If you’re wondering how to digital declutter, you’ve come to the right person. I’ve been in the business of decluttering and organising for years, consistently picking up tips and tricks on how to organise your home – and your life! I’m a massive advocate of organisation for mental clarity, because a tidy home is a tidy mind, and that goes for your digital home too. That’s your home screens, phones, tablets, laptops and inboxes. We spend much of our modern lives online and cleaning these digital spaces can give you the mental clarity you need to complete daily tasks and enjoy your online life that little bit more.
In this full guide to digital decluttering, I’ll go into the nitty gritty details. I’ll help you break away from those photos you hold onto so dearly, and offer alternatives to digital hoarding – yes, you heard that right. Stick with it and we’ll have your digital life decluttered in no time.
Decluttering Digital Photos
As with physical albums, we are often drawn to hoard old photos. But since the introduction of smart phones, most people now carry their cameras with them at all times; not just special occasions.
This means that some of us get trigger-happy, so to speak. Taking snaps of everyday things, screenshots of recipes, or saving images from group chats can clog up a feed very quickly and it’s important to find ways to clear through your online photo albums more so than those physical ones.
In the past I’ve known people to use the Cleanup app for their iPhones where you can delete screenshots, duplicates and dud photos in minutes. However, you can use your phone’s album organisation to set apart holidays, events and occasions, and ask yourself how important are the snaps in between. Often I find clients who take multiple selfies, or group shots, only to post one on social media. If it’s posted already, weed out the rest! There’s no need to keep ten group pictures that don’t even exist on your social profiles.
Although we do love our photos, sometimes you have to be stricter on what’s staying and what can go, so you can clear your storage and your mind! Think about when or why you need to keep them stored? Showing a friend a location from your holiday – have it ready in a folder with the destination name and date. It’s that simple. If you think more about how you use your photos, it will make more sense as to how you store them. For this particular topic, I go into much more detail on my blog about how to declutter digital photos.
Decluttering Computer Files
Decluttering digital files can be a daunting task, but when breaking things down into folders, it’s easier to find ways to let go. Always head to your storage first and delete or uninstall any unused programs and apps. In your main files section, create topical folders with clear indications of the content, such as “Personal”, “Work” or “Holiday Planning”. Then you can move on to your downloads, delete any unnecessary files or move to the right folder.
Clean up your main desktop by using these folders to organise files, and make your most-used folders easily accessible.
Always remember to backup your files, ideally to the Cloud or an external hard drive. One thing I see a lot is outdated software, always check for updates and actually install them, don’t just hit “remind me later”. Keeping your software up to date will make your computer work more efficiently. And last of all… empty the bin!
If you’re looking for a full, detailed breakdown take a look at my blog on how to organise digital files, for tips and tricks on keeping your online filing cabinet in order!
Decluttering Tips
One of my biggest tips to clients is when you’re going through photos and need to get rid of some, think to yourself, “does this spark a memory?” If the answer is no, then it’s not sentimental enough to keep and probably needs to go!
Another one is keeping your password keychain up to date. So often we sign up to new websites and apps, and soon enough our emails become clogged with deals we didn’t ask for. Head to your passwords app or keychain and find those accounts you don’t need – here’s the specific part: log in to them and delete the account completely, then, head back to your passwords app and delete the passwords. Trust me on this one. You’ll clear your inbox and your passwords, and in your mind, you’re a few online accounts lighter already!
Overall, decluttering your online life can be both frustrating and daunting to start with, but bit by bit, there are ways to digital declutter so that your mind can feel decluttered.
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