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ARTIAssist has arrived

Arti Unlimited and Professional members can use our new AI-boosted ARTIAssist to enhance their stories and memories with historical and factual details about the items they Artifct.

Ready to Declutter Your Living Room and Don’t Know Where to Start? 

January 29, 2025

It’s January, and we’re focused on the living room in our 2025 series, “Around the House, with Artifcts.” 

Before we dive into today’s ARTIcles story, we want to call ourselves out. There’s been a lot of chatter about something that we hadn’t even thought to address: What is a living room?

In some homes, there may be only one main room where you gather, listen to music, read books, watch TV. In others, you might have a living room that’s distinct from a family room. In these cases, the living room is often devoid of one thing in particular: a TV. It’s meant for relaxation and conversation.

For the purposes of “Around the House, with Artifcts” we’re not picky about whether you’re working with a living room or family room. Both rooms:

      • Are high traffic, social areas 
      • Accumulate objects of sentimental and financial value 
      • Tend to be more about layout and decorating than some other spaces in the home

Okay, with that said, on with the story!

One Process to Rule Them All: Declutter, Artifct, Organize 

You’re welcome, Lord of the Rings fans!

When we are focused on daily living meets practical habits, in every room, we have the same process: declutter, Artifct, organize.

declutter - Artifct - organize

When it comes to the living room, which has a high propensity to be a major collection point for knickknacks to fine art, this strategy is particularly helpful. So much to Artifct! 

Declutter

You gain so much clarity when you remove the clutter. You learn: 

      • What’s accumulating 
      • Where it’s accumulating 
      • What’s worn out, in need of an update/upgrade, or simply no longer giving you joy. (Yup, we said it. Forgive us if you are not a joy fan.) Watch out, this clutter could include fixtures like furniture, which often we look right past when decluttering. 
      • What you need and/or want to make space for going forward.

fun fact - many rocking chairs have been Artifcted

Every home has its own rhythm and its own natural clutter. We asked some members of the Arti Community about their most common living room clutter. Here were some of their responses:

      • Catalogs that come in the mail 
      • Personal items, like eyeglasses, pens and notepads, medicines 
      • Toys, including for our furry family members 
      • Technology, including laptops, iPads, and earbuds 
      • (Seemingly) Random remotes, chargers, charging cords, and other tech items 
      • Pillows and blankets 
      • Puzzles and games

This comment about toys from one of our members is too good not to share: “The movie “Toy Story” was on to something, because I could swear the toys get up and walk in there all by themselves. Wasn’t it clean when we went to bed?” Oh, we sure do feel you!

Now that you know what’s accumulating on a regular basis, you can focus on the next step. 

Artifct that

The recent fires in California have put a fine point on what it means to lose everything. You may have memories, you may have some photos, but an Artifct can pull triple duty: ease you through your grief, helping you to re-live happier times; support an insurance claim when you share an Artifct with your insurer; and help you rebuild and re-furnish your favorite spaces when the time comes. 

In the living room, where you have collectibles, decorative items, homemade blankets, art and photographs, books, and more, pause to consider what the items mean to you. The stories they could tell! It’s a great room to start in if you are building your Artifcts collection. It’s likely rich with your stories.  

A few Artifcting tips for the living room:

      • Valuable items. Remember to include in each Artifct receipts, appraisals, and other items in the “Documentation” section that can support re-selling, estate planning, and insurance. 
      • Purely sentimental. When you Artifct these items, complete the “In the Future” field to help others know what to do with them one day when you’re no longer here. Make their decisions easier. 
      • One of a kind. For your one-of-a-kind items, valuable or sentimental, that mean so much to you, consider sharing those Artifcts with friends and family. Everyone loves a good story! 
      • On the way out. If your declutter included sentimental items that are hard to let go of, Artifct that and the story to remember always and to say goodbye.

Organize

You won’t get far with organizing if there’s nowhere to put the stuff. If you have certain items that are constant thorns in your side, items left out and about in passing or because of frequent use, start with those. It’s a great win to remove the clutter and find a long-term solution.

For everything else, here are a few friendly organizing reminders:

      • Put things in the closest proximity that is practical to where they are used.
      • If ‘stuff’ gives you anxiety, intentionally minimize what’s out on display and rotate new objects in by season or on a schedule, like monthly. 
      • Find a home for your best intentions, like books and magazines you've been meaning to read, craft projects you intend to start or finish, and so on. You can pull them out when you’re actually ready for them. 
      • Consider carefully if more storage is the answer in your situation. You might need to go back to the decluttering and Artifcting steps if you find yourself filling up and maybe overflowing your existing and/or new storage solutions.

What your your tips for decluttering living spaces and making it easy to let go of items, sentimental and valuable alike? Write to us at Editor@Artifcts.com

Happy Artifcting!

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© 2025 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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What's New at Artifcts
Artifcts Rolls Out Its First AI-Supported Feature: ARTIAssist

Artifcts is thrilled to announce the beta (aka test) launch of its AI-supported product suite ARTIAssist, now available to Arti Unlimited and Artifcts Professionals (ARTIPro) members. Before we tell you all about it, it’s important to give you some background as to how we got here. 

Early into this explosion of all things of AI, we attended a conference where a company was proudly showing off how it spent their investors’ dollars to create a “storytelling playground.” You could tell the chat tool about something that happened, and it would expound on that into a paragraphs long story.

We found it somewhere between out of touch and devoid of personal connection. We promised our Artifcts community we would not inflict this AI future on them.

What that company and so many others seem to overlook is the uniqueness of the human, of the individual, and their experiences and memories. In the words of our technical advisor, “AI gives you the most likely answer, not necessary the right answer.”  

Artifcts is taking advantage of technological evolution and advancements to preserve the human aspects, not just what AI can do. You can train an AI “agent,” but emotions are unique and personalized – that requires letting people preserve their memories. AI misses the uniqueness of a human, MY memory.  

Our value proposition is unique – Artifcts will be the anchor to authenticity, allowing human interactions to be preserved. No gimmicks.

So, with no further ado, read on to learn about our newest product, ARTIAssist. 

Meet ARTIAssist 

More than two years ago, we gave you a sneak peek into our plans for creating ARTIAssist. ARTIAssist describes our comprehensive tools developed by Artifcts that use artificial intelligence, image recognition, and natural language processing to help deliver ready-to-use descriptions, historical details, value estimates, and more to you!  
  
The first tool in the ARTIAssist suite is designed to support you as you create or edit an Artifct. You can activate ARTIAssist and behold a world of similar objects to your own, interesting details about the item, and even potential financial value.  

In the words of one our early testers, “Not everybody can meet with an appraiser, art historian, or be a guest of the "Antique Roadshow" on PBS. And while intrinsic "value" may be in the eye of the beholder, if someone has pieces (or collections) that are of significant value, the insights gained through ARTIAssist really helps in keeping these items in the family for generations.” 

Artifcts members can also use ARTIAssist to ask questions about an object. And, in a click, add the responses directly to your Artifct to enhance your personal story and memory as well as the provenance of your item. 

That last point is key - “to enhance your personal story and memory.” ARTIAssist does not replace you in the Artifct. And you cannot blindly trust what AI says. Look carefully at the details and make sure it provides information truly relevant to your specific item.

How will ARTIAssist help you?

ARTIAssist offers three major benefits: 

      1. Save you time – no more hopping from Google Lens to ChatGPT to auction sites and online marketplaces to learn about an object. 
      2. Know more about what you own – what is it, who designed it, how was it used and by whom, does it come in other colors and materials, etc. 
      3. Support for deciding “what’s next” – with more insights on the potential financial value in the current marketplace, understanding what it means to you versus the world, and learning of ways you could sell, donate, or upcycle it, you can make a better informed decision for what’s next for it. And document your decision in your Artifct!

So much of what people choose to Artifct is a mix of valuable items and items with intense sentimental value. Which one is worth more? It doesn't always matter. Just as long as it's been documented at Artifcts.

We have an open door!

Have feedback on this new beta feature? Is there a feature driving you a bit crazy or confusing you in any way? You can write us a Support@Artifcts.com. And be sure to catch up on past product updates, too!

button to jump to past product updates with Artifcts

Happy Artifcting!

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© 2025 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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What’s Hiding Under Your Bed?

Pivot with us as we take a hard look at our bedrooms this month in our ongoing, “Around the House, With Artifcts” series. Is your bedroom your favorite space? The one you decorate with keepsakes, fun photos, and travel souvenirs?  

Or, is your bedroom a dumping ground of all the things you meant to put away but somehow never did?  Maybe it is somewhere in between? Filled with the items you love, and the stories and memories they evoke, with just enough clutter to make you shake your head and say, “not today.” 

Bedrooms weren’t always private spaces or even reflections of our personal identity. For most of history, shared beds and living spaces were common, but increasing urbanization and the influence of the Victorian era promoted privacy, according to the BBC. The Industrial Revolution enabled more people to have private rooms, a trend that continued with the post-World War II suburban boom which solidified the modern, personal bedroom as a standard part of life.  

So, where does that leave us? With the question that started this all, “What’s Hiding Under Your Bed?” And the close second, “What are you going to do with it?” Read on to get our tips for managing the clutter, while preserving the stories and memories that undoubtedly fill one of the most personal spaces in our homes.  

It Has Value, Either Heart Value or Financial Value 

One of our Artifcts members shared with us that as they were getting ready to move, they discovered a trove of silk-on-silk oriental rugs stashed under their bed. The rugs had been there “for years and years,” and had accumulated a good coating of dust.  

As our member said, “The irony is that we had spent several thousands of dollars purchasing area rugs for our home over the years when we had perfectly good, beautiful rugs waiting for their turn to shine.”  

We recognize that not everyone has a collection of oriental rugs stashed under their bed, but maybe you have something that has similar heart value or financial value. We’ve heard stories over the years of families finding long-forgotten artwork and antique maps, bins of greeting cards and letters, and more safely stashed away, yep, under the bed!  

If you have items of value hiding under your bed, we encourage you to take a moment this weekend and Artifct them. Include a short story or favorite memory, dimensions (if applicable), and attach any documentation (if available) that demonstrates the value to you.  

As for the oriental rugs, it turns out they finally got their turn to shine. Our member was proud to report that after Artifcting the rugs, he decided to display one as a wall-hanging for all to see. Not a bad find (or story!)  

 

Oriental carpet now ArtifctedArtifcts member @Matt Artifcted this carpet after discovering it under the bed. 

It’s Just “Stuff” 

Our co-founder @Heather likes to joke that if you look under her bed, chances are you are going to find a healthy dose of golden retriever fur (it never ends!) and stacks of paper, mail, and other odds and ends that she stuffed under there the last time she had company coming over. Relatable, no? 

If you’re dealing with more clutter than not hiding under your bed, take a moment this weekend to sort through what is what and then act. 

  • What needs to be filed away for safe keeping (or tax planning)? In the file cabinet it goes, or if you use a digital vault like Trustworthy, scan the documents, upload them to your vault, and then shred the physical copies.
  • What needs to be put away where it goes? Kid toys, pet toys, maybe even laundry (hello missing sock!).  
  • What can be recycled or trashed? Our list of 108 Object to Declutter from Your Home can help! 

Chances are you are now going to be left with the “stuff” that gives you pause. These items may be important to you, but they may not fit into one of the above categories, and that’s okay.  

If you are on the fence about parting with the item because you are worried about losing the memory or story behind it, take a moment to Artifct it, and then give yourself permission to let go of the item guilt-free knowing the memory and story are safely stored in Artifcts. 

If you are on the fence about parting with the item because you are worried about losing the memory or story behind it, take a moment to Artifct it...

If you aren’t ready to part with the item, set it aside in a bin or basket and come back to it later. Just don't put it back under the bed as out of sight is out of mind! Maybe a little time is all it takes to help you decide what to do with it.   

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Looking for additional tips to help you declutter regardless of which room it is? You might also enjoy:

How to Get Your Kids to Help Clear Out the Clutter 

Aspirational Clutter and Your Closets

Home Organizing Tips to Steal from Movers and Downsizers

© 2025 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Photos + Timelines Go Better Together

Love photos? You’re not alone! What’s not to love about the memories, smiles, and special firsts all frozen in time for a moment.  

With the ever-increasing ease of digital photography (hello smartphones!) we can capture all those moments and more. In fact, we capture a lot more. Worldwide, we take on average 5 BILLION photos a day, or approximately 57,000 photos per second. According to Photutorial, the average American alone takes 20 photos a day. 

What do you do with all the digital photos that accumulate at an ever-increasing speed?   

Do you post them to social media and wait for the comments and likes to roll in? (Our resident privacy expert recommends that you don't.) Or push them into whatever cloud or other storage device you prefer, and look back through them only for the occasional calendar, school project, or holiday card? Perhaps you send a few to lucky friends and family through one of those digital picture frames, like Aura 

We’d like to suggest a different approach—Artifct those special photos, the ones that capture something unique, memorable, or otherwise notable. What is more, when you Artifct them, they are automatically added to your Artifcts timeline, instantly creating a contextual history of all things you.  

Put Photo Timelines to Work for You! 

As you Artifct your photos, Artifcts creates your photo timeline automatically. Simply pick a photo, create a new Artifct, add a short story, a date (if known), save, and you’re done. Your Artifct will automatically be added to your timeline based on the date you entered.  

 

A snapshot in time of our co-founder Heather's photo timeline. 

Not sure of the date? We’ve got you covered. Your Artifct will be added to your timeline based on the date you created it; you can always go back later and edit should you remember the date or even the decade.  

Assuming you have created a few Artifcts already, you will find your timeline by  visiting your homepage  and choosing "My Artifcts." You'll see the timeline option marked with a yellow "New!" Want to view just your Artifcted photos on your timeline? Simply select Life's Moments > Photographs as the category while in timeline view and voilà! Your very own personal photo timeline. 

As you explore Artifcts timelines and think about your family photo history, test out the built-in timeline features, because you never know what may inspire you: 

  • Switch between annual and decade views. 
  • Flip your Artifcts from newest-to-oldest and oldest-to-newest. 
  • Drag and drop to move any Artifct to a different year. 
  • Add time period notes, per year, about key events, trips, or other firsts. 

Feeling overwhelmed with so many photos and not sure where to start? As part of Save Your Photos Month, we recommend you give yourself a goal. Pick a photo a day, or one a week. Spend five minutes creating and sharing the Artifcted photo with loved ones.  

We recommend you give yourself a goal. Pick a photo a day, or one a week...

Just think, if you Artifcted a photo a day for a month, you’d have 30 photos and stories that are preserved for generations to come. Bonus! You’d also have a timeline spanning 30 {days, weeks, months, years!}. All that context, and all those memories, safely documented to protect against all of life’s what ifs.  

Want to learn more? We have great  FAQs  about timelines and  a quick video  ready for you as well. 

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Our good friends and partners at The Photo Managers are once again hosting free virtual events all month long in honor of Save Your Photos Month. Click here to learn more and to register. 

© 2025 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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