Thousands of Photos
1,128 unread emails
Not enough storage
If any of the above is familiar, you know that technology comes with clutter all its own. The mental load added by devices can be overwhelming. This year, make a commitment to declutter your devices, because just like clearing clutter in our homes, clearing clutter in our digital lives helps make room for greater calm and happiness. I spoke with professional organizer Bethel Swift, founder of Real Life Professional Organizing, for practical tips that make the process attainable.
Don't Aim for Perfection
Getting a job done is more important than getting a job done perfectly. "As with any organizing project, think about good, better and best scenarios," said Swift. "Before you jump in, envision an [attainable] end goal to motivate you toward completion." Life often gets in the way, so don't beat yourself up if you "only" do a good job the first time around.
Start Small: The Computer Desktop
Swift recommends having one to five (max 10) main folders on your desktop. Over-organizing can be counter-productive. Ideally, structure folders to be no more than three clicks away from any file. It's important to name folders and files the way YOU will look for them. Ask yourself, "When I look for a digital copy of my car registration, will I naturally type 'truck,' 'vehicle' or "F150' into the search bar?"
Be Purposeful with Email
Fewer email addresses are easier to manage, of course, but Swift recommends having separate work and personal email addresses to prevent getting sucked into work when you embark on personal tasks (or vice versa). Use yet another email address for signing petitions or making purchases since these generate follow-up spam. If using email folders, Swift proposes keeping the system simple for easy access and maintenance. She uses an "Active" and "Archive" structure with a few subfolders.
Unsubscribe
Unroll.Me helps people mass unsubscribe from unwanted emails and will condense others into "digests" to view at the user's convenience. Learn more at www.unroll.me.
Tackle the Mother Lode (Photos)
Swift's number one suggestion for an overwhelming number of photos on
phones is to delete, delete, delete! "As with physical items, the fewer we have, the easier it is to organize. By regularly deleting duplicates, old screenshots and blurry snaps, you'll have an easier time finding the photos you really want."
How to Get Started
Go through photos starting with the oldest and work on it for 10-20 minutes each day. Or begin with the most recent and work your way backwards. Seize mini moments to delete photos: In the drive-through line, while you wait for kids at school or afterschool activities, during a child's naptime or when you have travel downtime. Again, a few minutes each day makes a difference!
Once you've deleted, set up a simple file system and add new photos to it as you go.
Use Mylio Photos to organize photos, videos, report cards and other meaningful digital files in one lasting library that's accessible on all your devices. Fit even the largest photo library on your phone without reaching storage limits and set automated backups. Easily import years of Instagram, Flickr and Facebook images. Visit www.mylio.com to learn more.
Create a Back-Up System
Few things are more upsetting than losing precious photos of our children. To avoid this, Swift recommends regularly backing up photos to three locations: cloud-based storage, computer desktop and an external hard drive. "I prefer to do most sorting and renaming of photos on my laptop and then upload them to my secondary back-up systems," said Swift. When naming folders, Swift puts the date first so photos automatically sort in chronological order. "The most important thing to remember when naming folders and photo files is to go broader initially," she said. "You can always get more specific later." It can be very difficult to maintain files the other way around. If you have photos and videos stored only in apps like Instagram and Facebook, be sure to back up those as well (the ones you want to keep).
Share the Love
Consider preserving special photos by creating an annual photo book for yourself or to give loved ones as gifts. Or create shareable digital folders.
Enlist Help
When it comes to photos, get the kids involved. Most kids enjoy choosing favorite photos—let them help decide which ones to keep. To find a professional organizer, search by city on www.NAPO.net.
Stay Motivated
The best way to stay motivated is to not let digital clutter get out of hand
again. Schedule maintenance—calendar “delete emails" as a weekly or monthly agenda item. Try pairing it with another activity you do regularly (housecleaning, laundry, doctor visits, etc.).
Officially Sign off
If you work from home, avoid the blurred boundaries and mental clutter of always being connected and available. To officially sign off for the day, consider a ritual that creates boundaries between home life and work life. "Try an initiation and cessation routine, such as a quick gratitude practice or affirmation to transition in and out of work and family modes," suggests Swift.
Gretchen Rubin, author of Outer Order, Inner Calm: Declutter & Organize to Make More Room for Happiness, suggests that adding an element of fun motivates task completion. To that end, she created a Desk-Clearing Bingo game; each square contains a small, manageable task. "Play" every day or once a week for a satisfying sign off. Visit her Instagram page (@gretchenrubin) and scroll to the March 18 post to play along.
Most importantly, remember that any day is a good day to start decluttering!
