It’s time to declutter your computer today with 5 easy tips

Many of us use our computers every day. They have all of our digital photos, files and contacts in them, yet we let them get disorganised and cluttered. You should treat your computer like your home, and think about spring cleaning it whenever you have the chance… so why not today?!

It’s not as difficult as it sounds and in fact, clearing up your computer can not only help you have an organised life and save you space, it can also help make it go faster.

Here’s our fast 5 tips to decluttering your computer now!

Tip #1: Clear your desktop

Think of your desktop like your desk. It shouldn’t be cluttered, but instead everything should be easy to find in different, organised folders.

Remove any unnecessary screenshots of images you don’t need, and either file them or delete.

Some people keep random files there for “easy” access but in actual fact it’s much easier to store it away in a folder then use the search function to find it later.

Tip #2: Sort your photos

It can be nice to have photo files on your desktop to look through but they should be organised into folders instead. They can later be created into a screensaver or background image so you won’t need to open files or clutter your desktop.

Start by compiling all photos in one place. You could use a Dropbox folder, so that you can access your photos from anywhere and they’re safe if your computer breaks. Otherwise, you can use a simple folder in your computer, however it’s vital with both that you backup all your images.

Tip #3: Create a filing system and follow it

This can be hard to follow, especially when you’re in a rush and tempted to name a file ‘fbfhfdgjv’. Instead, organise by date and keyword so you can easily search later.

Another way to do this is to think of your filing system as a paper filing system; the more your main folders resemble the names and categories you would use to file paper, the easier it will be for you to both find and file various documents.

It may also be useful to create a “working file” that holds anything you’re currently working on and need to access quickly. Once complete, the files can be filed into other folders.

Tip #4: Clean up that hard drive

Over the years, our hard drives can accumulate quite a bit of stuff! But how often do we give them a good clean and delete unnecessary stuff? Not as much as we probably should. So let’s dive right in!

Delete the following:

• Drafts of documents that are no longer needed
• Duplicate photos
• Movies or albums you no longer want to watch or listen to
• Downloads in your downloads folder – chances are some of the things you’ve downloaded are big files but not needed any more.

Note: be careful deleting anything that looks like a system file. Stick to document and photo folders.

Tip #5: Uninstall unnecessary software

Did you download something you used once but never even look for? It’s actually taking up space on your hard drive and should be removed. If you’re using a PC, you can go into Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs and look down the list for anything you don’t use.

That’s it! When was the last time you cleaned out your computer?