While this is a little embarrassing to admit, I tend to be a digital hoarder. Do you find yourself in the same boat or is it just me? If so, here are nine simple tasks for a digital declutter of your computer.
If you run a digital business, you work day in and day out on your computer which causes you to become blind to all the clutter on your computer. Okay, well at least that is the case for me. Here are nine simple tasks that can be done for a declutter and organization of your computer. For me, that is a MacBook Pro and iMac.
Task One
Okay, back to being a digital hoarder, if I run across something that I may want to reference in the future I’d download it. My download folder is overflowing.
Since I began using Notion, that has become my holding bin for inspiration and swipe files.
But before Notion, things were downloaded onto my computer causing my download folder to become overwhelmed with different files. With full honesty, it's not been a high priority to actually go through and clean those things up until now, because it's ridiculous the number of files that I have on my computer, and it's time to get it organized, and cleaned up.
Simple task one is deleting the files out of the Downloads folder.
Everything that comes into your computer will land in your downloads folder. Even if you move that from the Downloads folder into a permanent location it is just creating a copy and the file stays in the Downloads folder.
Go through get rid of all those files. Because more than likely, it's all duplicate files in there that have been moved out. If they haven’t been done you really want or need them?
Here is a quick tip, if you use Chrome as your browser under the advanced setting in your preference you can select Ask where to save each file before downloading. This will cut down on the files landing in your Download folder in the future.
Task Two
Simple task two is to declutter your desktop. I screenshot all the time, do you? I use screenshots when I’m creating standard operating procedures or workflows.
I'm going to go through and clean all those out, completely delete them all.
Be real, you’d never come back to go through all your screenshot to see if you have one already. Heck no, it takes a lot less time to just screenshot it again and be done.
Did you do it? Good, me too.
Task Three
Simple Task Three, declutter not used applications. Apple makes it really easy to download applications on your computer. Have you ever downloaded an application and find it wasn’t what you were looking for, so it just sitting on your computer taking up space?
Jump into your applications, sort it by last opened and take a look at all the applications you haven’t open in over 6 months. Do you really need them? Nope, get rid of it. What is the point of having it on your computer?
Task Four
Simple Task Four, declutter all those saved shortcuts in your browser. I have so many of these. As I look through a lot of these I either deleted them or added them into Notion.
I know me and it’s rare that I look at some of these bookmarks. It’s just digital clutter that needs to be removed.
Task Five
Simple Task Five, declutter all those browser extensions. This one is like applications, you think it will be helpful and you add it. Then you soon discover it really wasn’t all that helpful and there it sits in your Google Browser cluttering up the place.
If the browser extension is not pinned, you can be deleted. Speaking for myself, I know me and I do not click on that puzzle piece to see what’s behind it.
Actually, by looking at the list I removed extensions that were actually pinned that I know I do not use. Remember that point of blind to the clutter.
Task Six
Simple Task Six, organize and clear out Finder. Move around and clean out anything else that you have in Finder. Add things to your favorites or get rid of anything that’s not needed.
Do you need to organize your folders differently or update your tags?
For me, this was OneDrive as I use that as well with my business. It’s really where I stored all my photos and videos.
Task Seven
Simple Task Seven, all the pictures and videos. It’s simple to keep all those photos that are blurry or duplicated with digital storage. But do you really need them? When you’re searching for a photo how fun is it to go through crappy photos to just find one that is actually good.
Clear them out and organize them for ease in the future.
Task Eight
Simple Task Eight, run your virus scan software if this doesn’t automatically run.
Task Nine
Simple Task Nine, run Clean My Mac. I’m guessing that PC has something similar, but it’s been far too long since I used to PC to remember what that was.
Little Side Note
Here is the fun desktop image I created with Canva! If you use this link to join Canva and create a design, we'll both earn a Canva Credit to get a premium element for free! We can choose from millions of photos, icons, and illustrations. Happy Creating!
✁ Just a Snippet
Here is just a snippet of the nine tasks for a digital declutter of your computer, you know for the skimmer in you. 🤪
- Download
- Desktop
- Applications
- Browser
- Browser Extensions
- Finder
- Photos/Videos
- Run Your Virus Software
- Clean My Mac