Who says it's not easy being green? 

In honor of Earth Day 2023 we created a special downloadable for all those items from around your home that through decluttering, moving, or otherwise "clearing on out," you want to move on without adding to the landfills. For our first edition, we’ve gone 100% eclectic, like the Artifcts you all create every day. Before the 'stuff' goes, Artifct that! 

And if you want to upcycle, and still aren't sure where to start, check out companies like UpycleThat for inspiration on repurposing and options to buy and sell items. You can also call or visit local charities and similar to learn about their ongoing needs. Local charities abound, but here are some examples to get you started that range from nationally represented to always local:

• • • Dress for Success (Clothing)
    • Habitat for Humanity (Tools)
    • Goodwill (Donates millions of crutches, wheelchairs and more every year to veterans' groups. We realize you might only Artifct these as a good riddance moment, but those matter, too!)
    • Disaster relief organizations, such as the Red Cross and fire stations (Clothing, blankets ...)
    • Universities (Your graduate's gown)
    • Hospitals (Needs vary widely, but some accept games and stuffed animals.)

We also strongly encourage reaching out to professional organizers and estate sellers who tend to be incredibly knowledgeable about uniquely local resources. The data doesn't lie - so many of our items once purchased with good intentions are hitting the landfills. We can do better!

Happy Artifcting!

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© 2023 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Stepping into a football stadium you expect energy.

Setting down your bag of materials in quilting circle, calm and friendship.

Standing inside Magpie in Your Eye’s workshop – joy.

If you have yet to discover the joy of Magpie in Your Eye, by Maggie Stephens—one of Artifcts' Allies in 'Stuff'—you’re in for a treat.

Maggie could not help but wonder why we are all throwing away the small treasures we accumulate and collect in our lives. We’re talking about the small stuff – the less than 5-inch-tall knickknacks, tchotchkes, thingamabobs, and mementos on our shelves, in our bins, and maybe even our junk drawers.

UPCYCLED, JOYFUL ARTISTIC CREATIONS 

Maggie makes wreaths out of treasures people part with at estate sales, thrift shops, and charity stores. Rarely does she shop the likes of eBay; too expensive when you need more than 100 pieces for a single wreath. Leave those "pricey" thingamabobs for special treats or to meet a critical need.  

Maggie’s selectivity goes beyond just cost and size. “If you take a bunch of ugly things and put them together, you have something interesting.” Something with a character of its own. So there’s an essence of the object itself to consider, too. 

That is what drew us at Artifcts to Maggie. Not only was she upcycling before it was cool, but can you imagine a better housewarming gift for someone who has moved away from home (think adult children) or recently downsized, and so many bits and bops simply get left behind? Make them into a wreath and you can continue to enjoy them for years to come! 

That’s exactly what one US expat living in Switzerland did! She saw Maggie’s holiday display at ByGeorge in Austin, Texas, and brought Maggie an interesting challenge.  

Could she transform a box of toys the women’s children had outgrown into a wreath? Why yes, yes, she could, and the result was heartwarming.

Sometimes Maggie’s wreaths feature a color, other times a theme—bananas, jungle animals, Mexican crafts—and of course holidays.

It can take her over a year to collect enough pieces for a wreath since the pieces are all under $5, under 5”, and never purchased new. Maggie can get unexpected boosts when she buys a bag full of itty-bitty objects because there were two she really wanted, and then later several others in the bag round out a collection she didn’t even realize she had growing.

Case in point, a client last summer requested a fall wreath. Maggie wasn’t confident she had autumn themed items never mind enough of them. But once she started breaking down the essence of the season, out from the bins leapt mini pies, canned soup, dried vegetables, and more to create a distinctively autumnal wreath. 

THE WREATH CRAFT: STEP-BY-STEP

The wreaths start out with a 14” foam ring and are about 24” when completed. 

Wrap the foam ring in tinsel.  

Attach the hanger (before it’s too late)!

Then build layer by layer, starting by placing the largest of the items as the anchors around the wreath.  

Drying time between layers prolongs the building process a bit. Maggie never ever recommends accelerating it by using hot glue, because hot glue shrinks over time and then the pieces will fall off. “Sad!” Instead, she uses E600. The type of glue that will certainly outlast us all.

Want to try it for yourself? Here’s a helpful how-to video to create similar wreaths, but remember Maggie’s hot glue warning!

WHEN “DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME” APPLIES 

We should warn that some of Maggie’s pieces require more than wild creativity and crafting skills. Sometimes you need to phone a friend with metal working skills! Surely we all have one … or not, ha. Maggie’s friend Anne Woods creates the necessary metal support arms and frames for larger custom pieces, like the rainbow piece Maggie displayed at By George last winter. 

We wanted to know what in this process was most challenging. Surprisingly, it was about the pieces themselves. Maggie laughed and said it’s a bit like getting a tattoo. Once she commits a piece to a wreath, that’s it, it’s gone. She might never find another like it.  

The hope is the piece, the collection reprised from dustbins and forgotten corners, will bring joy. “People always connect with one object or another in a wreath. It must be like Artifcts in that way. Stuff unites us.”  

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Have tiny stuff that might make a great wreath? Contact Maggie at maggie@maggiestephens.com. She’ll be delighted to work with you.

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© 2023 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

We want to help each person to transform stuff from a potential burden today and on future generations to the source of immediate connection, history, legacy, and financial security. We cannot do it alone. 

The world of ‘stuff’ is broad and sometimes overwhelming! Artifcts helps you to connect the stories and stuff, enjoy walks together down memory lane, support your wills and insurance coverage, and think through and document what to keep based on those hard tradeoffs between the emotional and financial value (and space!).  

Others can help you preserve, sell, move it all, and more!

Today We're Unveiling Artifcts' Allies in 'Stuff'

Our allies are resources to help expand your awareness of the possible for you and all your ‘stuff.’ The organizations represented cut across multiple categories:

• • • Digitization & Preservation
    • Organizing, Decluttering, & Moving
    • Valuations & Sales
    • Family History & Documentation
    • Preparedness & End-of-Life
    • Artistic Renditions

We have met with every company directly, reviewed their products, and are confident they can help or, at the very minimum, inspire. We have focused on those with broad national, and many international, footprints and services. Yet we know sometimes going local is what's needed, required, or desired. Learn about the possible in the world of stuff here at Artifcts! Head over to Allies in 'Stuff,' click to read about each company, and download the Allies map to have on hand as a reference.

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© 2023 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Stuff is cozy. It's personal. It’s valuable. It represents piece of your family story. It's what we sometimes call "Life Links,” the context for the lives we're living - if only our objects could talk! 

No judgement here if you, too, like ‘stuff.’

If you have attachments to stuff because of the memories, the dreams of a future when it becomes relevant, or whatever other just cause for keeping it, and it does not impede your daily life, good for you. We are here to say we're on your side. Ignore everyone else and real or perceived judgements about collecting and enjoying stuff.

If you're on the fence, stuff is stometimes a problem, consider some of our practical guidelines from our co-founder Ellen's household. And share tips of your own with us in social media or Editor@Artifcts.com.

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As I told you in Lessons From Artifcting With My Mother, I'm neither hoarder nor minimalist. I don't even usually think I'm very sentimental (we talked about that, too, here). But I think knowing someone, who they are and not just what they've done, is made possible through the stories behind objects. It's less awkward, honestly. I don't have to be a fabled storyteller or enjoy the spotlight. It enables me to live my story and pass it on, digitally and/or physically! 

Practical Guidelines Help Manage 'Stuff' From Overflowing

So, what's it really like here in the Goodwin household? 

We have golden rules for stuff.  

Some rules bring sanity in the rush of the school/work week. For example, no clothes on the bathroom counter or shoe piles by the door. And shred unsolicited offers with evil codes and other sensitive documents immediately.  

Other rules are really practical guides to avoid penalties and lost meaning. Just as I schedule e-bills for payment as soon as I receive them, I Artifct moments after an item comes into the house (or is on its way out) or as I relax at the end of an eventful day. I take a few key photos I want to use to capture and remember the real story behind each item and add in the funny, factual, and other types of humanizing details. 

No harm in hitting “pause” is another rule, especially when more stuff is concerned. If I still remember I wanted or "needed" to buy some item weeks later (or maybe a month later for a big-ticket item), then I do. I'm not a minimalist, but I do think about bringing more stuff into our home and try to do the same with my family. Here’s a real example from household: “Really? We "need" another Harry Potter Lego set? What about this one that's unfinished and this one that's not even started? Our house is small people; let's talk about this!” 

Objects Turned Artifcts Become "Life Links"

I have embraced 'stuff' in a public way as the co-founder of Artifcts because valuing the meaning and history behind the objects I have chosen to keep is natural to me. My husband? Not so much. That's fine. I find energy and humanity in connecting through the stories only objects can tell, through me. So, to end this little sharing piece, here are a few of my “Life Links” through objects I have Artifcted. You can also browse public Artifcts and download our inspiration lists for more inspiration! 

Not all Artifcts I mention are public on Artifcts, but I've tried to give you the context so you can feel more comfortable embracing your own Life Links, and give people fair warning to treat them well whether they stay in the family or find new purpose elsewhere someday. 

• Heart necklace from my husband and daughter. This gift had very little to do with Mother's Day and much more to do with their symbolic support of this new fandangled thing called Artifcts. View the Artifct >
• Throw quilt from Grandma. I do not know my grandmother well, but I always thought it was telling that she took the time to hand stitch a quilt for each of my siblings and me. View the Artifct > 
• Ping pong ball. It’s from the early days dating my now husband and always makes me smile.
• Bird dish. A dish anyone can buy from Anthropologie but that reminds me how lucky I am in life to have my person (my husband) at my side.
• Pywocket, the wooden cat. I know the origins and still find it remarkable to imagine a young woman in the 1960s (aka my mother) doing wood carving. Surely this says more about me and my assumptions than her skills. View the Artifct >   

What stuff, sentimental and/or valuable life links, do you love in your home? 

If you are interested in Artifcts potentially featuring your Artifct in our curator’s choice series, click the share button on your Artifct and send it to @ArtiEditor.

Happy Artifcting! 

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© 2023 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"I said I would go through it someday. I know I don’t need it all. But there it sat for over 15 years while I paid for the storage. I couldn't even remember what was in storage, much less enjoy it.” That’s what one Arti Community member of the boomer generation told us recently. We know she is not alone. 

According to AARP magazine (April/May 2021) review of commercial storage trends, the older you are, the longer you keep items in storage. And, on average, boomers only visit their storage units once per month. How critical is that storage? How much cost and uncertainty does it create? Maybe, we need to talk about how to organize a room with too much stuff - especially a storage spot. 

“Our family moved a lot over the span of 20 years, and I was in constant survival mode. There was no time to ponder what we kept and what we let go of much less the good stories to pass on,” said another Arti Community member.

He was trying to justify to himself why he and his partner kept moving the same ‘stuff’ from house to house, even if only to put back in storage in the next garage, closet, and attic. (And that eventually became a downsizing adventure of epic proportions. Read about it here.)

We have also heard from people who held onto items and expressed some version of, “Surely it will still be worth something, and I can sell it,” only to find it degraded over time in the hot attic, the style or material was no longer in vogue when recovered from the dusty bins, or some other reason meant that no, it was a lost cause. Think you're immune? 

How to Make the Most of the Money We Do Spend on Storage

Keep in mind, storage is not always at an offsite property where you pay a monthly fee. Want to talk about expensive storage, consider the climate controlled space you live in!

#1  KEEP TRACK OF WHAT YOU STORE

If nothing else, make a list or take pictures of the bulky and or valuable, to you, items. Better yet, Artifct what you store. Otherwise, you know what they say, ... out of sight, out of mind. 

When you create an Artifct for the items that go in, you can also affix a QR code to the box to help you easily recall what’s inside each box or bin when you scan the code in its storage location. Tag Artifcted items with two tags: one that's simply #Storage and a second that's the specific location, such as #attic, #fronthallcloset, or #storageunit. That way with a single click on any #storage tag you can easily review what you're storing, and second click #attic, and "Oh, yes, that's what's up there. Maybe it's time to come out and get used."  

If you're working with a professional moving and storage company, they'll usually create an inventory list for practical and insurance purposes. We encourage you to consider this the "if nothing else" bare minimum. You deserve more than an inventory of stuff.

#2  THINK AHEAD TO CAPTURE USEFUL DETAILS

Photos of the objects, for sure, but also a video snippet that gives a 360-degree view if an item is particularly special or valuable. Grab approximate dimensions and weight, too. This will help whether you need to move it again or decide to sell it. This is why if you ever meet up with an Artifcts team member in person, you'll catch us handing out pocket-sized tape measures. We love helping to organize stuff.

#3  ASK BEFORE YOU STORE, THEN STORE, AND STORE SAFELY

We know it might be hard to let go of that piece of furniture that's been in your family for decades or even generations. Likewise, those bins of old papers and photos that you know tell your family's story. Oh, and the collections that snuck up on you and now when you see it all together brings back so many memories. Yes, all very tempting to store for someone someday to enjoy again.

• If you Artifct it and share it, with one click you can ask someone if they want the item if you do not. No? Let it go to a new home by using Artifcts as a decluttering app.
• If you elect to store it, and let's assume that space is climate controlled, please still think about what boxes and bins you are storing them in. So many of the popular bins will let off gasses ("off-gas" in archival terms) and ruin photos, film, and documents. And without proper care, textiles can also be a lost cause. You don't want to realize you lost the history and stored what's now trash. Use archival quality materials. Monocurate, and similar archival services, offers great tips and supplies. 

What's In Your Storage? Ready to ​​organize a room with too much stuff?

Don’t wait. Find out. Record it. Artifct it. And think about whether it still belongs! 

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© 2023 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

A Home Inventory App That Captures More Than an Inventory of 'Stuff'

We did say, "It's that time of year again." Many of us are making plans to get organized once and for all. We tell ourselves, "2023 is the year. Yes!" But are you setting yourself up by relying on old habits and processes that never worked before? Why would they work now?  

Case in point: home inventory apps. Is that your tool of choice? Don’t get us wrong, we know inventory apps are critical across industries and even in private households. But they are unifunctional. These apps are administrative in orientation with not a whisper of fun or human connection. They support management and listing of large volumes of objects with hyper specific meta data fields so you can keep track of them and their value. In our opinion, that’s a lot of work for a very limited scope of value and use to you!  

Let’s Review the Newcomer: Artifcts 

Taking a page out of the book of publications you find online (like this one) that, for a fee, rank “best” tech apps and gadgets, here’s how we’d review Artifcts’ pros and cons compared to home inventory apps: 

PROS:

• Modern and intuitive interface with multiple view style options 
• Capture any object or collection with photo, video, and/or audio
• Use preset categories alongside custom tags to categorize according to your own preferences 
• Track important documents, manuals, and more 
• Includes built-in optional fields covering smart categories such as weight, dimensions, location, and even future intentions for the object 
• Private by default but permissionable and shareable for individuals, groups, and even social media 
• No file compression – your files are secure, private, and exactly as you created them 
• Ad free, and you own your data. Download in a click in multiple formats!

CONS:

• Intended for personal use; not suited to business inventories. We did mention fun, right? 
• Limited to five media files and three documents. Focus on what’s meaningful and interlink related Artifcts if you like with the @ feature. 
• Beta features are released first to desktop. And usually released to mobile one week later; we want to ensure each feature meets your expectations. 
• No barcode scanner. Got us here. Most 'stuff' people Artifct are too unique for barcodes!

We give Artifcts 4 stars as a home inventory app, but a full 5 stars a tech startup redefining "artifacts" to help transform 'stuff' from a burden to a source of connection, history, legacy, and financial security.

Where Artifcts and Home Inventory Apps Coexist 

There exists an interesting opportunity for Artifcts and home inventory apps to work for you, together. How do we know? Members of the Arti Community have told us! Here are three recent examples. (Names are changed for privacy.) Let us know if you have others! 

Meet Jeff. He’s spent several months cataloging his personal library using LibraryThing. He stepped back, proud of his work and realized, "Oh, but that one and that one and that one are uniquely special. They are gifts from people I admire, they are signed copies, I sought them out in off-the-beaten path shops." Essentially some of Jeff’s books are particularly valuable to him and maybe the world.

• At Artifcts ... Like Jeff, you can easily attach your inventory to an Artifct as a document, include a link to the inventoried book’s listing in the “location” field of your Artifct, or tag your Artifct #LibraryThing so you know which Artifcts exist in that app as well. 

Meet Sandra. She hired a moving company that offers complementary digital inventory to ensure they know what she is moving and the condition of the items of particular value to her. Great!

• Sandra (and you!) can Artifct those objects and attach the mover’s inventory or cross reference it if it has as digital presence. And, if you like to keep track of items by room or location, simply tag your Artifcts #livingroom, #teddysbedroom, and #garage for easy future reference. Click the tag and all Artifcts with the same tag in your personal collection will appear. Now, that’s a nifty home inventory app. 

Meet the Shroads Family. This family has traveled far and wide in the world and curated a valuable art collection along the way. They have a file with hardcopy receipts and related documentation as well as a running inventory in Excel that they update faithfully during tax season as part of their general estate management. But the details of the when and where and even the ‘why’ of specific pieces are becoming blurry and not everyone has access to these important supporting documents.

• Through Artifcts, the documents, the details of each person, and critically the ‘why’ of the moment of the purchase coexist. Now individuals can permission and reference these Artifcts in their planning documents and not worry about how to unite separate bits of information stored in different locations. 

Happy Artifcting of those home inventories and beyond!

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© 2023 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.