September means spring is here! Spring brings in the possibility of new beginnings and of course, spring cleaning. Now, we’re not here to tell you to clean your cupboards or disinfect your fridge. We’re focusing on spring cleaning your digital clutter. 

Digital clutter? Yup, you read that right. Many people don’t realise how messy and overwhelming their digital space is. 

Just like in your home, things in your digital space pile up, become out of date, get lost, are no longer needed or need some TLC.

Let’s dive right into how you can give your digital clutter a spring clean. 

Related: How to build better habits (That will actually stick)

Top tips for decluttering your digital space

From your laptop to your phone, you spend the majority of your day on some type of mobile device. Even though you’re using these devices multiple times a day, you might not realise how cluttered they’ve become. Here’s how you can fix that. 

Maintenance 

1. 1. Delete unused apps 

You may have downloaded an app that you used once and never touched again. Go through your phone and laptop to see if you have any apps that you don’t use. Delete all the apps you haven’t visited in the last month. 

Trust us, you don’t need them. 

2. Update your devices

Now that you’ve gotten rid of all unnecessary apps, update your devices. Make sure you update the operating system as well as the apps you use. 

3. Remove unnecessary information

If you have saved credit cards or old documents in your storage that you no longer use – remove them. Take a look at your saved passwords and remove the ones you no longer use. 

Lastly, clean out your old emails, files and downloads. And remember to empty your trash when you’re done. 

4.Back up your files

When you’re spring cleaning, it’s important to make sure that you’ve backed up the files of everything you want to keep. It can be easy to accidentally delete something you never intended to.

Use a cloud storage site or an external hard drive to safely store all your important goodies. 

Read: Things we’re going to START and STOP

Refresh

1. 1. Mailing lists 

Have a look at the emails you’re subscribed to and unsubscribe from everything that no longer serves you. 

2. Delete, delete, delete 

Remove old photos, videos and even contacts that you no longer need. Are we the only ones with hundreds of screenshots of things we thought we’d need? 

3. Decide what no longer serves you 

As you’re spring cleaning your digital space, make conscious decisions about what you really need and don’t need. 

If you’re removing apps that are no longer valuable to you, are there apps you need that would serve you more? For example, is it time to remove the many games you have on your phone and perhaps get a time management tool if that’s something you’re struggling with. 

4. Update your security software 

This is mostly for your laptop but it is one of the most vital steps. Do you have antivirus and security software on your device? If you don’t, make sure you get one. And if you do, make sure it’s still running optimally and be sure to set up automatic checks and updates. 

Viruses and malware can destroy all the information on your digital devices so it’s better to be safe!

5.Make a change

While you’re at it why not give your devices a new look and feel? Update your wallpapers and screensavers. Go from light mode to dark. Recatagorise your apps into helpful folders. 

Find ways to make your digital space more inviting, calmer and a soothing place to be. 

Explore: Everyday hacks to keep you calm and focused for a busy day

Social media 

In a realm of its own, we decided to leave social media until last. Social media platforms are where most of us spend our time so it’s important that we clean them up every now and then. 

• • Take the opportunity to refresh your presence: Change up your bio, get a new profile picture, or archive some of your posts that you no longer like.
  • Review your privacy and security settings: Accounts are constantly getting hacked. Make sure your accounts are properly protected with a password you remember. 
  • Unfollow accounts that no longer serve you: Go through your “following” list and unfollow the accounts that offer you no value or people who make you feel bad about your life. Social media shouldn’t be a place that is overwhelming and hurtful. The great thing is that you have COMPLETE control over your own social media. 
  • Ask yourself the following: Do my social media accounts reflect who I am? Do they add value? Are they negatively impacting my life? These are important questions to ask to figure out whether you should maybe relook at your entire online presence, or perhaps take a break from the social media space.

We spend so much of our time on our devices and online, make sure you’re spending just as much time making them a safe, stress-free space!