A new year is full of new possibilities. Beyond resolutions, it can be a time to take stock, clean out some closets, and purge your physical and digital clutter. We want to help you start off the year right with some tips for cleaning out your digital detritus and improving your Internet usage in 2024.
More and more of the information we used to receive on physical paper is now being delivered digitally. This is often a wonderful thing. You don’t need to try to find a physical space to keep user manuals, post-appointment reports from your doctor’s office, or even comically long receipts from the pharmacy. While it is nice that they are not physically cluttering your kitchen table, they are now cluttering your inbox, desktop, and digital spaces. And you still need to access many of them. But you can keep these things categorized and accessible with a few easy tips and some automation.
Where Does This Go?
Of course, you want to start with a clear and logical folder structure for your files. Determine what makes sense for you, create a structure, and stick to it. For example, you could create a top-level folder for each family member and then have subfolders for all main categories, such as health, finances, car, insurance, etc. Or maybe you want to keep all topics together and then subdivide by person. The most important thing is to establish one structure and stick to it so you can find what you need quickly.
If you have a lot of files or data that you want to keep but don’t need to access frequently, consider using cloud storage. This can help free up space on your devices while also keeping your files secure and accessible from anywhere.
Set it and Forget It
Filters are your friend. You may want to keep all of your receipts from your online purchases so you can access them for returns or budgeting purposes. But you don’t need each individual email clogging up your inbox. By setting up filters in your email system, you won’t ever have to see an email receipt, but you will know where to find all of them if you need one.
So I Forgot It. How Do I Find It Again?
Along with a file structure, having a standard file naming convention is important. We all know what it is like to try to scour through a million pictures named something like img.403987.jpg. Labeling files with the date and name of the person or project makes retrieval easier.
Make it a Habit
Finally, make it a habit to review and purge your digital clutter regularly. Set aside some time each month or quarter to go through your files, emails, and apps and delete, unsubscribe, or organize anything you no longer need. This will help keep your digital life organized and clutter-free.
Keep It Safe
As always, we must remind you to schedule regular backups of your most important files and data and make sure that you have strong passwords, Internet security, and malware protection.
Green Light Wireless is your local ISP. With us, you’ll enjoy reliable, high-speed Internet services from a locally owned and operated company. We’re all about family! Check out our Internet service comparison chart to learn how Green Light Wireless is different from other big Internet companies.