SERVICES

INSPIRATION

Artifcts A to Z

HELLO!

Give the gift
of Artifcts

The perfect gift for the person
in your life who has everything.

Give a gift Close

Introducing Artifct That! kits, with all the tools you need to build your Artifcts collection in a grab n’ go tote. Buy now ->

Artifcts \ Articles \ DECLUTTERING & ORGANIZING \ Decluttering for Dementia

DECLUTTERING & ORGANIZING, HEALTH & AGING

Decluttering for Dementia

Ellen Goodwin, Artifcts

June 28, 2023

Reading time: 7 minutes

If you’ve ever needed a better reason to stick to or create a resolution to declutter your home, this one might do it: It’s good for your brain. And we’ve seen it firsthand.

In today’s piece for ARTIcles by Artifcts, we talk openly about facing a loved one’s dementia diagnosis, and how, maybe to your surprise, decluttering can help. We are grateful to include specialist insights throughout from Cathy Rice, certified senior move manager and life-long educator.

________________

Dementia is heartbreaking, terrifying, and, so far, irreversible. Even if a loved one is in many ways themself, we know the disease is slowly changing them and shortening their life. I know. I have a loved one who is among the more than 50 million people worldwide with dementia now and already lost a loved one to dementia as well.

Some of us react to this sort of diagnosis with a desire to do something, anything, to help, to make our loved one’s life in any way better, to take the tiniest measure of control over the disease. We dive into a multi-prong tactical to-do list that we must continuously update as together we progress from diagnosis, to sharing that diagnosis with others, to learning how to manage the disease and being as prepared as possible across legal, medical, financial, and insurance fronts.

As I sought out my own ways to help, I expected I’d find information about diet, exercise, and social activities, both for my loved one with dementia and their primary, day-to-day care provider. And I did. What I was surprised to find recently while browsing HFC, Shining a Light on Alzheimer's: 5 Brain Health Habits was the hot mainstream topic of decluttering.

Benefits of Decluttering for Those With Dementia

You know decluttering well from TV shows like The Joy of Swedish Death Cleaning and The Home Edit, books including Marie Kondo’s famous The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, and bins and more from shops like The Container Store. Decluttering to support someone with dementia in some ways is like decluttering for people with normal brain health. Too much stuff can literally be dangerous if we cannot safely navigate our homes. Some of us are also more sensitive to feeling drained by too much stuff lying about around us.

Of course, when you have dementia, decluttering has other benefits, too.

- - Reduce stress. Stress reduction is imperative when you have mild cognitive impairment or dementia. And decluttering can mean clearing away some of the to-dos that come to mind when people see stuff to tidy, dust, or keep safe. Have you experienced a loved one with dementia hiding things to keep the item safe? I am sure you have because it's an incredibly common behavior.
  - Improve sleep. Quality sleep is critical for the brain’s nightly reset. Busy surroundings can lead to busy brains and may even sow confusion in bedtime routines.
  - Safety, safety, safety. We know, decluttering is about aging well in place for all of us as we age, but it’s especially true for people with health conditions, like dementia, that can make them more vulnerable to confusing and distracting surroundings.
  - Avoiding anything close to hoarding. Keep in mind, hoarding disorder is its own condition, but managing even the clutter of daily life is more difficult when you have dementia because of increased challenges in making decisions.
  - Purpose. We know finding purpose at any age is important. Here we are talking about giving the decluttering process a purpose to help your loved one part with more items than they might otherwise be willing to do. Purpose might be supporting a local shelter, resupplying charitable builders with tools, or reconnecting with loved ones when you pass down items. You get the idea.

Decluttering for Dementia

We’ve prepared these tips from our own practical experience helping our loved ones with dementia as we try to help make sense of it all, including one’s surroundings.* In some cases our loved ones were also decluttering to downsize and move. In others, it was more of a practical decluttering, for safety and mental health.

* We are not medical professionals. If you are considering radical changes to your loved one’s home enviornment, you should consult first with a specialist licensed in dementia care.

LIGHTS ...

Before you start your declutter, check the lighting throughout the home. Living like a cave troll generally does no one very good. But dementia is not only about memory. If you can see well what’s around you, it’s easier to make sense of your surroundings (and of course it’s safer). Make it easy to see the light switches, too. Understanding and interpreting surroundings, like a white switch on a white wall, can become an impediment for someone with dementia.

Cathy’s Insight: Adding felt pads to any lighting fixture to differentiate the feel of the switch from the fixture itself or a simple icon as a visual cue helps to support the brain's understanding of the item with its function.

… CAMERA, ACTION!

Start from the ground, and work your way up.

What’s on the floor? Stacks of stuff? Wandering power cords? Rugs that slip and shift? Take a fresh look. Then move your eye upward to the surfaces of counters and entry tables. If someone needed to quickly grab onto a surface to prevent a fall, would they have a secure place to grab? Is there a clear and secured place for common objects, like house keys?

Cathy’s Insight: People with dementia often find comfort in knowing that their stuff is close-at-hand. Create a "command center" within easy reach of their favorite chair for essentials (eyeglasses, books, pencils, fidget items, etc.).

And about those rugs … if you must keep them, use carpet tape to secure edges to the floor. The same applies to small storage trays, which you can secure with surface-safe tape or museum putty.

Favor simple home furnishings.

As we know stress takes its own toll on the brain; let’s try to minimize the stress home décor can accidentally create. One Arti Member told us, “My loved one was disturbed by a decorative lumbar pillow that had a shaggy fur cover. It looked like a small dog.” Sometimes textures and patterns can be difficult for people with dementia to interpret. Likewise distinguishing whether an object is inanimate. This is why some people with advancing dementia find comfort with life-like pets such as those from Joy For All.

Take it down a notch.

This is about audio clutter. Too much and/or competing noises can be incredibly distracting for anyone, particularly someone with dementia. Think about simultaneous noise from the television, washing machine, and someone on a phone call, for example.

Cathy’s Insight: Taking this point a step further, family, friends, and caregivers should practice standing in front of, and at eye level if appropriate, people with dementia before speaking with them. Get their attention by saying their name and then speak simply and succinctly.

Set it aside, together. Do not remove it.

Don’t remove it immediately, if you do not have to, that is. Rushes to declutter in support of someone with memory loss could lead to irreversible loss of cherished mementos that also can serve as visual cues for familiarity and comfort. Is there an alternative way to display the items that the person with dementia says they care most about? Maybe try grouping like items on a shelf or table where they will see them often. For photos, you might even consider a digital photo frame, such as those from Nixplay, Aura, or any of the many other options.

For items that do not make the cut, if space permits, store them in an appropriate box, and set them aside so you can pull them back out later if needed or as part of a monthly or maybe seasonal rotation. We recommend you Artifct them before they go into the box and tag them to easily recall what you've stored. This approach does not apply to duplicates, meaningless bits and bops, or trash. Consult with your loved one always as well as your own good judgement.

Clarity of Purpose for the Win

Our final decluttering tip is about visual chaos. If you open a drawer and see a jumble of socks, pants, and t-shirts, you could get distracted or confused. If a cabinet has five options for plates, and 10 options for cups, which should you choose? Not only should you streamline what’s inside for simpler decision making but consider visually labeling doors to indicate what’s inside. This gadget could help you get started with easy printing of images from your phone.

Cathy’s Insight: As the disease of dementia progresses, consider only placing the clothes needed for that day in the drawer or use a shelf in a bedroom/bathroom as the place for their daily wardrobe.

Do you have decluttering tips for dementia? We’d love to hear them! You can contact Editor@Artifcts.com.

Happy Artifcting!

_________________

ADDITIONAL REFERENCES

If you are a caregiver or supporting someone who is, you may find it helpful to browse and share these related resources.

Alzheimer's Society, UK: 10 Ways to Make Your Home Dementia Friendly

US National Institute of Health: Study of Home Modifications for People with Dementia

Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute: Communication Strategies in Dementia Care

Mayo Clinic: Clearing Clutter Benefits Your Health and Well-Being

Psychology Today: The Many Mental Benefits of Decluttering

AARP Michigan: Dementia Resource Guide for Families

###

Share With Friends

6 likes

What's New at Artifcts

Every Room Has a Story: Kitchen Edition

Reading time: 5 minutes

Welcome to the fourth in our series of the stories of your living spaces: Your kitchen. Often the workhorse of our homes, the kitchen is also ground zero for family gatherings, traditions and oh-so-many memories and stories to go along with it all. Not to mention ALL that cabinet space, which too often ends up becoming the final resting place for long forgotten and seldom used gadgets, mugs, cookbooks, and more!

What surprises are hidden behind your cabinet doors? What memories and stories are sitting untold? What ‘stuff’ is getting in your way of the job to be done: cooking! Let’s go!

Catch up on past editions in the series: Living Room | Kids’ Rooms | Bathroom

Cookbooks, Recipes & More

Show me a kitchen without a cookbook and I’ll show you... a [insert company name] catalog. Yes, those designer kitchens in our favorite furniture store catalogs always LOOK nice, but our co-founder Heather is always left wondering, where are the cookbooks?

Growing up, Heather’s mom was a fabulous cook. Heather still remembers sitting on the butcher block counters and doodling in the cookbooks as her mother baked. And we’re certain she’s not alone in her memories in the kitchen and those omnipresent cookbooks.

Whether your cookbook collection is more accidental than intentional, one thing is for certain, kitchen cabinets and shelves are great for holding, hiding, and yes, collecting cookbooks! Your shelves are so accommodating that they do nothing to help you parse out the useful, the emotionally valuable, or the “it was a nice thought, but not happening” cookbooks.

And let’s not forget about the recipes. Sometimes it’s not so much the cookbook as it is one of the recipes inside that triggers the memory.

Heather found a handwritten recipe from her father in one of her mother’s cookbooks. Heather framed the recipe, and three moves later, it still sits prominently on her kitchen counter. CLICK THE IMAGE to view the Artifct.

Feeling inspired? Ready to thin that collection? As you do, Artifct favorites on the spot! Really want to wow your family? Include a short audio story of WHY you love that particular cookbook or recipe. Better yet, include a short video of you making the recipe or providing instruction on how-to make the recipe.

One of our most-loved Artifcts involves a grandmother instructing her granddaughter on how to make the family’s secret biscuits. CLICK THE IMAGE to view the Artifct.

Gadgets Galore

Ah yes, kitchen gadgets. As lovers of all things kitchen related, our co-founders Heather and Ellen get it. Who doesn’t want the latest and greatest sure-to-revolutionize-your-dinner-routine gadget? Thankfully for them, space is at a premium in both households, which means that function usually always wins out and helps to keep extra gadgets at bay.

That said, we know this is not the norm. Our members have shared with us stories of all those gadgets sometimes inherited, sometimes accumulated. We’ve heard firsthand how New Year’s resolutions to eat healthier end up with juice machines, bread machines, blenders, and the like tucked away in the back of our cabinets, taunting us and our half-hearted attempts.

When @Sue Artifcted her antique cheese grater, she even showed her daughter how to use it!

But then there are the #battletested kitchen gadgets that have stood the test of time and are woven into the fabric of your family stories around the recipes and holidays they served.

A rolling pin that's been passed down for generations! @Grandmom Artifcted it. CLICK THE IMAGE to view the Artifct.

For all those kitchen gadgets, whether old or new, loved or maybe forgotten, it’s time we take a hard look at them, too. Do they still work? Will you still use them? Perfect! Keep! If the answer is ‘no’ to either of those questions, consider donating or recycling but not before you Artifct them. A few of these gadgets are even featured in our 108 Things to Declutter list, downloadable here.

Junk Drawers, Fridge Doors, and All Other Surfaces

Hello elephant(s) in the room! We’re looking at you junk drawer, fridge door, and all other available surfaces where clutter in our kitchens tends to accumulate.

Barbara Hemphill, of the Productive Environment Institute coined the phrase, “clutter is postponed decisions.” So true! And somehow our kitchens enable us to postpone those decisions even further.

Not today! Pick an area—your junk drawer, your fridge door, or flat surface—and take a hard look at what is there by spreading it out onto an open surface and then thoughtfully reviewing what belongs:

- - Seasonal items can easily be rotated out if you pause to take notice that they are still there, months later. We’re looking at you, hand towels!
  - Sentimental but unnecessary? Great, Artifct it and then recycle, rehome, or otherwise put it in its appropriate space.
  - Any lurking financial or business-related stuff, such as old receipts, invoices, and the like, could potentially be scanned and then shredded.
  - Got mementos overflowing, e.g., old matchbooks, magnets, ticket stubs, and other souvenirs? We bet there are some good stories behind those items to Artifct and share with family and friends. Maybe consider rehoming the actual item if it is no longer needed or used.

###

June 25, 2025

DECLUTTERING & ORGANIZING

Oldies-But-Goodies: Summer Reading List from the Artifcts Archives

If you're anything like us, you probably have your favorite newsletters piling up in your inboxes all week, all month, all quarter long. We know how great they are, loaded with useful information, new research, fun tips and more, but the days can be so full. And we want to devote our attention to them, so we save them and wait until we have more time. Is summer that time for you?

If ARTIcles by Artifcts is new to you or piling up from your busy days and months, we’ve compiled a few of our favorites from over the years into your next summer reading list, perfect for your next roadtrip, airplane ride, or other adventure over your summer holidays.

While creating this list made us a bit nostalgic, it also reminded us why we’re here – helping us all to transform our relationships to our ‘stuff’ and to each other, one memory, one story, one Artifct at a time. Enjoy!

Artifcts Co-founder Heather Nickerson’s Summer Reading List

USE ARTIFCTS TIMELINES TO ENRICH YOUR FAMILY HISTORY

Have you tried keeping track of your family history? Although I'm a 12th generation Nickerson, I am allergic to genealogy apps or any type of software that makes me feel like I’m embarking on a senior thesis project. Artifcts Timelines however are a (nice cool summer) breeze. Read now -->

A FAMILY HISTORY IN FIVE ARTIFCTS

When push comes to shove, could you tell your life story in five Artifcts? Which Artifcts would you choose? I’m not sure I could, which is why I love this piece. Read now -->

STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH STUFF: THE SANDWICH GENERATION

These days I'm feeling more like a panini than a sandwich, trying to plan for yet another move with all our 'stuff' while working full time at Artifcts. This one speaks to all of us who are trying to juggle kids, parents, four-legged dependents, and our jobs, and not always in that order. Read now -->

A VIRTUAL IMPOSSIBILITY OF KEEPING UP WITH ALL MY DIGITAL PHOTOS

Guilty as charged. This will be mandatory reading for EVERY family member this summer as I refuse to pay for yet another upgrade to our Apple storage plan. Read now -->

15 DECLUTTERING TARGETS FOR ARTIFCTERS

It's actionable, and as my youngest used to say, “Chop, chop!” I think my father is secretly looking forward to a couple of extra helping hands this summer as we tackle the basement with this list in hand. Read now -->

Artifcts Co-founder Ellen Goodwin’s Summer Reading List

SOUNDS OF SUMMER – VINYL EDITION

Music is magical. We use it to teach. We use it to celebrate and recover. We even use it to reconnect with loved ones who have been robbed of so much by dementia, but the powerful memories of music bring them joy. What music would make your ‘best of’ cut? Read now -->

FROM RARE ART TO FAMILY HEIRLOOMS: TIPS FROM A MASTER AS YOU CONSIDER SELLING YOUR ‘STUFF’

Too often we are our own worst enemies, procrastinating, inflating expectations, and worse when it comes to downsizing and decluttering objects we own. We've taken to heart the perspective and truths that Antiques Roadshow host Lark Mason shared with us from his decades of experience working with families as they auctioned away pieces of their family history. Read now -->

FIVE LESSONS FROM ARTIFCTING WITH MY MOTHER (+ The Epilogue!)

Artifcting is about connection, one on one, in groups, as communities. This story comes from the heart, offering guidelines to make the most of your time Artifcting with your loved ones. Read now -->

PINT-SIZED PERSPECTIVE ON DECLUTTERING & MOVING

It can be hard to be 5, 6, or 7, or any age under 18 really. So little control over nearly everything! This article is about bringing kids into the decluttering and downsizing game to give them back some control as you prepare to move. Don’t miss a more recent article on this theme from our friend Matt Paxton, too. Read now -->

HOW TO TAKE PICTURES OF OBJECTS AT HOME

The team at Artifcts wants to support you as much as possible, every step of the way. So when our members ask us for tips—like how to take nice pictures of ‘stuff’—we do everything we can to respond and help. Aesthetics matter! Details matter! If you want to level up from our at-home advice, we collected photo tips from a pro, too. Read now -->

We wish you all the best over these summer months. Happy reading, happy Artifcting!

###

June 18, 2025

FEATURED

Who Wants Your Family China?

Last week while out walking my dog, I ran into a neighbor. As usual, we started chatting, and 20 minutes later my dog had given up and laid down realizing the walk was on pause.

My neighbor had just returned from a trip to see her son, daughter-in-law, and grandbabies out in Utah. During her visit, she updated her family on some remodeling and upgrades at the family home in Austin. As a part of this process, she’d been required to relocate items around the house to make room for the contractors to do their thing.

By actually picking up and taking stock of items she hadn’t even thought about in years, and being an avid fan of Artifcts, she paused to think, “What is all this? Why am I holding onto it? What am I going to do with it next?”

She told her son she planned to donate the family china sets—yes, plural—and probably even old leaded crystal glasses and bowls that had fallen into disuse. “I know you don’t want my stuff. I read about it in the paper every day. I get it.”

Except, she was wrong.

Her daughter-in-law did not see it as sentimental clutter, as many her age tend to do. She intsead chimed in, "Didn't one of the sets belong to Alex's great grandmother?“ It had, and her daughter-in-law said, "In that case, I want it. It’s family. Same goes for the crystal.”

Future Options for Your China Set

The irony, according to my neighbor, is that while her daughter-in-law may want her china and crystal, shipping it will be expensive, and it will almost certainly sit in their storage unit in Utah. They live in an adorable bungalow where there’s no space for china.

“I hope I can take it to them myself the next time I take a road trip out to see them. Somehow it makes her feel good to hold onto it. That’s fine by me as long as I don’t have to!”

If your china set has fallen into disuse, think carefully through your options:

Sell

We think that for you to make the best decision, you need all the facts. If you intend to sell your china, do not expect it to be a major money maker. Better to be okay with “something is better than nothing” even if we all know there are wild exceptions out there in the world, like these ceramic plates that sold for over $25,000 at auction.

A simple online search can give you an idea of what your set is selling for in the current market. Because of shipping costs, you’re likely constrained, but for some china (because of the designer, pattern, or quality) shipping may not a barrier. You might discover a single plate will sell for $85 or $3. Check around with sites like liveauctioneers.com, eBay, Etsy, and 1stDibs.

Some online marketplaces, such as Replacements.com, buy china to then sell it off piece by piece to people who are looking for replacements for their set. But read the fine print. Some sites make quotes pending receipt of the items, and then once they receive the items, they could reduce their offer. And the price a piece sells for is going to be substantially different from what they pay you. Know this and be okay letting it go.

Family and Friends

You really do have to ask!

Do not assume that no one wants it.

Ignore those news headlines.

You might have a friend, neighbor, or loved one with a desire for your china. But avoid attaching strings to that gift. If you give away your china, and they then turn around and break up the set, transform it, or eventually get rid of it, no harm, no foul!

Keep a Few Pieces

If you’re feeling sentimental or even guilty about letting go of something that was a part of so many family occasions or was originally expensive to purchase, holding onto a few pieces of the set might help you let go of the rest. Perhaps you keep only the tea cups, only the dessert plates, or a platter and/or serving bowl. That can sometimes be enough.

For others of you, you may decide that you need still less. A single cup can become a decoration on a shelf. Or you can use it bedside to float a candle or a single flower.

tea cup and saucer on stack of books

Donate

Donations can be difficult for china. They take up a lot of space and are naturally delicate. Call your local charities and thrift stores to see what they are interested in before you pack it up and haul it over.

Create

If you are the crafty type, we’ve seen creative options for smashing china and setting it into paver stones for gardens and pathways. Others carefully break, arrange, and 3D frame pieces for stunning and creative textual art.

Artifct That

You might decide you’re keeping your china, because you’re enjoying using it or simply looking at it. You might decide it’s out of here, tomorrow!

Either way, Artifct that to record its history, like our co-founder Heather did for the china set inherited from her mother-in-law.

Artifcting your china, or any piece of it that you are partial to, and sharing that Artifct can open up conversations you never expected. Sharing might also help you complete the “In the future” field in your Artifct.

Here are some tips for making future plans for your china:

- - If you want that china to “Stay in the family,” make sure they understand why through the story you provide in the Artifct.
  - If you plan to sell it, great, choose “Sell,” and set a reminder for yourself and Artifcts will email you to help keep you on schedule.

option in Artifct form to set a reminder to sell an item

- - If a loved one sees the Artifct and is in love with the china set, fabulous. You can indicate “Bequeath” and to whom.
  - Selling it tomorrow? Mark, “Too late! Already gone. Enjoy the memory.” to save your loved ones from a frustrating scavenger hunt.

No matter your plans for your china, make them known to your loved ones, and prepare yourself to let it go to a new home.

###

by Ellen Goodwin, Artifcts

June 11, 2025

DECLUTTERING & ORGANIZING

Gain a new perspective on 'stuff'
with exclusive ARTIcles content,
direct to your inbox.

By submitting your email, you agree to receive periodic emails from Artifcts. Please review our Privacy Policy.

SERVICES

INSPIRATION

Artifcts A to Z

Memberships FAQs

Your privacy

This website uses only essential cookies to provide reliable and secure services, streamline your experience, allow you to share content from this website on social media, and to analyze how our Site is used. Learn more about these cookies and cookie settings.

Accept & Continue

Oops! This Web Browser Version is Unsupported

You received this warning because you are using an unsupported browser. Some features of Artifcts will not be available or will be displayed improperly until you update to the latest version or change browsers.

Browser update information

Oops! This Web Browser is Unsupported

Chrome

Opera

Firefox

Safari

Edge