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HEALTH & AGING, DECLUTTERING & ORGANIZING

Decluttering for Dementia: Paper Clutter

September 18, 2023

When decluttering, what stays and what goes somehow gets more and less complicated simultaneously when the process involves the belongings of someone who has advancing dementia. It’s doable, of course, but understanding what you might experience along the way, and some tested tactics, may help set you up for greater success and (hopefully) less frustration.

Today we're choosing a narrower topic within decluttering: papers and documents of all types. Why? The black and white of documents may be more emotional than you first imagine and all to easy to dismiss and toss when time and stress conspire against you. For a more general discussion about decluttering and brain health, check out this article.

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Life is life, busy and full. And whether we intend to collect and hold onto documents, photos, magazines and more, it happens. Sometimes we have best intentions of someday putting that all to use—"how to” do something around the house, tips for gardening, vacation brochures—or we fear that we may need it one day, e.g., warranties, user manuals, and tax papers. Even with modern day options like Pinterest, paper is still top dog for many of us.

So, when it comes to a breaking point, and you realize you just have too much, you can’t find anything, or maybe you’re preparing for a move, how you get through it all becomes the question. And when the person who owns the items has advancing dementia, we’ve learned there are some interesting complications to be aware of and to plan for to reach a productive, if not happy, ending.

Here are a few common complications to consider:

- - Sometimes those living with dementia may believe people are taking items from them that are in fact items they have chosen to get rid of or are still in the home, but they cannot recall where they are located.
  - Visual cues range from helpful to critical memory prompts, and yet all of one’s belongings cannot possibly be out on display for a safe or pleasant home environment.
  - Loved ones and other care providers may be under time pressure for a move to downsize or transition into a memory care-supported community and thus while the home may technically have space for all the belongings, there is a need to begin decluttering and downsizing. The person with dementia may know, and forget, this move is coming.

Common Paper Clutter, the “Why” Behind It, and What Now

Magazines. You paid for them. You enjoyed them. You plan to reference them. You have/had kids that need them for projects. Maybe you haven’t even read them, because you want to read them closely and that takes time you can’t seem to find. So, you hold onto them.

For people with advancing dementia, … reading through periodicals may no longer even be possible due to poor short-term memory recall.

What now? Drop off with schools, recycle, sell collectible issues, Artifct those with memories attached, like these Seventeen magazines from the 60s.

Warranties and User Guides. Having the warranties and user guides in hardcopy can feel reassuring, you have recourse, you have details on what to do if there’s a problem. And not so long ago, these documents simply weren’t available unless you kept them in hardcopy. Times have changed. And many times, warranties aren’t even valid without registering your purchase within a certain period of time. Was that 30 years ago?

For people with advancing dementia, … the visual support of a hardcopy is often necessary for memory recall. But, in reality, will that person be responsible for repairs or administrative tasks to support a claim?

What now? Digitize valid warranties, and, with few exceptions for collectibles or antique items potentially, let the user guides go. You can find them online.

Photos. The older the better, as memories go. And if you know what they are and you are not sitting on triplicates, blurry images, and unknown scenes, maybe they aren’t too cumbersome. But when you have photo clutter, and original negatives, you have risk of loss and degradation and an accessibility issue. You can’t likely keep it all out in the open and accessible. Digitization is your ally! (Check out tips for digitization.)

For people with advancing dementia, … talking through photos and the stories behind them is not only good for the individual but can bring them closer to loved ones and caretakers who will enjoy hearing the stories and capturing their loved one’s history and legacy.

What now? Artifcts really helps with favorite photos – pair photos (a picture of them and/or the digital copy) together in an Artifct and the story behind them. You can even add video or audio of you/your loved one telling the stories. Photos can’t talk after all!

Letters and Greeting Cards. They are personal, the other person touched them, wrote on them, took the time to send them to you the old-fashioned way. The problem is they proliferate, and you store them away without looking back through them, so what good are they then? They are not all created equal – quick, functional notes, greeting cards with just a signature … – and yet we keep them all as though they are equal!

This card even had feet that move. Check out the video. >

For people with advancing dementia … Like photos, the older the better for memory recall. And when the people who may have given them to you are no longer present, this can be very grounding and ease loneliness and anxiety to have these touchpoints with your past.

What now? Encourage a three-pile sort:

1. 1. 1. 1. The benign, less meaningful that you can recycle;
        
        Special ones you can give away to another person who might cherish them;
        
        Historic, only copies, and the most meaningful to keep. For group three, this is the time for digitizing, scanning, or photographing them, whatever suits your needs and budget (time and money). Consider Artifcting important cards and letters so they are secure and preserved, as well as accessible whenever you want to see them, and easy to share. If you have room, consider displaying some again framed and set on a side table or bookshelf, for example.

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No matter what type of papers and documentation lurk as the result of a life well lived, take it bit by bit, listening along the way if you are helping to understand what’s most meaningful and why. This alone will take you a long way. Preserving the memories and stories will help make this process of letting go that much smoother. It’s not truly gone then; it’s there for reliving and sharing the experience.

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What's New at Artifcts

The Top 10 ARTIcles by Artifcts of 2024

We published more than 70 ARTIcles and Press Center updates during 2024. That’s a lot of information, ideas, and inspiration flowing your way. As we sat down to look back at what most captured your interest, we saw organizing and decluttering dominating, buoyed by preparedness and support, too, from Artifcts’ new QR code stickers.

But we also see that the sentimental and emotional nature of the stuff we collect and accumulate weighs on our minds and opens us up to new approaches to help wade through the tough ‘stuff.’ We’d argue that’s why we also observed nostalgia-themed ARTIcles related to photos, sports memorabilia, and travel, rise to the top of the “most read” list, too.

Artifcts is so much more than an app. It’s a lifestyle. So these trends in what interests you here at Artifcts were extremely validating. We want to be there to help you with your stories and memories as well as the practical matters of life: What is this stuff, why does it matter, and what will I do with it next?

Whether reading for the first time or 10th, we hope you’ll enjoy this look back at the top 10 ARTIcles of 2024 and pick up a few reminders and tips along the way. Below we share excerpts from each and a link to re-read and enjoy.

#keepthememories #yourstoriesmatter #artifctthat #insurance #estateplanning

#10

My Family Wants Me to Tell My Stories. Help!

Feeling pressured to tell your life stories?

Has a loved one given you a questionnaire or book to write in about your life that feels like another to-do?

Are you receiving tips on how to “express yourself” or make your stories “entertaining," "thoughtful," or "compelling" and don’t really know where to begin?

(Are you the one creating the pressure?! Keep reading.) Today's article… Read the full ARTIcles story.

You may also be interested in, “Telling My Story Without the Pressure of a Memoir.”

#9

We All Deserve a Purple Bin

My semitranslucent, plastic purple bin measures roughly 10 inches by 12 inches. I chose it because it was easy to spot and distinguish from my other storage bins. Already 20 years old, I’ve transported the bin to homes in six US states. It sits quietly now, minding its own business, in my dark attic.

What’s in the bin? Hard to remember most days.

If I were to lose it or Mother Nature were to destroy it, I’d feel the pain of curiosity about my loss, but I wouldn’t be able to quantify that loss. And in all honesty, I’d get over it a lot faster than I did the destruction of... Read the full ARTIcles story.

You may also be interested in, "Why One Mom Moved Beyond Memory Boxes and Instagram."

#8

Get Stickered! Introducing Artifcts QR Code Stickers

Our new QR code stickers make fast work of sorting through and organizing all that ‘stuff.’ Once you purchase a set, you can grab your Artifcts sticker sheets, get cozy in that attic, den, basement, or maybe even family member’s home, and start Artifcting and stickering, zero interruptions to search out a printer. Before you know it, you’ll have added valuable stories to your Artifcts collection and instantly and meaningfully organized all those items.

"Our mission at Artifcts is to help you connect the stories of life with the objects that you’ve collected, accumulated, and inherited. Now with Artifcts QR stickers we’ve made it that much simpler to keep track of your ‘stuff’ and your memories, too," said co-founder and CEO Heather Nickerson.

Don't believe us? Hear from someone who's helped 10s of 1,000s of people... Read the full ARTIcles story.

You may also be interested in, "Artifcts® Platform Now Supports Publishing to Custom-Designed Books with Partner Akin."

#7

Every Room Has a Story: Kitchen Edition

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... Read the full ARTIcles story.

You may also be interested in, "Artifcts: Your Digital Cookbook Meets Culinary Scrapbook."

#6

Emergency Go Bag: Don't Forget the Memories

As spring cleaning continues and storms rage, we’re taking a moment to help you make the most of that frenzy to also boost your preparedness, a key theme here at Artifcts.

We’ve shared with you the true story of our co-founder Ellen who experienced a home fire at the age of seven and encouraged you to consider what objects in your home matter most. Whether you’re in a location prone to wildfires, floods, tornados, or other extreme weather events, preparation is key.

We also recently shared the story of a woman who proactively relocated her cherished belongings to a secure, climate-controlled storage facility out of harm’s way from the California wildfires only to have a flood... Read the full ARTIcles story.

You may also be interested in, "Insurance and the Art of Artifcts."

#5

Swedish Death Cleaning Your Digital Legacy

Swedish Death Cleaning provides a conceptual framework to encourage us each to organize and declutter our homes to reduce the burden on loved ones who would otherwise need to sift through 1000s of objects one day when we’re no longer here. We might be some of the biggest fans of Margareta Magnusson, who introduced the concept in her book, The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning, that she’s never met.💗 ...

... What ARE we talking about, “digital legacy?” Good question! Because, no, in this context, it is not about the entirety of your online life or digital assets, e.g. banking, mortgages,... Read the full ARTIcles story.

You may also be interested in other ARTIcles by Artifcts about Swedish Death Cleaning.

#4

Minimalism Techniques That Can Help Us All

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?

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... Read the full ARTIcles story.

You may also be interested in, "15 Decluttering Targets for Artifcters."

#3

Salvaging Water Damaged Photos

The following article includes excerpts from a true story shared with Artifcts by a member of the Arti Community and republished here with permission. May their loss help your future.

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Imagine yourself in this scenario: Wildfires are approaching your home. You evacuate, taking with you your most cherished possessions, including those incredibly vulnerable photos, videos, books, and family documents. You feel relief when you place them inside a climate-controlled storage unit far outside the fire zone.

Days later you receive a call from the storage facility. There’s been an accident. Your storage unit has been flooded via a damaged sprinkler system... Read the full ARTIcles story.

You may also be interested in, "Let's Talk Photo Negatives and VHS Tapes."

#2

TIME Magazine Wants You to Declutter With Artifcts

Angela Haupt, journalist with TIME magazine, featured Artifcts this week in an online article that united experts in mental health and decluttering to share tools and tactics to "kickstart a realistic decluttering routine." We especially loved this insight from our own strategic advisory board member and popular TV host Matt Paxton:

Many people struggle to declutter because they don’t want to part with items that remind them of someone or something they love, Paxton says. A simple mindset shift can make a big difference: Think of getting rid of stuff as a way of unearthing your family’s history.

A history you can then easily capture, preserve, and share here at Artifcts. Read the full story on TIME.

You may also be interested in, "15 Years in Storage: Now What?"

#1

Letting Go of Sentimental Items

Last fall Chris Stapleton appeared in a Sunday morning interview on NBC with Willie Geist. In a moment of reflection on the “how” of his music making, Chris pointed to a chair he’s used as he’s recorded all of his albums and said, “It’s home.”

We get sentimental about objects for that “home” feeling among other reasons, making it difficult to let go sometimes. These are the artifacts of our lives! Today, we’re sharing our green-yellow-red light approach to reevaluating your sentimental collections.

But, Reader, beware! If you are waiting for us... Read the full ARTIcles story.

You may also be interested in, Spring Cleaning: The Clothing Edition.

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2024 is now a wrap. We look forward to seeing you back here in January!

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Curious for more? Take a look back at the Top 10 ARTIcles of 2023, too.

December 18, 2024

FEATURED

Why Artifcts is a Go-To Present for Caregivers and People with Dementia

I recently spent time with an Arti Community member who has dementia. As you may know, the daily routine for people with dementia is generally increasingly structured as the dementia progresses to minimize stress and paranoia and prioritize all things familiar. Schedules also help the caregiver preserve their own sanity, minimizing the “new” things in a day to juggle.

As someone relatively new to the caregiver role to someone older than myself, I found that even within the normal routine, there were traps I nearly fell into every which way I turned. When you are unaccustomed to the way the brain plays tricks as dementia progresses, it’s easy to overlook complications that someone with dementia will face with day-to-day activities.

In today’s ARTIcles story, I am using the ubiquitous smart phone as both an example and as the flashing light that showed me, a founder of Artifcts, just how special the Artifcts experience and lifestyle is for caregivers and people with dementia. It’s so much more than an app.

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Everyone is attached to their phones these days like they’re a vital appendage. And unless you are leaning over someone, you are not generally privy to what they are looking at on the phone.

In the case of this Arti Community member, she was checking and clearing out her Yahoo! email. In the process, she was sometimes clicking through on emails that grabbed her attention. One such email was filled with “Friend” suggestions from Facebook. To be clear, none of these people were her friends. And based on the profile pictures and names, as well as absence of connections to other legitimate friends, they should not become her friends either.

Artifcts Offers a Warm, Safe Experience

Seeking to avoid this Facebook dilemma, I was reminded of vital attributes of Artifcts that further separate it from social media, especially for those with declining cognitive health. Artifcts means:

1. 1. No ads leading you down meaningless and potentially costly rabbit holes.
  2. No algorithm encouraging you to befriend strangers.
  3. Stories, without the story burden (pesky reminders and deadlines, irrelevant questions, and the stress of a project).
  4. An activity to do together, with in-the-moment benefits and benefits for years to come, too.

Artifcts offers you bite-sized memories and stories. Your stories and stories loved ones have shared with you. We spent over 30 minutes together inside the Artifcts app reading story after story, her stories, and stories loved ones had shared with her. The stories evoked warm, safe memories and a feeling of connection with her loved ones. She added further color commentary to some of the items in the Artifcts. “Poor, Scotty, he was always losing his fur,” she remarked about a stuffed dog she's had since she was a child.

Old black stuffed dog toy with tartan plaid jacket

Revisiting Artifcted stories was relaxing for us both, the person with dementia and the caregiver. Browsing Artifcts offered a reprieve from the demands of any schedule and of treating her like a patient.

We transitioned then from browsing Artifcts to me helping her to create a few new Artifcts for herself.

Research also supports that the art of storytelling and exercising the creative and memory parts of our brains, as when we create Artifcts, are good for our cognitive health.

Artifcts are like art, no two are the same. So while creating Artifcts can evoke positive memories, research also supports that the art of storytelling and exercising the creative and memory parts of brain, as when we create Artifcts, are good for our cognitive health. And, bonus, each Artifct we created was set up to be instantly shared with her immediate family members. Those Artifcts are like little gifts arriving in their inboxes – surprise – and become tangible evidence of time well-spent together.

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To all the caregivers out there, we see you and value all you do. We beseech you to sprinkle Artifcts into your days so you can just be husband and wife, mother and daughter, best friends – people first, patient-caregiver second. And remind yourself, every moment of the day need not be about what they need. Prioritize your health, happiness, and sanity, too!

Wishing you a merry holiday season!

P.S. In case you have not heard, AARP chose Artifcts for its 2024 Gift Guide. You can browse the complete guide here.

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by Ellen Goodwin, Artifcts

December 13, 2024

HEALTH & AGING

Hidden Stories Behind Holiday Decor

In today’s ARTIcles story, we’re taking you inside the homes of our co-founders, both of whom celebrate the winter season with Christmas trees and an abundance of ornaments. You might celebrate other holidays with a different set of traditional holiday décor, and we bet it too has stories to tell of holidays and people of years past and present.

Whether you have holiday heirlooms, family traditions, or simple merriment guiding your holiday décor, we hope you’ll remember to take a moment to create an Artifct and share a story or two with your friends and family this season.

Step Inside the Goodwin Home with Co-founder Ellen

Our tree is certainly merry and bright. The ornaments include those from my own childhood as well as those from my travels and annual “pick an ornament” outings with my daughter.

This year’s tree decorating was unique, because my parents came to visit and decorated the tree with us. As we decorated, we naturally shared stories about the ornaments. It was the chattiest our daughter was all weekend as she oohed and aahed over her ornaments and reminded us of which ones had to be placed together.

	This year’s new arrival is custom artwork from Brittany Atkinson, based in Austin, Texas. The ornament is more of an investment than usual ornaments, but I love supporting local artists. The bold design and colors definitely won my daughter’s stamp of approval.
	I have a thing for nutcrackers, they adorn our house during Christmas, and they hang on our tree, too. I wish I could find more ornaments just like this one, a gift from my mom years ago. View the Artifct ->
	My daughter insists on pairing these sweet ornaments together on the tree each year. When she picked these out, it was the only time she got two ornaments instead of one to add to the tree. She named them Autumn and Oscar. View the Artifct ->
	A few weeks before Christmas in 2012, I had surgery and was on crutches. While laid up, I had the bright idea to make these gingerbread and gold glitter cutout ornaments. Just me at home with a 2.5-year-old and really really REALLY sticky dough. What was I thinking? I’m delighted they’ve last this long. View the Artifct ->
	Sometimes I just want something classic and clean. Last year I chose a candycane design with a traditional shape made of heavy glass. It's another nice pop of color on the tree. View the Artifct ->

And Now Step Inside the Nickerson Home with Co-founder Heather

Remember the Dr. Seus book, "Oh the Places You'll Go?" Every time I see our tree, I think of that book and smile, as our tree has evolved over the years to become a memory map of the places we've been and the adventures we've had year after year. Each ornament, although decorative by default, holds a deeper meaning to us, and brings back memories from our travels near and far.

	A beaded hummingbird ornament reminds us of our girls trip to Belize with @egoody and @vgoody "way back when" the girls still thought it was cool to travel with their parents. View the Artifct ->
	Our handmade Danish felt ornaments remind us of our visits to our family in Denmark and all the adventures we've had over the years with @Jeanet_Johansen. View the Artifct ->
	One of the older ornaments on our tree, my beloved Parsa Craft ornaments from my time in Afghanistan. Each ornament is handmade from the women that make up the Parsa Craft collective in Kabul. These ornaments have managed to survive multiple moves and two golden retriever puppies. View the Artifct ->
	This one always makes me smile! When COVID hit, our travels came to a screeching halt. What to do? We hit the trails and the mountains with our trusty two-person backpacking tent. Imagine my surprise when I found a tent ornament that was an exact match to our tent. View the Artifct ->
	Last but not least, one of my favorites! @Matt and I bought this ornament after our first trip to Iceland. It is one of the heaviest ornaments on our tree, which means we spend a great deal of time each year deciding which branch it goes on lest it slips to an untimely demise. (Which is not unheard of in our house with the dog and the children!) Sorry, this Artifct is private!

Feeling inspired? Take a look around your tree, your mantle, or wherever you keep your holiday decor and pick an item to get started. Simply snap a photo, add a short story and any fun details, click save, and you're done! Got a growing collection on your hands? Create custom tags using the Tags feature to quickly sort and search through your collection. Some of our favorites this year? #Ornaments, #Holidays2024, and #Cookies!

We're preparing our ARTIcles for 2025. Have a topic you'd like us to cover? Share with us at Editor@Artifcts.com.

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December 11, 2024

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