10 Ways to Declutter your Digital Life in 2023

 

As someone who uses my various devices for both my personal and professional life, you can imagine the files, programs, emails, and notifications that can build up over time, even for a self-proclaimed "zero-out" person like me. 

In the same way that we feel the seasonal itch to declutter our homes, it's important to declutter our digital spaces as well; at least it is for me. When I take the time to clean out unnecessary files, documents, and programs and properly file what I do need, it becomes easier to focus, find what I need easily, and stay on task with that I have to do. 

And it frees up valuable space, improving overall performance (both my devices and my own.)

It can seem like a daunting task to declutter your computer and digital life, but now's the perfect time!  Here are 10 easy ways to get started:

1. Uninstall unnecessary programs and apps. More space = faster, improved performance. 

2. Organize your email with folders and subfolders. File or delete everything. The goal is no-scroll. To delete what's already there, group your emails by sender and bulk delete what you don't need. 

3. Clean out your downloads folder. Free up space by deleting what you don't need. Then, create a system for your downloads to go directly to your desktop.  Delete what you don't need at the end of each day. 

4. Clean up your desktop of unnecessary icons and files. Try out a desktop organization tool to help keep folders and files organized and prioritized according to your to-do list or goals. Canva has lovely options based on your own unique vibe or aesthetic goals. Similarly, remove icons from the task bar or dock that you're not using regularly.

5. Clean up your browser. Delete your cookies, cache and history, as well as any unused plug-ins and extensions. Create a bookmark system for the websites you need to access regularly.

6. Use cloud storage. Free up space on your devices with Google Drive or iCloud. If you're a Microsoft person, OneNote is a great tool for keeping your files in their own digital binder. This makes my Gen-X, Trapper-Keeper loving brain very happy. And, you can access your files from any device. 

7. Unsubscribe from emails and newsletters you no longer read. Scroll to the bottom for the unsubscribe link or use the tools built into your email operating systems to help you. You also can use an app like unroll.me or the leavemealone.app to manage your subscriptions.

8. Clean up your social media accounts and unfollow accounts that you no longer engage with or that no longer serve a purpose in your life. This will help declutter your feed and make it easier to see the accounts from friends, family, and organizations that matter most to you.

9. Delete screenshots you no longer need or move images from your device to an external hard drive. More space = faster, improved performance.  

10. This is not one and done. Set a goal to declutter monthly or quarterly. 

What are your best tips for decluttering your digital life? Share in the comments. 

A Kitchen Facelift

We're giving our kitchen a facelift. It's not a full blown remodel, although it feels like it. 

We replaced the countertops and backsplash, and the floor. 

We painted the ceiling, the walls and the cabinets, and we replaced the fixtures. 

We also changed the lighting.

Then, we we moved into the room adjacent to the kitchen and then the adjacent bathroom. 

It feels like a full remodel, sans dining room and family room...for now. 

Thing are out of place. There are boxes and barrels and paint supplies and clutter...everywhere. People are coming and going and there is construction noise all day, every day. 

There are decisions to make and sometimes, nightly trips to Lowe's as one project moves to another. 

It's productive and ultimately, it's adding value (and loveliness) to our day to day lives, but it has its challenges.

Before all of this began, we planned on adding a few ceiling fans in other rooms of the house, and adding a couple of outlets, but this turned into a complete rewire, updating the 1910 nob and tube wiring and bringing the house to code. It's safe now, and it brought peace of mind, but as you can imagine, it feels like we're hemorrhaging money. 

Like others who have updated their homes in one way or another, we have found that there are a few obvious realities.

Truth #1. We have too much stuff. 

My Fix: Reduce, recycle, donate. 
As we emptied drawers and cabinets, a glaring truth stared me in the face. Why on earth do we have so much stuff? When households merge, the stuff doubles. Keep the best and donate the rest. Recycle what you can't donate. This includes duplicates of most things...extra pots and pans, skillets, single use kitchen appliances, and gadgets that a kitchen knife can handle. 

Truth #2: We have a paper clutter issue.

My Fix: Sort, Opt Out, Shred
Sort paper into piles of unread magazines, newspapers for the animal shelter, junk mail and bills. Encourage my husband to opt out of paper notifications and set up auto payment with a credit card with points and miles wherever we can. Shred old notices and clear the clutter. 


Truth #3: Chaos Creates Anxiety

My Fix: Self Care is Critical
This downstairs facelift, although exciting and fun, is also overwhelming for me. My husband may be overwhelmed with the to-do list, but I am overwhelmed by the sensory disruption and the decisions to be made. I do better with more order and less choice, like pick A or B or, the blender goes here. 

With the house in a state of chaos, my retreat is upstairs, where things are as they were. My quiet time to recharge is necessary. And that's okay. If he wants to paint, I can prep the tape and then get out of the way. We make a good team. 

I also can focus on what I do best. For example, given the paper clutter issue we have, I have taken over the remodeling paperwork. Receipts, color swatches, contracts, and other papers have now been organized into a readily available "house folder." #teacherorganization Now, I know that even when I can't quickly access one thing, I can, at least, find the receipt for X when we have to go back to Lowe's again to return or exchange it. Yin and yang.

Another small win: With the stove currently in the dining room as we await the plumber (it's propane), I decided to try my never-used Instant Pot that I bought six months ago. I began with the water test, moved on to cook a dozen eggs, and then that evening, tried a seafood cioppino, all with great results. It's a new relationship, but I'm smitten. 



So what now?
Luckily, our current project will be wrapping up soon. And it looks great!

What's next? 

As with any long term project, it's time to revisit our long term goals. Where are we on timing? What action steps come next? What do we need to do to keep moving forward?

It's a big, exciting, occasionally overwhelming, ongoing critical conversation. Through it all, I've learned that we balance each other well. We understand and appreciate each other's strengths and challenges and we share a common vision for our future. 

It's exciting and occasionally overwhelming, but nonetheless, it's indeed, still lovely. 

Decluttering and Moving Forward

Have you started to declutter? Marie Kondo has started a revolution of sorts, first with the book and now the Netflix series about tossing all that does not spark joy.

If you're into thrift shopping, now's the time for you, as Kondo devotees donate their spark-less belongings and clean up their personal clutter.

After Marie Kondo-ing my own clothes and junk drawers, I continued thinking about clutter, both physical and digital. 

I began cleaning up my social media feeds too, unfollowing pages and accounts with whom I really wasn't engaging. What I looked for online and what "sparked joy," I realized, were the people with whom I had made a connection, in real life or online. 

And that brings me here. 

I am so grateful for those I have met through this space. I am grateful for the opportunities that it has afforded me throughout the years. As a result of this space, I have made wonderful friends and shared transformative experiences, and it remains something that, indeed, sparks joy. 

And so it remains.

If you're new here, welcome! Later this week, let's sit for a cup of something and get reacquainted. 

My heart smiles today as I push publish on this post. I hope you'll come back for more.