mementos, art, and more that make their way into our hearts and eventually onto our walls.  

So Many Frames! 

There is no precise figure on how much Americans spend annually to frame their photos and mementos, but the global picture framing market was valued at $9.3 Billion in 2022 and is expected to reach $14.67 Billion by 2031, according to the team at Straits Research. Entire companies, such as Framebridge, Frameology, and Keepsake Frames exist with a singular purpose: to frame your ‘stuff,’ from photos to kid-art to travel mementos. They are hoping to cash in on the custom framing market, once dominated by established brick and mortar chains such as Michaels.  

Adding to the myriad of choices you can now make as to what you’ll frame is the complexity of framing itself. You have dozens of choices and endless combinations including types of wood, mattes, and glass. Do you know the difference between museum glass and conservation glass? It gave our co-founders pause! Conservation glass blocks 99% of UV rays, whereas museum glass does that AND provides less than a 1% light reflection. This can dramatically change the view, so to speak, depending on where you intend to hang your piece. 

So many choices. So much money. That said, we’ve yet to encounter a frame that can tell you the story or history of the object under that optimal museum quality glass. Why is THAT photo in a frame? Better yet, who is that in the photo? And what are they doing? What’s the story behind the ticket stub or hotel room key so lovingly matted and preserved for all to see? Oh, and that’s a cool pennant! What’s it doing in a frame?  

Stories and Frames Go Better Together 

Our co-founders LOVE looking at ‘stuff’ in frames (and they love framing ‘stuff’), but they also love the stories, histories, and memories often captured within those four wood-bound sides and UV protective glass. It should come as no surprise that here at Artifcts, we think stories and frames go better together. 

A couple of years ago Ellen was in a home in New Mexico concierge Artifcting with a bachelor in his late 70s who had a collection of really old documents and currency framed in his stairwell. His passion in sharing the history was captivating and they were top of his list to Artifct. “It’s not like I can get my great nieces and nephews to stand still to learn this history.” 

So how do you ensure that the story, history, or memory that prompted you to invest in a frame in the first place lives on for generations to come? Our co-founders share their favorite tips below to help you get started as you tell the stories that live on your walls, one object at a time! 

• Ellen is a fan of finding the favorite moments hanging on her walls and then Artifcting that {photo, textile, you name it!}. If it makes her smile, it’s a prime target for Artifcting. 

One of Ellen's favorite moments on her walls. Click to view the Artifct! 

• Heather has a rule that if it goes into a frame (and on a wall), it must be Artifcted first. Her husband and daughter know the drill, and thanks to the Artifcts, all the stories and memories hanging on their walls (even the ones her daughter is too young to remember on her own!).  
• Don’t let the perfect story trip you up! Sometimes simply stating a fact, like what the item is and how it came into your life, is a great starting point for an Artifct. You can always add details or favorite memories later.
• Add an Artifcts  QR code sticker to connect the physical item with the digital Artifct. Heather’s second rule for anything that goes on her walls is that once it’s Artifcted, it’s stickered, ensuring that if anything happens to her or her husband, their children know what’s what (or in the case of framed photos, who’s who!), and why it mattered to them. Bonus! Fill out the 'In the Future’ field in your Artifct, and your family will have a roadmap for what happens next to all your ‘stuff.’
• Add audio or video to really bring photos, art, and other framed mementos to life! Ellen and Heather are not shy about asking others to record a short audio or video snippet if they gift them a hangable item. Heather’s husband was put on the spot to share his story after gifting her a print from a trip to Chile. That's love! 

Photos + audio = Artifct magic. Click to view the Artifct, read the story, and hear WHY this print made the trip home from Chile. 

Got a favorite framed future Artifct hanging around your house? (See what we did there?) Take a moment to Artifct That and share with us at editor@artifcts.com for a chance to be featured in an upcoming edition of our curator’s choice series.  

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Looking for more tips to get started? You might enjoy these ARTIcles as well!

How To Artifct Art

How To Artifct That Photo

Memories At Home Checklist

© 2025 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Creating an Artifct is often a joyful experience, sometimes it is also cathartic, and for many Artifcting has become their preferred means of planning for their today and for their future. Insurance fits into that final category of Artifcts: preparedness. 

As you update your policies or renew in the new year, consider: Do you have enough insurance coverage for your valuables? Are you over insured? Do you have the documentation necessary to file a claim if mother nature, theft, or an accident forces your hand? Is an appraisal needed for a valuable item in your collection? 

Ironically, in a 2020 poll from the Insurance Information Institute, fewer homeowners reported having a home inventory than a decade prior, despite increased familiarity with and options for digitization of photos, documents, and more as well as a proliferation of inventory apps for home goods and collections.

It’s human nature to avoid the negative, the improbable, and any issues that aren’t about today. But here at Artifcts, you’ll not only be able to create a record of items that are of greatest value to you, but in the process, you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy reliving and sharing your stories and passions with others and document irreplacable items, too!

Artifcts to Support Insurance 

When you create Artifcts with insurance coverage in mind, there are a few best practices to guide you. 

• • • Photos and video. Take advantage of the five photos and/or videos you can add to each Artifct. Take a picture of the object as a whole, take another picture of a maker’s mark, if any, and then photograph the item from other angles. We also strongly encourage you to record and include a short video of the object, showing it from multiple angles. 

• • • Documentation. Take a moment to find the receipt, appraisal, certificate of authenticity, or, if nothing else, a credit card statement that can help validate the original market price paid and the authenticity of the item. Attach it to your Artifct. When you acquire new items of value or collectibles, we recommend you Artifct That on the spot, when everything you need is at hand. This is a habit that will serve you well! 

• • • Provenance. Where did it come from? Why do you have it? What does it mean to you? Even if you have only family lore of where an older item came from, record that in the “Description or story” of the Artifct.  

If you purchased it, describe where and when you were when you acquired the item and what makes it valuable to you. No, sentiment is not a qualifier in appraisal or replacement value, but it will be important to helping you get the right coverage and setting your own expectations for items you value.  

• • • Add optional details. In your Artifct, click to view the “Full Form” and include how old it is, when you acquired it, and the marketplace or artist it’s from to facilitate an appraisal and any future insurance claims. We also strongly encourage to add its current physical “location.” And tag the item, e.g., #insurance, to easily sort your Artifcts by items you have, or want to have, added to your policy.  

Determining the Value of Your Belongings 

If you’re not sure of the value of an item in your collection, but suspect it’s valuable and want expert insight, you can Artifct That and then click “What’s it worth?” to share the Artifct and its supporting documentation privately with Heritage Auctions. They will assign your Artifct to the appropriate expert to review.  

You will receive a notification automatically in a few weeks when the free valuation is ready. You’ll find the valuation report in the documentation section of your Artifct. With the information from the valuation in hand, you can decide what to do next.  

Here's an example: You inherited a clock from your grandfather. You love it because it reminds you of him, always positioned on the bookcase next to his favorite reading chair, and you know he brought it with him to the United States from his homeland, Japan. The free valuation from Heritage Auctions informs you that that clock, in that condition, from that maker, in today’s market would go for between $18,000 and $22,000.  

You may think to yourself, “I better get an appraisal and confirm that it’s covered by my insurance policy.” Or you may think, “I loved Grandpa, but that clock is not that valuable to me. I’m going to sell it and use that money for {whatever you like}.” 

Before you sell a family heirloom or anything you value, you should consider these tips from Lark Mason, an expert in Chinese art and antiquities and frequent host on Antiques Roadshow. Read now! 

Insurance: Fact or Fiction 

We’ll close out this focus on Artifcts for insurance by revisiting our popular “Fact or Fiction?” discussion we had last fall with Howard Insurance, a private insurance advisory and risk management firm, about how to protect your ‘stuff’ from the chaos and mayhem that is life.

We invite you to test your knowledge with our "Insurance: Fact or Fiction" quiz, and then see what the experts have to say. (Hint: Answers are below.) We hope each point will build your confidence to take the necessary steps to protect all you cherish! 

1. 1. 1. I need an appraisal to insure an item separate from my homeowner's policy.
      2. My homeowner's policy will pay to replace items even if my jewelry, antiques, silver or fine art has appreciated in value.
      3. All homeowners' policies are the same and include the coverage for everything in my home.
      4. Coverage for my personal trust is automatically included in my homeowner's policy.
      5. All homeowners' policies include coverage for mysterious disappearance.
      6. My personal property coverage is worldwide.
      7. Coverage for my personal property includes water damage, hurricanes and floods.
      8. There is no deductible for losses to my personal property.
      9. Filing a claim for my personal property will not impact my homeowner's premium.
      10. Mysterious disappearance coverage is included automatically on valuables policies. 

As the fact-fiction quiz reveals, picking the right policy or combination of policies is critical to protecting your ‘stuff,’ and worth a conversation with your agent. Watch the video replay with Howard Insurance for the full details behind each of these fact or fiction questions. 

Happy Artifcting!

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© 2024 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

A decade or so ago when Zoë Kim, of Raising Simple, began taking small steps toward a more minimalist lifestyle, it was her kitchen that was her motivator. How could she function when there was so much stuff, food stuff to use and not waste, but also stuff to fit into cupboards, wash and dry, and generally even remember to use! Why did she even have five wooden spoons when a few would do?

Back then, minimalism was not the popular theme it is today. There weren't podcasts, checklists, blogs, and books at every turn telling you how to start down this path. Advice was lacking that was practical, especially for this mom of two. No way was she going to tackle her whole house never mind start counting how many she had of each item in her home.

Fast forward to 2023. She's the mom to seven children in a blended family with her partner Matt Paxton. While he had spent nearly his entire career helping hoarders, supporting people who need to clean out their houses and others who were downsizing, he was never a minimalist. He liked his stuff, and the stuff from his dad - so many paintings! - and his grandfather. He liked it all so much that as he wrestled with how to pack it up to combine households with Zoë, he almost didn't move! (Read more about that experience in his book Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff.)

Minimalist Hacks for Daily Life (with Kids!)

Zoë and Matt appeared recently on an episode of Evenings with Artifcts, and they shared their combined insights on parenting as practical minimalists.

At the heart of this way of living for their family is that they have dramatically reduced the number of decisions they have to make on a daily basis, from getting dressed to setting the table for dinner. And for people like Zoë who are naturally disorganized, it's hard for her to make much of a mess when she only owns three pairs of jeans. And she can fold them any which way she pleases, and they'll fit in her drawer!

See if any of these hacks from Zoë and Matt can help you!

• • • Create a space for things. It will fill up, then you'll have to clear it out. This is great for kids (a locker, cubby, or drawer) and kids at heart, too. Artifcts cofounder Ellen Goodwin loves these bright, recycled, collapsible crates that come in multiple sizes.
    • Use it or lose it. It's been multiple seasons or years? Give it to someone who needs it or will at least put it to go use today. And stay tuned, because we'll have a great guide for you this Earth Day (April 22).
    • One in, one out. That applies to nearly anything: t-shirts, hats, shoes, books! And pause to Artifct the sentimental ones first! Who needs all these t-shirts anyway?
    • Model the behavior you want to see. Let "them," whomever that is in your life, see you make those same hard choices and let go of things. 
    • Give a fixed time limit. Your spouse or child says they want to sell it? Okay, set a limit of 48 hours and then move it on out, one way or another.
    • Capture the stories. Telling the stories helps us let go of items. You'll find you don't need the item itself as much as you thought you do. Artifct it; let it go. Here's one man's story of capturing stories in order to downsize.
    • Collections can exist, but maybe not all at once. You might not have room to display it all without drowning your space. Rotate monthly which items in your collection you display, whether that's a statute or a painting. Here's the painting Matt Paxton currently has on his office wall.

At the end of the day, Zoë and Matt are united in the view that they have a better life because they have less stuff. 

We encourage any of you seeking additional practical daily living tips to read Zoë's book, too. Maybe buy the digital version - an act that means one less book enters your home! 

Happy Artifcting!

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© 2024 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Reading time: 3 minutes 

Do you have a rescue plan for your online memories? By default our team uses Artifcts (what a surprise!) as our go-to way to preserve those moments, memories, and keepsakes we cherish, but we fully recognize not everyone else does. And how about those moments before Artifcts? What happens then?

One of our team members was checking their email accounts—you know, the “real” one and the “shopping” one—and two messages back-to-back caught their attention. One was from Shutterfly with a “Your memories from this week 13 years ago,” subject. The other was “Your memories on Facebook,” featuring one of their posts from this day in 2015. 

We are all for solid habits and routines keeping our lives sane. Now we have a new one: When we get these reminders, we will pause and ask ourselves, “Is this a memory worth rescuing?”  

If yes, we will Artifct that.  

If you care about your memories, use a product designed for that purpose 

Social media and photobook builders do not want to make it easy to download and use your content elsewhere, search quickly, or even keep your privacy at the forefront. They have one function – communication and sharing with your “people,” whomever they may be. And why would they do otherwise? They deliver on exactly what they are designed for! 

The same goes for single purpose apps. Really, you are only going to capture your voice your loved one’s voice? Why would I invest time and money in that when I could have so much more in the same or less time with Artifcts? 

It’s okay to want and expect more 

We have evolved in the digital world and can now help you to capture, preserve, and share your memories and reap other benefits, too! 

While at Artifcts we often argue a picture is not worth 1,000 words if you don’t know the story and you don’t know the person is, we can bend those rules. Take this example. 

Which is better?

Option 1: Compressed pics with a few details. 

Or

Option 2: The full story with audio and video, too? 

At Artifcts that’s exactly what we do for our members. Bring your entire memory together where it’s still easy to share, never compressed, always searchable and downloadable in a human friendly format, and has still MORE benefits, supporting move, insurance, and estate planning being just three. 

Now, if you are going to put this plan into action, too, we want to warn you about a hiccup when it comes to Facebook: the photos you posted, Facebook has compressed. Truth is that nine times out of 10 we don’t care and can just download the image(s) from Facebook and use it in the Artifct. If we do care, we can grab the original photo from our digital storage and add that to the Artifct later. 

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You may also enjoy our past #HabitChange ARTIcles:

We're Talking #HabitChange in the New Year

#HabitChange: Back to School Edition

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© 2024 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Reading time: 2 minutes 

If you’re anything like me, you might have a love-hate relationship with holiday cards. We love them because they are festive, fun, and a great excuse to send and receive snail mail. Yes, snail mail. We hate them because they require us to make some tough decisions—Photos? Text? Layout? Yikes!—and they require a bit of advance planning that doesn’t always happen as planned, especially on the heels of Thanksgiving. 

So, what’s a card lover to do? I discovered last year by pure accident (and out of frustration) a fun and easy way to get more out of our holiday cards, and bring all those small moments, memories, and stories to life for loved ones near and far.  

My secret? Artifcts! And yes, although Artifcts is great for preserving the cards that we RECEIVE, I’m talking about using Artifcts here for the cards you SEND. How else do you include photos, videos, AND audio recordings in a paper-based card? Bonus, there is no word limit in your Artifcts. You can tell your story, the full story, without counting characters and agonizing over whether or not to include the pet’s name since that would take up an extra five characters. (Sadly, our beloved golden retriever did not make the cut on our printed card this year, but he certainly made our Artifcts card!) 

Intrigued? Read on for our step-by-step guide to spreading holiday cheer the Artifcts way.  

Six Steps to Create Your Unique & Dynamic Holiday Card 

Artifcts helps you bring your holiday card to life with all the details that a regular, printed card simply cannot provide. 

1. Pick your card, any card, digital or physical. Or maybe life interferes, and you skip the card entirely. Our holiday card last year was aptly titled, The Holiday Card That Wasn’t. Click to learn why. You’ll laugh. 
2. Type in or handwrite your heartfelt holiday wishes. 
3. Create your holiday card Artifct. You can add photos, video, and audio. Want to tell an even longer story? Use the “@” symbol when drafting your description to link to other Artifcts you’ve created to share even more details and memories. You can see my 2023 holiday card Artifct here. (Not yet a member? Sign up free to create your holiday card Artifct.)
4. Print your Artifcts’ QR code. Click on the QR code icon in your Artifct to get a printable code that’s unique to your new Artifct.                                                                    dddd
    
   
   
5. Pop your QR code into your card. Or tape it to the back. That’s what we do! Or, if you’re doing this with way more time than I ever allow myself, include the digital QR code in your printed holiday card.
6. Ready. Set. Mail. Spread that holiday cheer! 

Now you can sit back, relax, and wait for the excited, “That's so cool,” texts, calls, and emails to roll in.

We took our family by surprise last year with our Artifcts card, so much so that they no sooner had Thanksgiving than they were already asking us if we were doing it again this year. (Yes, of course we are!)  

Have another tip for making your holiday card come to life? We’d love to hear from you. Contact us at Editor@Artifcts.com.  

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© 2023 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.