Personally, I never liked having files or icons on my desktop. As a photographer hobbyist, I always enjoyed my mountain landscape wallpapers as it always made my laptop look sleek and clean even though I’ve had it for years now. That being said, I still needed to store my files somewhere. The mess was found the way I took care of clutter in my room when I was a kid. Clean room although under the bed or the closet… yeah that’s a different story. Once I organized my file system I felt like that minimalist Pinterest-worthy living room. Almost feels like I finally was able to download more RAM!
Although, this is only on little area In which I minimize my digital workspace. I’ve been able to find various areas this can be applied to and it’s been a game-changer for me. Here I’ll be mentioning some tips and maybe you can find it useful for your digital workspace as well. Possibly, you’ll finally get to figure out what wallpaper you had in the first place.
Digital Declutter Roadmap:
I’ve seen screens looking like a battlefield of random files and mysterious shortcuts, I honestly would ask myself, when was the last time you could see your wallpaper? If they ever needed help, here’s the guide I’d slip under their cherry blue key keyboard:
1. The Elimination: Similar to the real world of getting rid of unnecessary possessions, in the digital world start by deleting files you don’t need. For example, that folder including the 27 screenshots of memes you promised yourself you’d look at later. Spoiler: You won’t…been there. Also, the less files you have the less you have to deal with.
If you want to go a step further, operating systems and programs tend to leave old data lying around, why not take advantage and free up some extra storage? Depending on what system you use it will be different. I personally use a Linux based system and Bleachbit has been a tool I use for this purpose. On Windows you can run commands such as “prefetch” and “%temp%” to check and delete files. The Disk Cleanup program works very well too. For MacOS I’m not so sure as I’ve never owned one but feel free to share any tools you feel have worked for you.
2. Folder Filing: For the files you do keep, create folders for different categories of files and documents. It has helped me to not only know where i store my stuff but also mitigates the file clutter. I consider it to be the digital equivalent of those square storage boxes. Have a folder for work, one for personal stuff, and another for whatever suits your needs.
3. File Naming: Name your files and folders clearly and consistently. “Untitled Document (47)” is not going to be helping you. I remember thinking my files themselves were becoming a trashy GitHub repo with anxiety and confusion collaborating. To help, be descriptive but concise. Think “2024_Writing_Essay.docx” instead of “final_foreeal_version.docx”.
4. Desktop Serenes: Like I said before, I prefer zero icons on my desktop but if you do decide to have some keep only the essentials on your desktop. Shortcuts to your most-used applications, perhaps a motivational quote or a scenic wallpaper to remind you that there’s life beyond the screen. My personal favorite type of wallpapers are hills and mountains.
5. Routine check: Of course sometimes life happens and it’s inevitable to keep everything perfect. Make it a habit to clean up your desktop regularly. In the end a clean desktop equals a productive you.
6. Up in the sky: To minimize my carry-ons like SSDs or flash drives I have my workflow set on one digital ecosystem. I can rave about the various ways cloud storage has helped but I’ll leave it to another article. In short, it has been a game-changer for me. It’s like having a butler for your files. It keeps everything organized and accessible right in the palm of your hand.
Talking about cloud storage options and ecosystems require a article in its own right. Some mentions are Google Drive, iCloud, OneDrive. If you’re more privacy and security conscious then Proton Drive will intrigue you. Want to go the FOSS/OSS route? Nextcloud is a great option.
Personally, I use iCloud. Pick one that fits your needs and stick with it. Don’t be switching willy-nilly as it will only add chaos.
7. Back it up: Life happens. Reminds me of the time I’d switch or upgrade my distro and well…bye bye my lasagna recipes. Setting up automatic backups, especially cloud backups, not only protects your files but minimizes the time having to recreate them all over again. Not only that but definitely minimizes the stress of a failed system, giving you peace of mind. Future you will thank present you for this one.
Conclusion:
Minimalism in your digital workspace isn’t about chucking your device out the window (although sometimes i do want to). It isn’t deprivation; it’s about liberation. Find what works for you but any step taken the results can be impactful. Decluttering and organizing you free up mental space, reduce stress, and boost productivity. Plus, you’ll look like you have your life together (even if we’re all still figuring it out one day at a time) or might even discover that long-lost file you’ve been searching for since 2018!