Clutter Cleaner, the nationwide estate cleanout and downsizing company founded by TV star and legacy expert Matt Paxton, has formed a strategic partnership with Artifcts®, a patented technology platform designed to help individuals preserve the meaning and stories behind their belongings. Together, the two companies are redefining what it means to declutter and downsize—by making it easier, more meaningful, and with less guilt, too.

With Artifcts, Clutter Cleaner clients can now digitally preserve the memories, stories, and significance of the items they’re ready to part with. The platform allows users to document the "why" behind their possessions, turning physical clutter into digital keepsakes that can be shared with family and future generations.

“We’re excited for our clients to use Artifcts to celebrate the memories of the past and move forward with the future,” said Matt Paxton, CEO and Founder of Clutter Cleaner. “Artifcts truly helps our clients downsize and move while not forgetting their most cherished memories and stories.”

This partnership enhances Clutter Cleaner’s mission to make decluttering, downsizing, and estate cleanouts less overwhelming and more empowering. By incorporating Artifcts into its nationwide service offerings, Clutter Cleaner provides an emotional bridge for clients navigating life transitions—whether downsizing a home, moving into senior living, or simply decluttering for peace of mind.

“Decluttering doesn't have to mean saying goodbye to your past,” said Artifcts CEO, Heather Nickerson. “We’re thrilled to work with Clutter Cleaner to give people a way to preserve and share the stories that matter most and document the value and provenance of the items they intend to keep.”

The Clutter Cleaner – Artifcts collaboration begins rolling out nationwide this summer, with all Clutter Cleaner teams trained to integrate Artifcts seamlessly into their estate cleanout and downsizing services.

For more information, visit www.cluttercleaner.com and www.artifcts.com.

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© 2025 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Artifcts' continues to win the hearts and key strokes of those with a passion for family lore, history, and genealogy, earning recognition for a third consecutive years in Family Tree Magazine's 101 Best Genealogy Websites of 2025.

Family Tree Magazine's 101 Best Genealogy Websites are organized into roughly a dozen categories, including Best "Big" Genealogy Websites, Best Family Tree & Sharing Websites, and Best Genealogy Tech Tools (including Artifcts!). And this year 14 sites newly made the list. The team at Artifcts extends a warm congratulations to all awardees!

Why does Artifcts, with no family history research database or family tree builder, support family history discovery and preservation aims? It's by design, and with tremendous feedback from genealogists, too.

Artifcts offers the ease of social media, but with privacy and control over your data at its foundation. It also prides itself on avoiding the creation of a story burden. The mere fact that someone chooses to Artifct a particular item speaks volumes. And through Artifcts, you will transform objects into memories, relieving loved ones of the guilt and burden that would otherwise come someday when they inherit it all and must decide what to do with it next. 

During a recent series of focus groups facilitated by the AgeTech Collaborative from AARP, and led by the founders of Artifcts, the "no story burden" approach was validated yet again. Participants lamented being given books to fill in the blanks, a new project they didn't ask for. They also expressed frustration with automated questions. They want to handle their stories, their way, in their own time.

"Artifcts is unlocking the secret sauce to capturing stories and memories. We don't ask for the story first. We simply ask, 'What is this? What does it matter to you? And what do you want to do with it next?' and the stories unlock themselves, one after another," shared Artifcts Co-founder Ellen Goodwin.

"Exactly!" said Artifcts Co-founder Heather Nickerson. "We have to help people with all - that - stuff and also meet them where they're at. If you only have time for a bite-sized story, great, you can do that. And even better? With our ever-shrinking attention spans, your odds that friends and family will read or listen to that Artifcted story are vastly improved."

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Artifcts is a patented and award-winning web- and mobile-based platform. From saving memories as you declutter to preserving the value of your things, Artifcts offers people of all ages and walks of life a digital way to organize & capture the meaning behind the objects of their lives. What will you Artifct first? Start free --> 

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© 2025 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Artifcts® is proud to announce that its co-founder Heather Nickerson has been named 2025 NAPO Washington DC Metro Chapter (NAPO-WDC) Business Partner of the Year for the second consecutive year. The nominating committee noted, "Heather successfully corrals our many BPs into a very high functioning, cohesive group that benefits our chapter. Her calm demeanor, intelligence, and focus on helping others really stands out." The committee also noted that, "Artifcts provides articles and free programming that add value to our chapter."

“I am humbled and excited that our local NAPO chapter recognizes the value we bring to the organizing industry,” Heather stated. “We know Artifcts and organizing go hand in hand, and we love working with our NAPO-WDC professional members to help them grow and scale their businesses. We've seen first hand how Artifcts can help clients stay organized, and part with the 'tough stuff' that may be taking up their much-needed space.”

From decluttering to organizing to making sense of life’s ‘stuff,’ Artifcts is designed to pair beautifully with the organizing industry, from solopreneurs to nationwide franchises. Artifcts Advisory Board Member and founder of Clutter Cleaner Matt Paxton added in response to the news, “I tell clients all the time that Artifcts is THE perfect tool to help them keep the memories and let go of the ‘stuff.’”

Start Artifcting today. Create your free membership here ->

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© 2025 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Bill Gross and Heather Nickerson have a practical chat on this edition of Bill Gross's "The Estate Planning Podcast." They dig into what it means for Artifcts to redefine a critical aspect of estate planning: the memories, legacy, and value of all that we collect and accumulate over the course of our lives. How do we pass on all of that and not just 'stuff?'

Take 30 minutes to listen in and consider how Artifcts can support you to be better prepared for all your "nexts."

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MORE INFORMATION:

Probate & Trust Resources, from Bill Gross

Planning, Legacy & More from ARTIcles by Artifcts

© 2025 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

As Washington D.C. headquartered Artifcts continues to grow and scale, it proudly welcomes Lem Lloyd as an Advisor for Growth & Partnerships. Lem brings 30 years experience in building Internet businesses and running sales teams at both public companies and new start-ups.

"Lem's experience and expertise in growing and scaling numerous tech companies and negotiating complex partnership deals will be a game changer for us as we continue to grow and scale Artifcts," said Heather Nickerson, Artifcts co-founder."

As we grow older, our needs and capabilities change, and not all homes are designed to support this change along with us. It’s common to upsize your home when your household is growing – whether to accommodate children, pets, or simply because you need an extra room for a home office. But what once was the perfect home, may now be too hard to manage and maintain in your golden years. 

There are countless benefits of downsizing your home, and it’s a wonderful way to open the door to the next stage of your life. But, making the decision to downsize can be hard, and leaving a home filled with cherished memories can bring heartache. So, when is the right time to downsize? If owning your home in Seattle, WA or renting a house in Portland, OR has brought more stress and worry than it has joy and comfort in recent years, the time may be now to downsize into something smaller – or maybe even renting a space like an apartment in Beaverton, OR. Here are 14 signs it’s time to put your house on the market and downsize, one of which was contributed by Artifcts' very own co-founder Ellen Goodwin.

Read the full article here: When Is the Right Time to Downsize? 14 Signs It’s Now | Redfin

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When the editor of Kovels AntiqueTrader magazine knocked on our door, we were delighted to answer. Earlier this year, Artifcts published an original story in ARTIcles by Artifcts that the magazine was eager to republish in its print magazine: Home Organizing and Decluttering Tips to Steal from Movers and Downsizers.

"It's full of wonderful tips and insights," shared then editor Paul Kennedy. The editor found our co-founder Ellen Goodwin's style informative and authoritative, yet with a casual vibe that welcomes readers to try something that can be intimidating.

And he's right, because where to start when we do decide to pull on our big boy and girl pants and tackle that clutter that invades our daily lives is often the most challenging.

"We're all doing the best we can. And we have conflicting priorities when it comes to 'stuff' in our homes," said Artifcts Co-founder Ellen Goodwin. "Even if we want to declutter, some items may be sentimental, others valuable, and for both we want to find good homes. Other items we choose to recycle or dispose of and that can take more thought and time. So, yes, it's daunting when you layer in all of that into the decluttering process."

Artifcts has become a trusted leader in supporting healthy habits for decluttering, preserving stories and memories, collection management, and preparing to move and downsize. How? By offering a tool that with the ease of social media but a privacy-first approach anyone can quickly create a record of items that they own, with photos and video, and answer all the most important questions, too:

• • • What is it?
    • Why does it matter (to you or to others)?
    • What do you want to do with it next?

In addition to its ever-expanding blog collection over on ARTIcles by Artifcts, Artifcts offers a robust resources to help people of all ages and tech comfort to get started with Artifcts, including downloadable FAQs, tips videos on YouTube, and a Quick Start Guide. 

"All are welcome. It's in our name. We took out that second 'a' in Artifcts knowing that while some people will Artifct items of significant financial and historic value, others will tend toward items with greater sentimental value - the photos, recipes, children's artwork, and travel mementos that take you back in time and tell your stories," said Artifcts Co-founder Heather Nickerson. 

New to Artifcts? There's no time like the present. Grab an item near you and sign up to create your first Artifct free --> 

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© 2025 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Hilarity for Charity (HFC), how we adore you! We first met the HFC team at the 2022 spring American Society on Aging Conference. At the time, Artifcts was in the process of competing for funding to study the potential of the Artifcts platform to be used as a screening tool for mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Spoiler: We won! The more we at Artifcts learned about HFC's focus on care for families impacted by Alzheimer’s disease, inspiring the next generation of Alzheimer’s advocates, and advancing brain health research and education, we knew this was an organization we had to find some way, any way, to support.

Today we're honored to lead periodic, free, virtual HFC Caregiver Lounges for two of the groups that HFC supports: caregivers to those with dementia and youth ages 15-25. In all cases, we're seeking to bring people together through a new tool, Artifcting, and the ease, joy, and meaning made possible with each Artifct created.

"I know firsthand the joy that's possible when you simply ask a loved one, "What is this {thing}?" and then give them the space to tell their stories and reminisce about days past," said Ellen Goodwin, co-founder of Artifcts. "It's also remarkable how you can break through those uncomfortable silences and awkward moments between grandparents and grandchildren who are unaccustomed to spending time with each other and can lean into Artifcting as a win-win, meaning time together and capturing stories for always."

Last fall, HFC also invited Artifcts to a private fundraiser event in Austin, Texas, where the guests delighted in what Artifcts has built and is now doing within the brain health community. One guest remarked, "Imagine if all for-profit companies built with the vision AND the heart of Artifcts? It would be a different world, a better world." 

Yes, Artifcts may be a young startup, but we have a vision that means transforming all of our relationships with 'stuff' and each other, one Artifct at a time. It's about meaningful connection meeting the practical realities of life: We collect a lot of stuff, and we need to know what it is, why it matters, and what we'll do it with it next. 

We appreciate the humor and truth behind this quote from Lauren Miller Rogen, "Everyone with a brain is at risk for dementia." Begin Artifcting today. Begin learning more about brain health today. Follow along with Artifcts (IG: TheArtiLife) and HFC (@WeAreHFC) for tips and events from Artifcts and HFC!

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© 2024 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 

As Washington D.C. headquartered Artifcts celebrates its 3rd birthday, it also welcomes Gina Buchalter to its strategic advisory board. Gina's storied career reaches across popular consumer brands, such as Aura Frames and Fitbit, as well as the world renowned Paramount Pictures.

Gina's deep experience delivering consumer products through new channels and partners will help Artifcts to expand its own footprint within core consumer segments.

"Gina's creativity and ability to connect dots that no one else even sees is captivating and carries with it the revenue basis to help startups and 'grownups' alike to flourish. It's going to be a great year 4 with Gina rounding out our advisory board," enthused Artifcts co-founder Ellen Goodwin.

"I am honored to join Ellen and Heather and the rest of the Artifcts team. It's such important work to help people chronicle their things and memories into one great cohesive story. I'm excited to be part of that journey."

The Artifcts Strategic Advisory Board also includes:

• • Aravinda Gollapudi, Technology Executive, Sage
  • Matt Paxton, Downsizing, Cleaning, and Organizing, Legacy List with Matt Paxton on PBS
  • Ora Solomon, Product management

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© 2024 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

We interrupt your normal Wednesday ARTIcles story to offer you greetings from Boston, Massachusetts. The Artifcts co-founders flew to Boston yesterday to take part in a multi-day launch of the MassChallenge Early-Stage Accelerator program, one of the world’s top accelerator programs. What’s that? Read on!

As a self-funded, patented startup poised to become a household name—because, let’s face it, who doesn’t have stuff or stories—the team at Artifcts wants to ensure that we’re delivering to you not just the best product to capture the stories, history, and value of all you collect, accumulate, and inherit in life, but that we do so always with an eye toward the best in tech, the best in how we operate (lean!), and more.

MassChallenge is a global network for innovators working to solve massive challenges. MassChallenge connects startups, experts, corporations, and communities to grow and transform businesses and does not take any equity from companies who participate. According to Mass Challenge, the early-stage accelerator has facilitated a remarkable $9B+ in funding for its cohorts.

Of the 1,300+ companies to apply, Artifcts was selected along with approximately 120 others to work together over the next 3 months with industry mentors and partners to challenge how we operate, means to improve, and of course how to grow. While you won’t see any immediate change at Artifcts as we work through the program, we hope that we’ll come out stronger than ever and with new ideas for how to better connect with you and help you to enjoy all that Artifcts offers.

In the meantime, please, continue to Artifct. Share Artifcts with friends and family. We may not have the marketing budget of a goliath corporation, but we have amazing community members who want to see Artifcts succeed. We’re so grateful. And, if you have ideas of what you’d like to see next at Artifcts, or even suggestions for what we could do to make your experience better, let us know! We love and take feedback from our ARTI community to heart.

Wish us luck as we roll up our sleeves and dive into the MassChallenge world!

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Curious about what else we've been up to?

Explore some of Artifcts' other "As featured in" and awards through the years.

© 2024 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Artifcts announced today the launch of Artifcts for Professionals (ARTIPro). 

ARTIPro is both a new membership and a new platform feature set to support professionals who choose to offer Artifcting services to their clients. Artifcts has already begun onboarding professionals in move management, photo organizing, home decluttering and organizing, appraisal, and after loss industries.

“Professionals have asked us for years for advice on how to introduce Artifcts to their clients. Our goal in creating ARTIPro was two-fold: Allow professionals to Artifct with or for their clients as a part their services packages and with a minimal learning curve AND ensure clients’ privacy is protected at each step,” said Co-founder and CEO Heather Nickerson.

The new feature set provides ARTIPros with the tools to:

• • • Invite clients to work with them on Artifcts.com via an invite only or a gifted (and branded) Artifcts membership.
    • Add team members to Artifct with more clients.
    • Create Artifcts with and for their clients. ARTIPros will never need to handle their clients’ devices or share passwords.
    • Transfer Artifcts with a single click for sole ongoing access by clients.

"Ease of use for our ARTIPros is critical. Pros do not have time to sit and learn a new tool for weeks. If they can make an Artifct or two for themselves today, they can make Artifcts with and for their clients tomorrow,” said Co-founder and CSO Ellen Goodwin. 

Artifcts will continue to offer its virtual and in-person concierge services as well. “We often get called in when other professionals identify that their clients need Artifcts but the pro does not have the bandwidth to provide the service,” said Nickerson. “Last spring I helped siblings to Artifct the mementos of their mother’s estate before the items were scattered to the winds with the family. It was simply taking too long for them to do it together as they got pulled down memory lane. The estate executor was the one who called us in.”

If you are a professional and interested in becoming an ARTIPro, please visit: https://artifcts.com/artifcts-for-professionals. 

If you are an individual interested in someone helping you or a client build an Artifcts collection, please visit: https://artifcts.com/concierge-service. You may also contact Hello@Artifcts.com if you want help finding an ARTIPro in your area as the program expands.

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© 2024 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Artifcts' growing resonance with and persistent innovation supporting genealogists, family historians, and those who simply love a good story, has helped it retain its status as one of the best genealogy technology tools of 2024, according to Family Tree Magazine.

Last year marked Artifcts' premiere in the annual "best of" list from Family Tree Magazine. The Artifcts team was delighted and surprised by the honor, in nearly equal measure.

"In our minds, genealogists were beyond our reach at Artifcts because their research is organized around people and ancestorial lines. At Artifcts, we organize around the object first and foremost," said Artifcts Co-Founder Ellen Goodwin. The reality is, by Artifcts moving the world to take a new view on 'stuff' and the importance of retaining the stories, history, and value behind the objects we collect and inherit, Artifcts resonates with people of all ages and walks of life.

Artifcts delivered a variety of new features over the last year that genealogists and historians have celebrated.

Artifcts timelines was the first. The ability to now snap your Artifcts collection into a timeline view powers you to see gaps, identify trends, and even make note of these with "time period notes" directly on your timeline. And unlike a photo gallery, a very familiar feature of most genealogy platforms, each image in your timeline is clickable, revealing more photos and videos, supporting documentation, and, of course, the story connecting the dots.

Another new feature resonating with genealogists, many of whom are what we refer to as the family keepers, is the Artifcts QR code stickers. "People need the easy button. Scan, complete the Artifct, and place the sticker on your photo sleeve, archival box, or item. Your Artifcting progress is now visible and the stories even more accessible," said Artifcts Co-Founder Heather Nickerson.

Family Tree Magazine's 101 Best Genealogy Websites are organized into roughly a dozen categories, including Best "Big" Genealogy Websites, Best Genealogy News Websites and Blogs, and Best Genealogy Tech Tools (including Artifcts!). And this year 19 sites newly made the list. We wish a warm congratulations to all awardees!

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© 2024 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.