Technology has undoubtedly made our lives easier – instant connection to family and friends, easier access to information, remote working and learning, etc. But if we’re not mindful of how much information we bring into our digital world, it can also make our lives complicated, costing us time and leaving us feeling completely overwhelmed, just like physical clutter. Ready to take back control of your digital world and experience the calm that comes with a clear digital space?
Here are tips to help you conquer your digital clutter.
Take stock of your digital clutter
Digital clutter can take various forms so it’s important you start by assessing your digital world and identifying the issues faced.
Here are various types of digital clutter and the most common issues faced:
- Computer: desktop screen full of random files and apps | duplicate files | files not organised | photos not organised | old/unused apps | bookmarks not up to date | storage full | no backup
- Emails: many emails in inbox | SPAM folder never purged | time wasted looking for emails | storage full
- Phone / Tablet: unused apps | photos not downloaded | part of [WhatsApp] groups not active in | text messages never purged | storage full
- Social media: too much time spent on social media | inactive accounts | disrupted by notifications
- Etc.
Having clarity on your digital world will help you define a plan of action and prioritise your tasks.
Related: How To Restore Order Into Your Overflowing Inbox
Prevent the digital clutter at its source
Although we’re not in control of most of the information we’re bombarded with, here’s what you can do to limit the in-flow.
Limit the number of unsolicited emails you receive
- Block senders, or their entire domain, so their emails go directly into your SPAM folder – the SPAM folder should be dealt with quickly without opening the email unless you recognise the sender.
- Unsubscribe from newsletters you’ve been added to without your permission or that you’re no longer interested in. If there’s no unsubscribe option, send an email to the sender asking them to be removed from their list in accordance with personal data protection regulations.
- Uncheck the box that gives a company permission to send you emails when you place an order online.
Be more intentional with photos and videos taking
Resist taking too many shots of the same scene. Delete as you go, when you’re commuting, while you’re waiting at the doctor’s etc., from your camera gallery the photos you won’t be keeping for the long run, etc.
Resist the temptation to download all the apps that come your way
Before downloading a new app that has been recommended to you, ask yourself whether it will really bring any value to you at this point in your life. Don’t worry about missing out, you’re bound to find an app supporting your needs when you need it.
Be selective on social media
Ignore invites to join groups and like pages you have no interest in, so they don’t distract you. Also, remove the notifications so you can stay focused.
Establish retention rules
Setting retention rules before you start a digital purge will make you more focused and hence more productive while going through your digital clutter.
Examples of retention rules:
Photos:
- Delete photos that are blurred, dark, out of focus, not flattering, etc.
- Keep a maximum of 2 shots of the same scene
- Delete photos of meals, or scenes, you just captured to share with your friends and family
- Keep photos you give a minimum rating of 8 out of 10
Phone and computer apps:
- Remove applications that you haven’t used in 12 months, or never used
Emails:
- Keep the last email in an email thread
- Delete newsletters older than 3 months that you haven’t got to read
Files:
- Keep the most recent version of a file (unless you have a valid reason to keep the previous versions). If need be, use a duplicate file finder app to identify and delete your duplicate files.
Social media:
- Leave groups you’re not engaging in
- Unfriend people you don’t communicate with or whose posts negatively impact you
- Unfollow / unlike pages that don’t provide value.
Keep the information organised
You heard the saying “one home for everything, and everything in its home”, right? Well, it does apply to digital information too.
Group like information together
Establish a structure, with categories and sub-categories, based on how you’ll use this information in the future so that it’s intuitive for you, and your family or team members, to retrieve the information. For example, organise your apps by use e.g., finance, exercise, food delivery, etc. Mirror that structure across all places where you store the information, being an email, a digital file, a paper file, a web bookmark, a note, etc.
For photos and videos, create a digital photo hub where you download and save all the photos and videos taken from all your devices.
Adopt a file naming convention
Be consistent in the way you name your files and categories. For example, I store my photos by year and by month and name those categories in the following format YYYYMM so that they are chronologically sorted. If there was a particular event in that month, I’d add the event name e.g. 202207_Holiday in France.
Related: Essentials steps to photos organising
Allocate time to deal with your digital clutter
The thing is, whatever you do, you need to block time in your schedule to deal with and organise the information you’re handling otherwise it won’t be possible to stay on top of your digital clutter.
Assign a timeslot to the following tasks
Emails:
- To open emails and decide what to do with each
- To action your email: forward/reply to the email etc.
- To read the newsletters you’ve saved
- To declutter your folders
Photos:
- To download the photos from all your devices into one place
- To purge and categorise your photos
- To back up your photos
Files:
- To purge your files
- To back up your files etc.
Duration and frequency depend on how much volume of information you’re dealing with and your concentration threshold.
This is the frequency and amount of time I spend on the above:
| TASK | FREQUENCY | DURATION |
| Opening emails and deciding what to do with them | 3 times a day | 10 minutes each time |
| Reading work-related newsletters | Once per week [Friday] | 15 minutes |
| Downloading, purging, organising, and backing up photos | Once a month [2nd Saturday of the month] | One hour |
| Backing up files | Once a month [1st Thursday of the month] | 20 minutes [while concurrently doing something else] |
| Annual digital decluttering exercise | 1 time per year for personal-related information 2 times per year for work-related information | 2 hours each |
Related: How to create a weekly schedule
If you need help to conquer your digital clutter, and perhaps find the thought of it overwhelming, reach out. I understand the unique challenges many face when tackling digital build-up. I can help you develop a plan that truly works for you and provide the accountability you might need to bring your project to completion, leading to more time, less stress, and a greater sense of control. There are various ways we could work together on this project, either through a consultation or my Clutter Support Group. I’m just an email or phone call away!
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