Decluttering and organizing your digital space might seem like a daunting task and be very time-consuming. But, once you conquer your mountain of files, it will be easier to stay on top of it over time. I would like to share tips for digital decluttering and make it a habit to organize your digital files.
We are all living in a digital world. We often feel like we are walking on a pile of digital documents, emails, photos, and videos on our computers or other digital devices. Like getting your house in order, you may want to pay attention to your digital life. Decluttering digital space is just as important as decluttering a house. Here are tips for organizing your digital space.
Tidying and resetting your digital spaces is powered by productivity with healthier habits.
habits to stay productive for your digital space
What is digital space decluttering?
Decluttering your digital space means removing the apps and files you no longer use from computers, tablets, phones.
However, it can be hard to decide which files or apps to remove. Unless you learn to accept the fact that many programs, apps, and extensions are optional, but only a few have a real purpose, both at work and in personal life.
“How about all those forgotten files that are sitting on your disk space ?”
“How often do you empty your trash bin on your computer?”
I have experienced all these situations. I spent quite long hours decluttering these files when I first realized feeling like a digital hoarder.
Digital space decluttering is a habit.
As you clean the house with the daily tasks, weekly tasks, or monthly tasks, decluttering your digital space is also a regular action list. Getting a healthy habit of decluttering digital space makes you more productive.
There are 4 rules you can follow
Clean up your schedule.
The most important factor in changing your digital habit is clearing your environment. This applies not only to the people with whom you interact but also to the information you consume, including music and videos
Cut out what or who isn’t making you happy.
Clean and organize your folders regualry
If you are hard to find documents from a bunch of files scattered across your devices, it is time to organize your folder with systemic.
The folder system using a simple hierarchy can help you draw a folder hierarchy on paper.
If you have multiple documents of a specific type, create a folder like “Tax” or “Script”. If it helps, further subdivides the categories into subfolders.
Since I’m doing business, I use my computer for work and personal life, the top-level folders are “Personal” and “Work” followed by subfolders. For example, in the working folder, subfolders contain “Applications”, “Clients”, and “Websites”.
Arrange your file by folder, whichever your filing system preferred.
Ues Keyword tile to save
Before closing the files, save relevant category or sub-category fold with keyword title.
Use “work-on folder” for in-process project files
You can create a “work on” folder for the project you currently processing. I use this method when I have an ongoing project. After the project is completed, the final files save on a backup file or cloud by category. Make work-on folded empty for the next project.
Checklist for digital decluttering
How to declutter and organize your digital space
Step 1 – Check your files
You can go through all of your folders, files, and cloud storage sites. Check on the file and see what you have.
Downloads folder
Documents folder
Desktop
iCloud
Google Drive
Dropbox, Box, OneDrive, etc.
Recently deleted folder
Bin folder
Photos
If you need the file, rename the file more straightforward, and save it relevant folder. For example, you have travel documents, such as e-ticket, travel itinerary information, etc, you can save in the travel folder (sub-category by date/month)
If you don’t need the file, no longer use it, trash it.
After all, go through the files of space, clear the trash bin folder.
Step 2. Apply each storage by purpose.
It is likely you already have several file management solutions. After decluttering them, come up with a system for each storage.
Folders on your device
secondary hard drive
google drive
iCloud
Dropbox or one Drive etc.
In my case,
Secondary hard drives – I store all my large, heavy video files across multiple drives by tiles (category by year and month)
Google Drive – I have several Gmail accounts, personal and business. Personal account drive use for my blog freebies and business account for my product for the website.
iCloud – I use this storage for Backups, digital stickers, photographs, documents, Adobe files, etc. For my digital planner creation work.
Step 3 Hierarchy filling system
You can create a hierarchy to organize all of your files. Whether color code system or time base folder system, the best way is to keep the same or similar hierarchy across all storage for consistency.
Step 4. organizing sub-folder
Once you have organized a hierarchy for your files, it is now time to organize your files into those main, sub, and secondary-sub folders.
Get your files into the right folders and the sub-folders into the right folders
I use this method to organize my digital planner freebie in google drive. Here’s how I manage my file.
Main folder name: digital planner sample
Sub-folder name: Planner PDF
Secondary sub-folder name: bonus sticker
Under secondary sub-folder: Individual PNGs, GoodNotes files
you can make more secondary sub-folders as long as related main folder topic
Living simple, decluttering and organizing
Practice as a routine task
Just like cleaning the house, there are tedious moments in organizing. I recommended splitting with each store, so you are not overwhelmed. Little by little, listen to your favorite music and get your hands on the best treats.
Since I operate a small business and blogs, file management and organizing are getting more impact on productivity. you can read more productivity tips “PRODUCTIVITY TIPS FOR THE HOME-BASED BUSINESS OWNER”
Cal Newport, the author of Digital Minimalism and Deep Work, stated about “The harm of digital disruption”
Newport stated that all of these explanations distract attention and cause permanent damage to concentration. Your ability to concentrate diminishes the more you distract or multitask. And since everything online is designed to cater to our short attention spans, of course, we will be doomed to that.Cal Newport, the author of Digital Minimalism and Deep Work
I hope that you feel better about working with the digital world as you work on this. The point is not to have or have a perfect system, but to start processing your digital system to reclaim your mental space.
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