When I discuss downsizing with my clients, they most often think about emptying closets and cupboards. But sometimes, you have to declutter what you can’t see – digital downsizing. Most people can do this themselves, but you may wish to ask a friend or family member or hire a tech consultant. Remember, before you start decluttering and downsizing, back up your system first. Then, test the backup and make sure you can access the files on it. After you check, proceed with digital downsizing.

Software Programs and Apps

Look through the software programs and applications (apps) on your computer. It’s time to remove the apps you don’t use regularly. Deleting the icon or dragging it to the trash bin doesn’t mean all related files are gone. You must uninstall the apps. Again, if you don’t know how to do this yourself, it’s best to ask for help. Create a list of apps to keep. Ensure the list includes security and privacy apps and the apps you use regularly (daily, weekly, monthly).

Flag the following apps to delete:

• Apps that no longer work on your system because they won’t upgrade.
• Free trial software that you thought you might use but don’t.
• Multiples of the same type of app. You only need one PDF reader, music player, etc. Keep your favourite. Uninstall the others.
• Games that you rarely play.
• Games that you play too much when you know you should be working.

Documents and Media

This is probably the most time-consuming part of digital downsizing. If you haven’t used a logical naming convention, you may have to open each file to see the contents before deleting it. Here are a few tips that help speed up the process.

Sort your files in several different ways to easily decide which ones you can delete quickly and easily. Sort by:

• Date Last Modified to see which files you have not opened or changed in years.
• Kind or Application to see which files open with applications that no longer work. If you believe the content has historical or sentimental value, you may be able to convert it to a newer version. If not, send it to the trash bin.

Sorting by Name may help you find duplicate files, but the same content is sometimes stored in files with different names. There are some inexpensive apps for PC and Apple that are worth using to streamline the process.

Photos, videos, games, and other media are often large files that can slow down your system. Consider moving them to an external hard drive or cloud drive. Once there, do some digital downsizing in 15-minute increments until you’ve completed the task.

Bookmarks & Favourites

Open your internet browser and look through your list of saved websites. (They are called either ‘bookmarks’ or ‘favourites’ depending on your browser.) Create a backup by exporting them to an HTML file (see your browser’s help section for instructions). Once your backup is complete, delete bookmarks that:

• No longer exist.
• Re-route to a website you don’t want to visit (some former popular domains are now owned by pornography, gambling, or other inappropriate ventures).
• Are duplicates leading to the same website.
• Have information you no longer need. (e.g. If you’ve given up knitting, you don’t need to keep links to knitting websites.)

While you’re downsizing, take a few minutes to organize your bookmarks. Create some broad categories (Finance, News, Hobbies, Social Media, etc.) and put your bookmarks into the appropriate folders.

Email and Contacts

I have several articles on downsizing and managing emails, so I won’t expand on that topic here. However, I will suggest that you review your digital address book and clean up your contacts. Also, go through your list of previous recipients to delete all of those out-of-date and irrelevant email addresses that auto-complete in your mail program. Downsizing that list will decrease the risk of sending mail to the wrong person or a dead email address.

Digital downsizing takes time, but with a streamlined hard drive, organized bookmarks, and efficiently running email, your computer will run faster, and you will be more productive. If you need some guidance, contact Out of Chaos for a consultation.

Image by rawpixel.