So, what is digital clutter? Put simply, it is the disorganization of a device. Whether it’s a phone, computer or tablet, this messiness slows down the device and even its user as the excess information is typically hard to navigate. Digital clutter can appear in many forms. It could be a crowded email inbox, an overloaded desktop or apps that haven’t been touched in years. Research shows that this hoard of digital information — and the stress of constantly sorting through it — can actually be just as anxiety-inducing as other kinds of messes.
Fortunately, there are many ways to go about digital decluttering. A great place to start is to utilize a service or tool designed to make the process easier. For instance, backing up and mitigating important files onto a cloud-based storage service allows someone to purge data from the device without losing the information.
Other ways to purge is to simply delete or clear unwanted mess. With the various web browsers, there are functions to help such as “Clear Browsing Data” and “Clear History.” Clicking these can clear away unnecessary data as can deleting the browser’s cache and cookies on a regular basis. It also helps to uninstall unused apps. If you haven’t already, get rid of the preloaded apps that came with the device as well as ones you no longer use.
Last, but not least, one problematic area for many people are email inboxes. All those read and unread emails take up space and cause a range of issues. To clear a full inbox quickly, you can select all messages and use the “Archive” function. Then, create categories with folders or labels for incoming emails. This helps sort emails as they arrive, which makes it easier to either save or delete them going forward. Finally, go through and unsubscribe from services, organizations and other sources you no longer use. That way, you won’t get as many emails — and potential clutter — in the future.
Written by Great Plains Communication, a fiber internet company
