Winners of the Goodtype 'A' for Artifcts Lettering Contest

We’re proud to share that Heather Nickerson, Founder & CEO of Artifcts, recently appeared as a guest on Episode 10 of Secrets of Enterprising Families, titled “Navigating the Loss of a Loved One.” In this thoughtful conversation with hosts Nikè Anani and Eric Czepyha, Heather joins Jon Jackson from Northern Trust’s Estate Settlement Group to dive into the emotional and logistical terrain that families face after losing someone they love. Listen now on Spotify. 

The episode examines how families can plan ahead, avoid common missteps, preserve stories, and communicate clearly during times of grief. While Heather offers professional insight, she also draws on her personal experience — crafting an authentic and deeply human perspective on how we honor both objects and memories.

Key Takeaways from Heather’s Conversation

1. Start with the stories, not just the 'stuff'
Heather emphasizes that many conflicts arise because the meaning behind objects is unknown to heirs. When only the physical object is transferred without its history, family members can struggle to see why it matters. In her own life, she Artifcted her mother’s cookbooks and utensils — adding stories, photos, and context so her daughter and siblings could connect the dots across generations.

2. Create a “legacy roadmap” for your belongings
One tip Heather shares is to begin by selecting perhaps five items that best tell your story — your “legacy list” — then document those fully (photos, narrative, provenance, wishes). Over time, that becomes a guide for family members who may otherwise be unsure what to keep, sell, or pass along. (She credits advisor Matt Paxton for advocating the “pick‑your‑five” approach.) 

3. Get organized now — even imperfection helps
During the podcast, Heather and Jon Jackson underscore that many families delay planning because it feels overwhelming to get it “right.” But even a partially organized folder or a simple list can make a huge difference for executors. The hurdles of grief only magnify the complications of unorganized estates. Listen now!

Why This Matters — and Why We’re Proud

Artifcts exists to help people preserve, share, and plan for the full life of their belongings — not simply as things, but as vessels of memory, meaning, and connection. Heather’s appearance on Secrets of Enterprising Families is a powerful opportunity to bring that mission to a wider audience.

Too often, families handle the logistical side of loss without meaningful tools to carry forward the stories behind what is left. By speaking openly about grief, inheritance, and memory preservation, Heather helps normalize conversations many avoid — and offers concrete, actionable strategies to make legacy planning more accessible.

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© 2025 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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.