Physical clutter is usually a priority because it’s right there, distracting us or getting in the way. But what about those less visible messes that still drain our energy and cause us undue stress? National Clean Out Your Computer Day is February 12, and it’s the excuse we need to tackle our digital spaces and get rid of unnecessary stuff. Here’s a quick guide for getting your files in good order and junking the ones that aren’t serving you anymore.
1. Start with your desktop.
Are you a compulsive desktop saver? It’s time to stop treating your home base like a junkyard. Go through and delete as many files as you can, and save the others to clearly labeled folders. Plan to go through and delete any extraneous desktop files at least once a month moving forward.
2. Take a look in your downloads folder.
We bet your downloads folder is filled to bursting with files you don’t need anymore or duplicates you’ve saved elsewhere. This should be a delete-a-palooza!
3. Consolidate your folders.
Maybe your problem is too many folders. If the nesting doll effect has taken over your digital filing system, it’s time to simplify. You probably even have some empty folders among your most-used.
4. Clean up your bookmark bar.
Moving over to your browser, take a peek at all those URLs you were saving for future reference. Are they still important, or has the need come and gone? If you find that there are many you’re still interested in hanging on to, consider moving the links over to a document or spreadsheet and labeling them by category so they’re easy to find.
5. Empty the trash.
After all that rearranging and deleting, don’t forget to empty your Recycle Bin and free up all that new space!