Hidden Stories Behind Holiday Decor

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.

© 2024 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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. 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. 

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.

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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© 2024 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

If you want to truly enjoy the holidays and not just operate in survival mode, take some advice from Santa Claus himself, who’s known for “Making a list and checking it twice.” 

While you could potentially remember everything that needs to get done and also smoothly delegate along the way, why would you do that to yourself when you could plan it out and recycle and update those plans year after year? You wouldn’t be the first person to wing it and then gasp when they realize they’re missing a particular gift, key ingredient, or even the tickets to the annual holiday lights show that they never miss.

Today in ARTIcles by Artifcts, we’re sharing tips from the pros in hopes of keeping your holiday season merry and bright.

The following is based on the Fall 2023 Evenings with Artifcts episode featuring C. Lee Cawley of simplify YOU, Jill Katz of One to Zen Organizing, and Samara Goodman of Samara Interiors. If you prefer to watch the Evenings conversation, pop over to YouTube now.

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Shift Your Frame of Mind and Start with Clear Goals

The holiday season is filled with micro changes to your routines and your home, which can make even the most laid back among us a bit stressed out and edgy, Jill told us. While Jill specializes in organizational services for neurodivergent people, you’ll discover her strategies and tools can keep us all in the holiday spirit.

WHERE IS YOUR MIND AT ON ALL THINGS HOLIDAYS?

To counteract feelings of frustration and anxiety, Jill suggests shifting your frame of mind about the lead up and the moments that make up your holidays in two key ways:

First, embrace that preparation is part of the holiday fun. Give yourself the space during the weeks ahead for prep activities like: 

• • • Choosing gifts thoughtfully, not frantically 
    • Hand writing notes on holiday cards 
    • Planning menus that come together to light up everyone’s taste buds 
    • Creating music playlists

Second, absolutely avoid urges for perfection. Take a step back and remember why you are doing all this to start with and breathe. What do you want to remember about this holiday one year from now? Five years from now? We bet it’s about how you felt, not whether that centerpiece matched Martha Stewart’s design or that cake looked as good on your table as it did for Ina Garten.

WHAT WILL SUCCESS LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?

Now let’s consider your goals for the season. Are your holiday plans designed to guarantee more family time? Are you seeking to create a new holiday tradition this year?

To reach your goals and avoid madly racing thoughts that will detract from what’s important, track your holiday routines and to-dos. This will also help you to avoid starting from scratch next year. While you might like a pad of paper or digital note, hands down our panel recommends digitally accessible and customizable spreadsheets.

Before you decide spreadsheets are too intense or complicated, hear us out. A spreadsheet lets you simply list out your to-dos based on when they need to be done, e.g. 4 weeks out, 3 weeks out etc., so you can keep track of the multitude of tasks and subtasks that are part of your holiday routine.  

Common holiday to-do items from our panelists’ own spreadsheets:

• • • Taking out and putting up decorations 
    • Buying tickets for a holiday event 
    • Planning the menu and its corresponding shopping list 
    • Ordering custom holiday cards (and noting the “no later than” date for getting them mailed) 
    • Gathering or buying materials related to annual traditions  
    • Making any needed repairs around the house before guests arrive  
    • Choosing and selecting a hostess gift for parties you’ll attend 
    • Tackling cleaning tasks big and small 
    • Pressing tablecloths and napkins 
    • Buying flowers for the table or around the house 
    • Ordering items that will sell out early or have shipping timelines that could threaten your fun

Creating a Welcoming Space 

Hosting this year? Great. We’re ready with tips for you.

PAPER CLUTTER

As the holiday season begins, get a strategy in place for one of the top sources of holiday clutter: paper! We’re talking about cards and flyers, donation requests from charities, and holiday cards, too.

C. Lee suggests buying or repurposing a decorative bin (with a lid) that you don’t mind setting out in your space to catch all the incoming catalogs and other generic mail. “But have a second box just for holiday cards that you do not want miss and may also include checks, cash, or gift cards.”

You’ll also likely generate some necessary paperwork during the holidays that C. Lee recommends you place into a durable labeled folder. What might this include? Copies of travel documents and itineraries, last year’s holiday card (to help you decide on this year’s), gift lists and ideas, receipts, and more.

ALL THINGS HOLIDAY

Clutter aside, let's move on to holiday decor and more! As an interior decorator who naturally embraces many principles of home organizers, Samara suggests that in decorating for the holidays and preparing for guests you think about all five senses.

“Often people think about what the room looks like, and what the menu will taste like, but what about touch? Cozy blankets and that feeling of warmth around you can be so inviting. As for sound, music sets the tone, ranging from upbeat and playful to quiet and calming, and helps you to transition through an event, too. And smell can go beyond your menu. Keep a pot of simmering mulled cider on the stovetop to evoke memories and warmth. And use cloves and cinnamon sticks to fill a decorative vase.”

Samara also favors natural decorations that are compostable, inexpensive, and reusable. You can check out ideas from her here. A simple glass hurricane with a white pillar candle can be filled with red and green candies during the winter holidays, sand and shells in the summer, and acorns or lentils in the fall. Likewise, you do not need a Christmas bowl. An elegant neutral bowl of clear glass, bronze or silver, or smooth wood can grace your home during any season or occasion. Just add festive ornaments at Christmas and enjoy!

GUESTS WHO WILL SPEND ONE NIGHT OR MORE 

If guests are coming to stay, you can easily discover online list upon list of items that you may want to have out and about to make your guests feel at home. Some things are small and easily done if you think of it, such as a small sign with your wi-fi password in a high traffic location as well as by their bedside.

Other things you maybe already have and/or do by routine anyway. Our favorites:

• • • Laying out a sleep mask in case the sleep space is brighter than in their home
    • Providing a fan or sound machine in their bedroom
    • Clearing closet space and adding spare hangers along with a luggage rack 
    • Placing a carafe or similar for water in their bedroom
    • Topping up or replacing basic toiletries

C. Lee also suggests repurposing wine glass tags for regular coffee mugs and glasses to avoid stress and confusion as to which glass belongs to which guest (and reduce dishes). And we also love her suggestion to leave out a note along with some plates/bowls, breakfast foods, and coffee/tea directions so that they can help themselves when they wake up and you can relax into your day.

It's Okay to Control the Chaos When Guests are Staying

About those guests of yours: Keep your eye on the prize. Priorities shift when guests are in the house. Do you feel more like, "Your home, your rules?" Maybe treat your rules more like guidelines.

Set boundaries only where necessary to keep everyone (pets included) safe and to preserve your sanity. We’re willing to wager that more often than not your friends and family will follow along if they know your boundaries and general modes of operation. Just give them a nudge! For example, add a temporary over-the-door rack to hang multiple coats so people know where they can store coats and bags if you don’t want them strewn about. And if you are a shoe-free household, post a little sign and offer skid free socks to put on for their comfort and safety.

Guests are gone? Now is when you can reset and return things to normal around the house. Do not try to do this while they are there; it’s like fighting gravity. Is that really how you want to expend your energy while they are there and you’re trying to enjoy time together?

Tips for Making the 11th Hour Less Stressful

Remember that spreadsheet? We mentioned sorting it by weeks. Well, you may also want to create a timetable for the day of your event, says C. Lee, so you and everyone else remembers/knows when each thing needs to happen. When does each dish need to go in the oven? When will you light the candles and start the music? Who is arriving and when?

And what are old school sticky notes good for when it comes to the holidays? Delegation! Jill reminded us all to ask for and accept help. And even if you truly have it under control, you can appreciate that you’ll have folks joining the festivities who will feel more comfortable if they can help in some way.

Pop a sticky note next to the salad bowl, ingredients, and recipe, and say, “Make me!” Or add a note next to the stack of plates, flatware, and glasses and, write “Ready for the table.” If you coordinated in advance or simply know who will want which task, label the note with their name.

Samara encourages you to work ahead to set the table, which can be a serious effort depending on the number of place settings, the distance your table is from where all the essentials are stored, and how many layers of decorations, flatware and glasses, and more you add to complete the table.

“And if you don’t have a separate table you can decorate in advance, create a table setting box with everything you’ll need, including the tablecloth, napkins, candles, candle sticks. For items you can’t put in the box, like place settings, platters and glasses, make a list and add to the box to check off as you set the table.”

One more 11th hour prep tip is about gift opening. Have your helper tools stationed and ready. This might mean a bag for ribbons (to reuse) and another bag for non-recyclable wrapping and tissue papers. And to avoid losing anything in that holiday mess, have a box set out where small gifts can be popped into temporarily. Oh, and don’t forget to have a safety cutter on hand for eager gift receivers to open tough tape, boxes, and plastic covers without landing in the emergency room.

The Final Word 

We asked our panelists for their final few words of advice to avoid getting our tinsel in a tangle. Here’s what they offered:

• • • Simplify hostess gifts by picking one item to give to each hostess that season. Avoid more ‘stuff’ and go with consumables like wine, an evergreen potted plant, or special gourmet treats. 
    • Which leads to… embrace regifting! If it’s a distinctive and memorable gift, perhaps just avoid regifting it inside the same circle of friends or colleagues to avoid awkward moments.  
    • Centerpieces can be created well ahead of time and even done as an event, together with friends and family, for an instant tradition!  
    • Minimize how much new you take on during the holiday season: one new decoration, one new recipe, one new tradition.   
    • Plan in downtime so you can enjoy the season without being drained by it. 

And with that, happy Artifcting!

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© 2024 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.