Tidy Tech

How to Spring Clean Your Digital Life

By Audrey Sellers

Is your phone cluttered with apps, texts, and photos? What about your personal computer — is it filled with a jumble of folders, files, and emails? With the spring season upon us, now’s a great time to give your devices a good, old-fashioned spring cleaning.

Just like a messy room can stress you out and make it hard to focus, digital clutter can have the same effect. Studies show that our brains favor order over chaos, so when you open your phone or laptop and are bombarded by clutter, it can make you feel overwhelmed. It can also hamper your productivity and concentration.

BEGIN WITH YOUR PHONE.

You probably use your phone most often, so start here. Delete any unused apps and duplicate photos. Organize your home screen by creating folders for different categories, like work, photos, and sports. This will make it easier to find what you need. 

DECLUTTER YOUR COMPUTER.

You know how random paperwork can accumulate in a drawer? The same is true with your digital desktop. Go through old folders and documents and delete items you don’t need anymore. Don’t forget your downloads folder. Over time, it becomes a catch-all for everything you’ve downloaded. Use cloud storage or external hard drives to keep your files organized and accessible.

DEJUNK YOUR INBOX.

Are there newsletters or mailing lists you’re not interested in anymore? Take a few minutes to unsubscribe. Even if you’re not necessarily striving for inbox zero, getting rid of emails you don’t need and organizing things can keep your inbox manageable. Remember to empty out your sent and trash folders, too.

UPDATE YOUR SOFTWARE AND SECURITY.

Check for viruses, malware, and any other potential security threats on your devices. You might also want to update weak passwords and use a password manager to securely keep track of them.

CLEAR YOUR BROWSER HISTORY.

Most browsers allow you to choose what you want to clear, whether it’s your browsing history, cache, cookies, or other site data. In just a few clicks, you can remove old data that may slow things down and get rid of any personal information that may be stored. This is especially helpful if you share a device or if you’ve been banking online.

DO SOME CLOUD CLEANING.

It’s easy to forget that files stored in the cloud can pile up just like those on your computer. Over time, your cloud storage can become cluttered with things you no longer need. This digital junk can take up valuable space and make it difficult to find what you need. Take some time to identify what you want to keep and create folders to organize these items. If necessary, upgrade your storage plan so you have the space you need.  

SPRING CLEAN YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA

While you’re doing a little digital spring cleaning, don’t forget your social media profiles. Here’s how to do it in five simple steps:

Unfollow or mute accounts.If you’re following accounts that no longer interest you, click that unfollow button. Mute the accounts you still want to keep around but don’t want to see all the time.

Archive or delete. Go through your feeds and remove or archive posts that you don’t need anymore.

Organize your photos.Delete any unnecessary or duplicate images and categorize your photos into logical folders like event, date, or location.

Review your privacy settings. Make sure your social media profiles are secure and that you’re comfortable with what you’re sharing and who can view it.

Double-check your notifications. Tired of your phone always pinging with new alerts? Adjust your settings so you only get the most important updates.