Clutter doesn’t only take up that corner in the garage or floor space of your closet. It’s everywhere. Including your devices, like tablets, phones and computers. And just as in real life, it can be difficult to declutter the mess. Here are a few steps you can take to successfully clean up your devices:
Say Goodbye to Some Social Media “Friends”
An influx of so-called friends on social media makes it hard to keep up with the friends you truly care about. On social media, there is a never-ending flow of information and it may be distracting you from real-life obligations, relationships and responsibilities. While you don’t have to commit to an unfriending spree, you can unfollow. You can unfollow your contacts, or friends, on Facebook, directly from the news feed by clicking on the down arrow in the upper right corner of the status update or post. This way you won’t have any awkward encounters at the grocery store because you “unfriended” an acquaintance, yet you’ll have less clutter in your Facebook feed.
Delete Internet Bookmarks
Cut digital clutter and delete the internet bookmarks that are no longer relevant or necessary. If you do choose to keep some of your bookmarks, whether you want to read an article from your favorite blog later or cook a recipe next week, consider using a folder system. This will keep you organized and allow for quicker navigation.
Start Fresh With a Hard Reset
Thousands of photos. Dozens of apps. Software issues. Your phone can be a main source of digital clutter. Instead of trying to manage the countless photos and useless apps, start with a clean slate. Back up your smartphone to your computer if you’re hoping to save photos and such and perform what’s called a hard reset. A hard reset will erase all of your personal data, including photos, contacts and passwords. After the content is erased, your phone will be at its factory settings, just like it was on the day you took it out of the box. T-Mobile provides simple steps for resetting your iPhone.
Unsubscribe
Constantly swiping to get rid of the little red bubble on your mail app? As you are tapping through your inbox you may be experiencing regret for all of those newsletters and subscriptions you signed up for. Keep your inbox under control by unsubscribing from all of the unwanted mailing lists that populate your email inbox. Free services like Unroll.Me can help clear up all of that digital clutter. Additionally, replying to emails when you read them on your phone or device can keep your inbox number down, too, which means less digital clutter for you to go back and clear later.
Recycle Unwanted or Unused Devices
Tech is constantly changing. There is always some new device making its grand debut. And if you’re on top of the tech trends, it is likely that you have a drawer or maybe even a big box filled with outdated phones, cameras and other digital devices. Consider passing down the old devices to someone who may be able to use them, or find a recycling facility that can repurpose them properly. The tech experts at PCMag suggest recycling with the non-profit e-Stewards, Best Buy, Staples or with mobile carriers including Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint or AT&T.
