Preparing With the End in Mind: A Conversation with Rachel Donnelly, Author & After Loss Professional

The Dalai Lama may have put it best, “Once a year, go somewhere you have never been before.” To some, that may be trekking halfway across the world; to others, it may be a day trip one town over to try out a new restaurant or hike a new trail. Travel need not be far flung to be enriching and rewarding. 

Here at Artifcts, our team members are avid world travelers and adventurers. We are also big fans of carry-on only travel and being able to pick up and go as plans change. This often means that space is at a premium, and not all desired souvenirs make the cut for the return trip home. Our children know this too well, as often the first question asked before making a purchase abroad is, “Do you have room for it in your backpack?” Notice we said backpack, not suitcase.  

In the outdoors world, there is a concept (and organization) called "Leave No Trace" which calls on travelers to be conscious of the effects their actions may have on plants, animals, other people, and entire ecosystems. There are seven principles that guide and inform leave no trace, and include: 

• • • Plan ahead and prepare
    • Travel and camp on durable surfaces
    • Dispose of waste properly
    • Leave what you find
    • Minimize campfire impacts
    • Respect wildlife
    • Be considerate of other visitors 

We’d like to be so bold as to add an eighth to the list: Artifct where you’re at.  

We know firsthand that the memories and sun tans will fade, and that the little details that seemed so crystal-clear months ago will one day be a jumbled mess. Our co-founder Heather discovered that neither she nor her husband could recall all the hikes they did on their honeymoon in Italy; thankfully for them, they had saved their hikes in AllTrails and were able to recently piece together Artifcts from their honeymoon seven years ago, combining photos and videos from the hikes, the AllTrails maps, and their favorite memories and stories from the trip. 

We have also seen how souvenirs, once home and put on a shelf or tucked away in a drawer, are often forgotten or fall victim to time, breaking, crumbling, or fading. How many of us are living with those “please-mom-this-is-all-I-want" travel mementos that are no longer remotely interesting to said child?   

We have also found ourselves traveling in places that don’t always lend themselves to souvenir shopping. Several summers ago, Heather ventured off to Greenland for a week-long hiking adventure. Much to her delight, she did not encounter a single souvenir shop during her time in the Greenlandic wilderness.  

Ready to Give Leave No Trace Artifcting A Try?

Leave No Trace Artifcting is a simple and fun way to relive those much-loved travel adventures, while also saving space, money, and lessening your environmental footprint. Want to give it a try? We’ve put together these four easy tips to get started:  

1. 1. 1. Pick an object. It could be Arctic flora you’ve never seen before, a favorite sunset, or even an interesting sign or mural discovered exploring a new city. 
      2. Take a photo and add video or audio, too. Trail maps, video snippets, even museum signs, all make for great add-ons.   
      3. Add a short story. You can always add more when you get home (or when you're inevitably stuck at the airport waiting for your flight that was supposed to depart hours ago).
      4. Save and you’re done! Want to share the love and memories? Privately share with family and friends or create a Circle to share near and far. Add a custom tag or two to quickly find the Artifcts from your favorite trips.  

 
Intrigued and want to try #leavenotrace Artifcting but worried about depriving the local economy of much-needed tourism dollars? One of our Artifcts Community members shared with us what they do—they Artifct on the go, and then when they get home (sans a suitcase full of souvenirs) they donate to a local charity they discovered while traveling. It sounds like a win-win to us! 

As you head out on your next adventure, or relive recent summer journeys, pause, and ‘Artifct that’ souvenir, memento, or memory from your trip. Your future self will never regret taking a moment to tell the story behind THAT photo, THAT t-shirt, or THAT travel treasure. 

___________________

Check out other Travel related ARTIcles by Artifcts:

Artifcts + Travel Go Better Together

Preserving Your Best Travel Memories

Have Passport. Willing to Travel

###

© 2026 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

At Artifcts, we often say that every object has a story. Whether it's a family heirloom, a piece of artwork, a treasured photograph, or a well-worn pair of hiking boots, the real value lies not only in the item itself but in the memories, people, and history connected to it. 

That's why we're especially excited about our partnership with the Waterville Valley Historical Society, an organization dedicated to preserving and sharing the rich history of one of New Hampshire's most beloved mountain communities. 

A Shared Mission of Preservation 

When members of the Waterville Valley Historical Society (WVHS) first learned about Artifcts, they immediately recognized the potential of the platform to help make their collection more accessible to the community. Historical societies often serve as stewards of remarkable local stories, but finding ways to organize, document, and share those stories in engaging and sustainable ways can be challenging. 

Artifcts offers a different approach—one that preserves not just artifacts, but the stories behind them. As Patty Furgal, President of WVHS said, "Sharing items from the Historical Society's collection with Artifcts was so much easier and faster than attempts at sharing them via adding images and descriptions directly to our website. No technical expertise in website design or graphic design is needed."

By creating digital records that combine photographs, historical details, family memories, and contextual information, Artifcts helps ensure that important pieces of history remain connected to the narratives that give them meaning. Furgal also added, "We can easily create different online ‘exhibits’ using simple tags," such as #WatervilleValley or #FabyanLorenzAdamsCollection. 

Bringing Local History to Life 

Among the first artifacts added to the Society's collection is a fascinating group of historic footwear donated by longtime resident Jerauld Adams. 

Vintage women's athletic shoes, circa 1910. Click to view the Artifct and story. 

The shoes once belonged to members of the Fabyan and Lorenz families, two families whose stories are intertwined with the early history of Waterville Valley. Even more remarkable, the footwear was discovered inside the home Adams purchased—a house originally occupied by the Fabyan family in the early 1900s and later by the Lorenz family. 

At first glance, these shoes might seem like simple objects from another era. But when paired with their stories, they become tangible connections to the people who helped shape the Valley's history. They invite us to imagine daily life in Waterville Valley generations ago, the challenges residents faced, and the community they built. 

This is exactly the kind of storytelling Artifcts was designed to support. 

Creating a Living Community Archive 

Historical preservation is no longer limited to display cases, filing cabinets, and archival storage rooms. Today's digital tools allow organizations to build living collections that can grow over time, welcoming new contributions and connecting community members through shared stories. 

The Waterville Valley Historical Society's Artifcts collection represents more than a catalog of objects. It is becoming a dynamic archive of local history—one where artifacts, photographs, documents, and memories come together to paint a richer picture of the Valley's past. 

 

As new items are added, the collection will continue to reveal the people, places, and experiences that have shaped Waterville Valley across generations. 

Explore the Collection 

We are honored to support the Waterville Valley Historical Society as they embark on this exciting new chapter in preserving and sharing local history. 

Their growing Artifcts collection demonstrates how technology and community stewardship can work hand in hand to ensure that meaningful stories are not lost with time. 

Vintage lantern wicks from the old Waterville Inn. Click to view the Artifct and story.

We invite you to explore the collection, discover the stories already preserved there, and follow along as new pieces of Waterville Valley history are added in the months ahead. After all, every artifact has a story. Together, we're making sure those stories endure. 

In the greater New England area, or planning a road trip this summer? Stop by the Little Museum at the End of the Road (seriously, the road ends in Waterville Valley) and view the collection in person. 

### 

This collaboration is particularly meaningful for Artifcts co-founder Heather Nickerson, whose connection to Waterville Valley stretches back decades. Having grown up skiing in the Valley and recently returning with her own family, Heather was delighted to support the Historical Society's efforts.  

© 2026 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The wealth being passed down from Baby Boomers isn’t just dollars — it’s decades’ worth of ‘stuff.’ As we enter what many call the Great Wealth Transfer, the children of Boomers are discovering that a big chunk of what they inherit comes in the form of physical objects: collections, vintage items, and sometimes things nobody quite knows what to do with. 

Our Co-Founder, Heather, discovered this firsthand after losing her mother and having to sort through SO. MUCH. STUFF. 

What’s Actually Being Inherited 

According to a recent Bloomberg article by Chris Rovzar, as much as $90 trillion in assets will change hands over the next few decades. But alongside financial assets lie a mounting inheritance of physical belongings. We're talking about antique furniture, sterling silver flatware, model trains, Hummel figurines, cut-crystal glassware — even miniature pianos. 

Some of these items carry deep sentimental value. For others, not so much. The result? Many heirs feel buried under a mountain of ‘stuff’ they didn’t necessarily ask for. 

Why There's So Much ‘Stuff’ 

Collectors never stopped collecting. Boomers who built their collections over their lifetimes didn’t always see them as clutter. Their passions were real — and they hoped their kids would appreciate them too. 

As we age, many of us may want to downsize. But instead of letting go, we hold on to beloved items or leave the bulk to the next generation. Matt Paxton, star of both Hoarders and Filthy Fortunes, and Advisor to Artifcts sees this daily as he and his team help families downsize and somehow deal with all the ‘stuff.’ 

We are also great at avoiding tough conversations. Not all families talk about what to keep and what to let go of. Without clear plans, decisions fall to the children — who are often under emotional stress. 

The Impact on the Next Generation 

For many Millennials and Gen Xers, dealing with their parents’ estates isn’t just a financial task — it’s deeply emotional work. Rovzar describes cleaning out a parent’s house as “upsetting, stressful and deeply sad,” but also cathartic when you find unexpected treasures like a long-lost recipe or beloved childhood memento. 

On the practical side: 

• Storage is becoming a challenge. Some families use storage units to hold inherited objects, which can be costly. Self-storage is a $59 BILLION dollar industry in the US alone.  
• Selling isn’t always easy. Vintage doesn’t always mean valuable. Many items have limited resale markets.
• Keeping the legacy feels heavy. Not every object has a clear inheritor, and not all heirs want what their parents collected. 

What Can Be Done — Thoughtfully 

Do you find yourself or your loved ones staring at the oncoming ‘stuff’ tsunami and not sure what to do? We asked experts across the organizing, downsizing, and photo management industries on how to navigate this transfer of stuff. They offered up the following advice: 

Have conversations early. Parents and children should talk about what matters, what doesn’t, and what to do with sentimental vs. practical belongings. 

Prioritize what to keep. Not everything needs to survive for another generation. Choosing key heirlooms can help reduce clutter while preserving meaning. Check out our guide to Swedish Death Cleaning to help you purposefully choose which possessions to hold onto and which possessions to rehome or let go of altogether. 

Our Co-Founder Heather kept these vintage hot cocoa mugs after her mother passed--not for the financial value but because of the memories. 

Be realistic about disposal. Items that don’t hold value may be donated, recycled, or sold. A professional estate sale service can help. Learn more about estate sales and other online options for selling items in our Everything You Need to Know Before Heading to Your First Estate Sale ARTIcles story. 

Document provenance. If a piece has real historical or monetary value, keeping a record helps with future decisions and may make it more meaningful. It can also help your heirs not be “the ones” who accidentally donate a Picasso to Goodwill.  

Why This Matters 

This isn’t just a story about stuff — it’s about generational legacy, memory, and how we value our lives through objects. As wealth moves from one generation to the next, what we inherit isn't just bank accounts; it’s a tangible piece of who our parents and grandparents were. 

For many heirs, sorting through these items is more than a transaction. It’s a way to understand their loved ones, decide what to carry forward, and gently close chapters in a responsible and emotionally respectful way. Matt Paxton shares, "I always tell clients it's not just a chair. It's the person that sat in the chair, and the stories that they told. That's why THAT chair matters."

As you look around your home — or your parents’ if you happen to be heading home for the holidays— notice the items that hold meaning: 

• The broach worn on a wedding day
• The tool passed down from a grandfather
• The ticket stub from a once-in-a-lifetime concert
• The odd little figurine that always sat on the mantel 

Those keepsakes aren’t just things, they’re experiences, memories, and connections waiting to be captured. Take a moment to Artifct those items, capture the story, the history, and all the little details that make you smile, laugh, or remind you of your loved one(s). Give future generations the context they need — not just the clutter, because the real inheritance isn’t the ‘stuff.’ It’s the life stories and memories behind it. 

Still with us? Extra credit if you use our “In the Future” field to tell your heirs what to do with the item when the time comes — keep, donate, sell, bequeath, or “as you wish.” Lift the weight of uncertainty before it ever lands on their shoulders. 

###

Before you decide what to do with a meaningful item, preserve the story behind it. One photo, a few memories, and the details only you know can help ensure that future generations inherit more than an object, they inherit the context, history, and meaning that made it matter.

Start with one item that tells part of your family's story.

Ready to preserve your own stories? Create a free Artifcts account and begin documenting what matters most.

© 2026 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.