3 Steps to Demolish Digital Clutter and Save Your Sanity

Does your desktop clutter make you cringe? Do you hide your virtual mess by cramming files into a folder to make your desktop look cleaner?

We've been guilty of both! We may be minimalists in real life, but we're still learning how to master virtual organization.

Check out our 3 steps to deal with digital clutter and develop habits to help you maintain your tech tidy.

1. KEEP

Only keep what you need and use. Much like many of us have multiple pairs of pants, but really only use one or two, we tend to do the same thing with digital tools.

Think about digital minimalism as a process (and habit) of only keeping digital tools and files that add value to your life. 

Tools

There are two theories for how to go about doing this: 

The Subtractive Approach: This involves removing every app, file or account that doesn’t add value to your life. 

• One by one, survey each element of digital clutter you’ve accumulated and ask yourself if you use it regularly. If not, channel your inner Emily on Gilmore Girls, and get rid of it! 

The Additive Approach: This approach involves removing everything initially, and adding back only those tools, services or social media accounts that you actually do need and use often. 

• Realistically, this works best when you get a new phone or computer. It's a great way to start fresh and not clutter your new devices from the beginning.

Whatever approach you take, the key is to keep the minimum amount of tools and services that help you excel online.  

2. CLEAN

For this step, let's focus on things that come in regularly, like emails, texts, and photos. 

Set a Specific Time

If you're not sure where to start, set a specific time every day or once a week to get rid of things you don't need.

We recommend pairing this with something you already do regularly. For example, take 5 minutes every morning while you drink your cup of coffee to delete unnecessary items. 

Tools

• We have an entire blog post dedicated to inbox problems and solutions, including tools to help you manage your clutter. 
• One of our favorite apps, Mail by EasilyDo, is an awesome free app that combines multiple inboxes in one spot and allows you to do things like file away receipts, add travel to your calendar, or unsubscribe from junk mail with a single click of a button.

3. CONSOLIDATE

If you're a digital hoarder, your clutter can actually be negatively affecting your computer or phone's performance. 

In addition to steps one and two, consider moving large files, like movies or photos, to cloud storage. This is a great way to free up space on your laptop, and may even boost your speed!

Tools

• Services like Dropbox and Google Drive are free and great for storing files. 
• You can even snag unlimited photos storage with Amazon's Prime PhotoStorage. Unfamiliar with Prime? Check out our take here. 

START NOW

You have the steps and the tools, so get the ball rolling, and start now! Take a few minutes and get rid of at least one thing you don't need.  

Remember, any time you feel your clutter habits coming back, revisit this post and start over. Be forgiving when you slip up. It will take time, patience and consistency to create life-long, clutter-free habits.

Want some great tips to help you thrive working online? Check out our free, 5-day Remote Work Survival Bootcamp! 

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ABOUT 

We are Tannia Suárez and Erin Booth. We believe that with the right guidance, everyone can thrive in the virtual world of remote work.

As digital nomads, we have been working remotely for several years. Working remotely has allowed us to travel the world while working full-time.

Check out RemoteWorkGuides.com where we share our experiences, tips, and resources to help you rock working online.