Whenever you hear about organization or decluttering, you think of closets, desks and hidden boxes around your house. But have you considered you digital clutter? Oh yes, those old hard drives, mysteriously named folders within folders and random files are sitting in digital cyberspace dust!
So why should you clear clutter, including digital clutter? I must admit that any attempt at reorganization presents a huge challenge – such a daunting task – especially today when we all have so many things to account for. The best advice I can give on that front is to take it one little bit at a time. Folder today, another folder tomorrow. One drawer today, another tomorrow. Slowly but surely is the way to go.
So although digital files don’t take up much physical space, the clutter weighs on your mind. The more “things” there are in your life, the more you are emotionally pulled in different directions. Cleaning and throwing out trash makes you feel good – the rush of getting rid of unnecessary things and clearing up free space. The funny thing is, you can’t miss these things that you probably never even knew were there.
With cleared space and peace of mind, you’ll finally have room to take on some new and exciting projects. Whether it be literally in your harddrives or metaphorically in your mind. With a clean slate, you can concentrate on new things.
I should note that digital clutter applies to digital accounts as well, not just files on your computer. Those dead accounts you signed up for – who knows when – just go and delete them!
Remember the feeling of getting your brand new computer? The blank slate, pristine, clean, sleek – it just makes you so energized to dive right in. Why not revamp and declutter to get that feeling again? Not only that, getting rid of excess usually means you’ll be getting more organized along the way. You will know what you have and where it is.
I also know that your backups will be faster after cleaning up. No need to backup 25 versions of the same thing. You digital life will be a bit more efficient…simply because there are no duplicates to deal with – generally less things.
So take a look at your digital life and see if you can clear up some clutter before the holidays. You might actually find some useful things along the way…
