Have you ever felt like you are spending too much time looking for a file? Or like your phone is filled with useless notifications, and every other email you receive is spam? Well, you are not alone. Experts use the term "Digital Hoarding" to define the stress and anxiety caused by digital clutter. If you need to sort through a sea of files with ambiguous names like "scan0234" every time you try to send an email, you might be a victim of it. Healthline.com brings up the point that these files don't take any physical space; you can save an infinite number of them; the problem is that all the unused apps, files, and unread emails still take space in your mind. In addition, digital clutter will make you and your devices inefficient. Here are some tips to start tackling digital hoarding:
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Label everything: This one seems obvious, but many of us fail to label things when we are in a rush. Your computer's search feature comes in incredibly handy when looking through files, so make sure their names make sense. For example: If you take your client Thomas Smith on a business lunch at the Steaks 101 steakhouse, name the receipt something like "Business. Steak 101. Thomas Smith," not just "Steak 101 Lunch". This way, you can search and find the file by type of receipt, name of the client, or name of the place.
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Unsubscribe: Remember that store you went to while on vacation in NY, and they put you on their email list? It is time to unsubscribe from it. Even if you plan on going back in the future, there is no need to receive daily emails that fill your inbox.
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Organize your apps: Any app you don't use slows down your device. Organizing them in groups will help you find them faster and deleting unused apps will free up a ton of space; you will notice the difference.
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Create folders for your emails: Don't let emails sit read in your inbox. Instead, clear them up by either deleting or archiving ones that are not important (do this carefully, you never know what you might need in the future) or putting them all in labeled folders.
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Delete and organize downloads: Same as with email; delete it if you don't need it. And to our first point, make sure the items you do keep are labeled and in a folder.
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Consolidate your calendars: Make sure you can see all your calendars in one application. Going back and forth will be inefficient and might cause you to miss something just because you did not see it. Instead, merge all your calendars to ensure they are all in one. You can use color-coding to differentiate between personal and work items; if you would like to learn more about doing this, let us know!
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Delete bookmarks: If you saved a fascinating article in 2015 and you still haven't read it, it is time to delete it.
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Clean up your photos & videos: This one is probably the most difficult for many people. If your child or pet did that one very adorable thing, and you took 60 photos back-to-back, try to keep just one or two. Smartphones have made taking pictures extremely easy. According to Statista.com, 85% of photos worldwide were taken with a phone in 2017.
Just because you can store anything you want does not mean you should. With tax season upon us, having a clear digital space will make it easier to find all your files. You can also outsource this task if getting a professional to assist you seems like an easier way to accomplish it. Sites like Thelifestyle-files.com have calendars and tips that will also help keep you on track.
