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DECLUTTERING & ORGANIZING, HEALTH & AGING

Decluttering for Dementia

Ellen Goodwin, Artifcts

June 28, 2023

Reading time: 7 minutes

If you’ve ever needed a better reason to stick to or create a resolution to declutter your home, this one might do it: It’s good for your brain. And we’ve seen it firsthand.

In today’s piece for ARTIcles by Artifcts, we talk openly about facing a loved one’s dementia diagnosis, and how, maybe to your surprise, decluttering can help. We are grateful to include specialist insights throughout from Cathy Rice, certified senior move manager and life-long educator.

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Dementia is heartbreaking, terrifying, and, so far, irreversible. Even if a loved one is in many ways themself, we know the disease is slowly changing them and shortening their life. I know. I have a loved one who is among the more than 50 million people worldwide with dementia now and already lost a loved one to dementia as well.

Some of us react to this sort of diagnosis with a desire to do something, anything, to help, to make our loved one’s life in any way better, to take the tiniest measure of control over the disease. We dive into a multi-prong tactical to-do list that we must continuously update as together we progress from diagnosis, to sharing that diagnosis with others, to learning how to manage the disease and being as prepared as possible across legal, medical, financial, and insurance fronts.

As I sought out my own ways to help, I expected I’d find information about diet, exercise, and social activities, both for my loved one with dementia and their primary, day-to-day care provider. And I did. What I was surprised to find recently while browsing HFC, Shining a Light on Alzheimer's: 5 Brain Health Habits was the hot mainstream topic of decluttering.

Benefits of Decluttering for Those With Dementia

You know decluttering well from TV shows like The Joy of Swedish Death Cleaning and The Home Edit, books including Marie Kondo’s famous The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, and bins and more from shops like The Container Store. Decluttering to support someone with dementia in some ways is like decluttering for people with normal brain health. Too much stuff can literally be dangerous if we cannot safely navigate our homes. Some of us are also more sensitive to feeling drained by too much stuff lying about around us.

Of course, when you have dementia, decluttering has other benefits, too.

- - Reduce stress. Stress reduction is imperative when you have mild cognitive impairment or dementia. And decluttering can mean clearing away some of the to-dos that come to mind when people see stuff to tidy, dust, or keep safe. Have you experienced a loved one with dementia hiding things to keep the item safe? I am sure you have because it's an incredibly common behavior.
  - Improve sleep. Quality sleep is critical for the brain’s nightly reset. Busy surroundings can lead to busy brains and may even sow confusion in bedtime routines.
  - Safety, safety, safety. We know, decluttering is about aging well in place for all of us as we age, but it’s especially true for people with health conditions, like dementia, that can make them more vulnerable to confusing and distracting surroundings.
  - Avoiding anything close to hoarding. Keep in mind, hoarding disorder is its own condition, but managing even the clutter of daily life is more difficult when you have dementia because of increased challenges in making decisions.
  - Purpose. We know finding purpose at any age is important. Here we are talking about giving the decluttering process a purpose to help your loved one part with more items than they might otherwise be willing to do. Purpose might be supporting a local shelter, resupplying charitable builders with tools, or reconnecting with loved ones when you pass down items. You get the idea.

Decluttering for Dementia

We’ve prepared these tips from our own practical experience helping our loved ones with dementia as we try to help make sense of it all, including one’s surroundings.* In some cases our loved ones were also decluttering to downsize and move. In others, it was more of a practical decluttering, for safety and mental health.

* We are not medical professionals. If you are considering radical changes to your loved one’s home enviornment, you should consult first with a specialist licensed in dementia care.

LIGHTS ...

Before you start your declutter, check the lighting throughout the home. Living like a cave troll generally does no one very good. But dementia is not only about memory. If you can see well what’s around you, it’s easier to make sense of your surroundings (and of course it’s safer). Make it easy to see the light switches, too. Understanding and interpreting surroundings, like a white switch on a white wall, can become an impediment for someone with dementia.

Cathy’s Insight: Adding felt pads to any lighting fixture to differentiate the feel of the switch from the fixture itself or a simple icon as a visual cue helps to support the brain's understanding of the item with its function.

… CAMERA, ACTION!

Start from the ground, and work your way up.

What’s on the floor? Stacks of stuff? Wandering power cords? Rugs that slip and shift? Take a fresh look. Then move your eye upward to the surfaces of counters and entry tables. If someone needed to quickly grab onto a surface to prevent a fall, would they have a secure place to grab? Is there a clear and secured place for common objects, like house keys?

Cathy’s Insight: People with dementia often find comfort in knowing that their stuff is close-at-hand. Create a "command center" within easy reach of their favorite chair for essentials (eyeglasses, books, pencils, fidget items, etc.).

And about those rugs … if you must keep them, use carpet tape to secure edges to the floor. The same applies to small storage trays, which you can secure with surface-safe tape or museum putty.

Favor simple home furnishings.

As we know stress takes its own toll on the brain; let’s try to minimize the stress home décor can accidentally create. One Arti Member told us, “My loved one was disturbed by a decorative lumbar pillow that had a shaggy fur cover. It looked like a small dog.” Sometimes textures and patterns can be difficult for people with dementia to interpret. Likewise distinguishing whether an object is inanimate. This is why some people with advancing dementia find comfort with life-like pets such as those from Joy For All.

Take it down a notch.

This is about audio clutter. Too much and/or competing noises can be incredibly distracting for anyone, particularly someone with dementia. Think about simultaneous noise from the television, washing machine, and someone on a phone call, for example.

Cathy’s Insight: Taking this point a step further, family, friends, and caregivers should practice standing in front of, and at eye level if appropriate, people with dementia before speaking with them. Get their attention by saying their name and then speak simply and succinctly.

Set it aside, together. Do not remove it.

Don’t remove it immediately, if you do not have to, that is. Rushes to declutter in support of someone with memory loss could lead to irreversible loss of cherished mementos that also can serve as visual cues for familiarity and comfort. Is there an alternative way to display the items that the person with dementia says they care most about? Maybe try grouping like items on a shelf or table where they will see them often. For photos, you might even consider a digital photo frame, such as those from Nixplay, Aura, or any of the many other options.

For items that do not make the cut, if space permits, store them in an appropriate box, and set them aside so you can pull them back out later if needed or as part of a monthly or maybe seasonal rotation. We recommend you Artifct them before they go into the box and tag them to easily recall what you've stored. This approach does not apply to duplicates, meaningless bits and bops, or trash. Consult with your loved one always as well as your own good judgement.

Clarity of Purpose for the Win

Our final decluttering tip is about visual chaos. If you open a drawer and see a jumble of socks, pants, and t-shirts, you could get distracted or confused. If a cabinet has five options for plates, and 10 options for cups, which should you choose? Not only should you streamline what’s inside for simpler decision making but consider visually labeling doors to indicate what’s inside. This gadget could help you get started with easy printing of images from your phone.

Cathy’s Insight: As the disease of dementia progresses, consider only placing the clothes needed for that day in the drawer or use a shelf in a bedroom/bathroom as the place for their daily wardrobe.

Do you have decluttering tips for dementia? We’d love to hear them! You can contact Editor@Artifcts.com.

Happy Artifcting!

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ADDITIONAL REFERENCES

If you are a caregiver or supporting someone who is, you may find it helpful to browse and share these related resources.

Alzheimer's Society, UK: 10 Ways to Make Your Home Dementia Friendly

US National Institute of Health: Study of Home Modifications for People with Dementia

Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute: Communication Strategies in Dementia Care

Mayo Clinic: Clearing Clutter Benefits Your Health and Well-Being

Psychology Today: The Many Mental Benefits of Decluttering

AARP Michigan: Dementia Resource Guide for Families

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What's New at Artifcts

Preserving and Sharing Your (Sports) Collection

Reading time: 4 minutes

Do Fall weekends find you cheering on your home team? Whether it’s football, baseball, swimming, or soccer, chances are you’ll catch a game or two either in person or with the 21.4 million viewers who tune in to watch their favorite Sunday night matchups.

Fall may also find you longing for adventure, whether it’s a short drive across town or across state lines or a flight across the country. It’s a great time to travel before the holiday rush, and an even better time to take in some of our country’s museum-worthy sports collections.

To inspire your trips, we’ve compiled the list below highlighting some of the best sporting collections our country has to offer. And in case you find yourself staring at your own sports collection, and you're not sure how to keep track of and share it with others, we've prepared tips about how to Artifct those collections, even if they are not destined for a museum.

Roadtrip Worthy Sporting Destinations

The National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY is one of the most-visited sports museums in the US. The Museum boasts over 40,000 artifacts, including a baseball thrown by Cy Young in the first modern World Series.

A close second is the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina. One of the key features of the Museum is a banked speedway modeled after Talladega Superspeedway, featuring 18 cars and a salute to 46 tracks!

Want to view artifacts AND try your hand at your favorite sport? The International Tennis Hall of Fame and Museum in Newport, RI is adjacent to 13 grass courts open for public play. When not serving up a winning shot, you can watch video highlights from some of the greatest matches in history and learn about Hall of Famers Billie Jean King and Pete Sampras.

A short drive from Newport, RI will take you to Springfield, MA and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The Hall proudly displays artifacts from when James Naismith introduced the sport to his YMCA class in 1891 (!) in addition to interactive exhibits, skills challenges and decades of basketball history.

Building and Preserving Your Museum-Worthy Collection

Aside from having amazing collections and rare artifacts, museums tell stories—the stories of their sport, their legends, and the fans that make it all worthwhile. We get a glimpse into the greats, an understanding of their firsts, and maybe even come away with a newfound appreciation for the past times we love.

Museums preserve and safeguard artifacts for the next generation. But these artifacts, like the everyday objects we all collect and accumulate, cannot talk. There is no way to know by looking at an object that it was a game winning ball, or a record setting car. Absent the context, the details, and yes, even the story, legend, and lore, all artifacts are just that, artifacts, aka ‘stuff.’

There is no way to know by looking at an object that it was a game winning ball, or a record setting car.

So how do you build, preserve, and share your collection so that, just like the museums, the story, history, and memories live on? Since we’re Artifcts, we’re a little biased, and our first response is going to be “Artifct that!” whatever ‘that’ may be. It takes time and effort to tell the story behind your collection (whether it be sports memorabilia or art!) and add in the details, the who, what, when, where, and why that will one day (if not today) matter. We made it easy and enjoyable.

We’ve compiled tips below to help you get started. (Go deeper with How to Artifct That Collection.)

- - Start with the basic facts. What is it, and how did it come into your possession? Does the item have any financial value? If in doubt, request a free valuation from our partners at Heritage Auctions.
  - Next, get nostalgic. Think about your collection this way: If someone were to inherit your collection, are any pieces of particular value to you? Why?
  - Include photos and videos to augment the description/story. Add audio recordings if you want your family to hear the story the way that you only you can tell it, complete with fun facts.
  - Now try looking at your collection and natural groupings within it. For example, photos, trading cards, and gear may be three groupings. Start and complete Artifcting for one group before moving on to the next.
  - Overwhelmed? Start by taking a video of your collection to ensure you have a record of it. You can then dedicate a certain amount of time per day, week, or month to capture details with individual Artifcts for each piece.

No matter how big or small your collection is, no matter if it is sports ‘stuff,’ or other ‘stuff’ entirely, take a moment to capture at least one piece, one story, one memory. Your family (and maybe even one day a museum!) will thank you.

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September 25, 2024

DECLUTTERING & ORGANIZING

What to Do with All That Sports 'Stuff'

Reading time: 3 minutes

Fall is nearing, and depending on where you live the air might already feel crisper, the leaves may be starting to change color, and pumpkin spice has undoubtedly infiltrated your daily routine. Fall also brings many back to school and back to sports, not to mention the the start of the NFL season and the MLB World Series.

Our co-founder Heather’s youngest went back to school last week and in seven short days has started training with her cross-country team, preparing for the start of her Interscholastic Equestrian Association show jumping season, and tapering her long runs ahead of her first half-marathon. Heather’s first thoughts? Where is all that STUFF that goes with it going to go?

You know what she’s dealing with, no doubt. Probably some ribbons and medals along with event t-shirts, pennants, school spirit wear, and more. The fall sports season kicks off the fall ‘stuff’ season, or at least it seems that way in our founders’ households.

The fall sports season kicks off the fall ‘stuff’ season.

What to Do with All That Sport Stuff...

Sport ‘stuff’ falls into that tricky category of the ‘tough stuff’ in life. We probably all have it, and yet, what are we supposed to do with it? We save it for the memories, the stories, and the sentiments, but one day, hopefully many years from now, the next generation in our family is going to be staring at that sport stuff wondering, “What next?” Or, in some cases even, “What is this stuff?”

Artifcts member @CJH Artifcted their Super Bowl ring along with photos from the big game.

We offer the tips below to help you come to grips with all that sports ‘stuff’ in a way that honors the history, stories, and memories, while also freeing up some much-needed space in your home.

Overwhelmed with old sports equipment? Dedicate an hour a day sorting through what is what and determine what if anything is still usable and whether or not it will be used. Just because it is usable does not mean anyone will actually use it. Donate the usable equipment you no longer need and recycle the rest. Check with local schools and sports clubs. And always Artifct especially sentimental pieces (first cleats, winning baseball from the home opener, etc.) before donating them.

CLICK THE IMAGE to download your copy of our Wild World of Sports checklist for help getting started.

Buried in medals, ribbons, and medallions? Struggling to remember what they all were for? Take it box by box. Using our Artifcts app, photograph the most memorable or significant mementos and add the details—the who, what, when, where, and why—and share with family and friends. Enjoy reminiscing over those shared memories!

Stressed by the tens of thousands of sports photos on your phone? You’re not alone! It’s easy to snap a photo of the winning goal, or a quick video of the game winning catch. But then life happens. We forget and those photos end up years back on our photo reels. Our tip? Dedicate 15 minutes every Sunday to going through those old sports photos and Artifct the ones that have a special story behind them, add video and audio too to make the photo come to life!

You may also enjoy A Virtual Impossibility: Keeping Up with All of My Digital Photos -->

A treasured family Artifct complete with video! Sorry, it's private.

...And Is Any of It Valuable?

We’ve heard from our members over the years that sometimes they hold on to the sports ‘stuff’ in hopes of it being valuable one day. We read the headlines about record setting prices on the Babe Ruth "Called Shot” jersey to Muhammad Ali’s title winning belt and we think, “Mmm....maybe one day the [insert prized sports paraphernalia] will be worth that too.”

Just look at what happened earlier this month when the LA Dodgers released a limited edition bobblehead of star player Shohei Ohtani and his dog Decoy. People were lined up for hours in hopes of scoring one of the bobbleheads, only to immediately turn around and sell them on Ebay.

Screenshot of news headlines about Ohtani bobblehead sales

When in doubt, Artifct your sports ‘stuff’ and use our “What’s It Worth” feature. Our partners at Heritage Auctions will provide you with a free valuation (make sure you fill in all the details for accuracy!) to help you make an informed decision—keep or sell? And at what price?

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September 18, 2024

DECLUTTERING & ORGANIZING, KIDS

Three Peas in a Pod: Sports, Stuff, & Stories

If you are a parent, a friend of a parent, neighbor of a parent, or contemplating parenthood, you've probably noticed that sports consume a vast amount of time & energy for parents and child athletes alike not to mention money and storage space for all that gear. And then, they get older, and the equipment larger and more expensive.

We’ve found ways to cope and find the humor in this sporting reality. Surely you've seen bumper stickers like "swim taxi" or heard someone say, "I'll be working from my {barn} office," as Artifcts Co-founder Heather Nickerson often quips as she departs for her daughter's horse riding lessons.

You may already be using Artifcts as your top ally in keeping track of the key moments, good luck tokens, awards, gear, and other memorabilia you can't (yet?) part with.

Click the image to view the baseball cleat or hockey jersey.

The owners tell us neither of these has been given up (yet)!

Inside the World of Swimming 'Stuff'

Today we're focusing on that last bit, the hall of fame worthy gear, but not from a parent. We're pivoting to the sport of swimming and the Texas Swimming & Diving Hall of Fame.

Charles Logan spent the better part of 12 years as the Director of the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center at The University of Texas at Austin. And lucky for all who enjoy the phenomenal Olympic-level center, Logan has long had a passion for collecting swim memorabilia. Much of his collection now resides in frames, glass display cases, and special exhibits at the Texas Swimming & Diving Hall of Fame, with notable contributions from Texas athletes and their families.

This Artifct is part of a private swim memorabilia collection. Click the image to view the Artifct.

To clarify, the stuff resides at the Hall of Fame; until very recently, the stories did not.

Those stories were locked in Charles' memories of a lifetime of collecting and chasing histories. That of course meant that when massive crowds visit the facility for NCAA competitions and championships, Olympic qualifying events, and regular long and short course seasons (not to mention hours and hours and hours of practice) the swim memorabilia left people to wonder, "What is this?” “Why is it here?" and “How does it all connect?” And for all those who never visit the Hall of Fame in person, it’s simply lost history.

Joining forces with Artifcts, the 'stuff' now has stories and is ready and waiting to inform and entertain Hall of Fame visitors and maybe even inspire a whole new generation of swimmers. We invite you to a virtual tour of some of those exhibits on Artifcts!

View the complete collection ->

And if you're visiting the Texas Swimming & Diving Hall of Fame, be on the look out for Aritfcts QR codes sprinkled throughout!

Artifcts QR code on a swim mannequin

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Have a space in your life like the Texas Swimming & Diving Hall of Fame making you say, "Hmmm?" Contact us at Hello@Artifcts.com to discuss personal concierge options and non-profit and enterprise support.

September 04, 2024

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