Artists Laptop

I hope you have enjoyed working through all the modules and that your digital devices are looking clearer and more organised. However, I also know that occasionally we start something with the best of intentions but the task ahead of us seems enormous and daunting, and so we give up. It may be that you started the course, but did not finish it or just watched the videos with the intention of sorting out your computer, but are slightly terrified about tackling your downloads folder.

Wherever you’re at, it’s ok. I’m here to tell you that I get it. Digital decluttering can be daunting and time consuming.

I can help by recommending some small things you can do to get you over the first hurdle and help you on your way to creating a simpler digital life.

1. Take small action regularly.

   It may be that you want to set aside a few hours to sort through your photos, or to delete old files but many of us don’t have that time and the sheer thought alone of sorting through 1000s of photos would send most of us running in dread. I’m a huge believer of the Japanese philosophy of Kaizen, meaning small continuous change.

2. Do one thing at a time.

   Focus on one tasks at a time until the job is finished, rather than going from one task to another and then back again (i.e. moving all Art related files into your Art folder). This approach lessens the cognitive load and is less mentally taxing, helping you make progress much quicker.

3. Consolidate, Categorise, Cull, Contain.

   Consolidate:

   Aim to put all your files into 1 place, ideally your Documents folder. Put everything Art related into your ART folder and everything related to your home life in your HOME as so on.

   Don’t worry about if you have duplicates or deciding whether to keep a file or not, by putting everything related to your Art life in one place will make it so much easier to see if you have duplicate or redundant files.

   Aim to keep your Download and Desktop empty so you know that all your files exist in your Documents folder only.

   Categorise:

   Now begin to categorise a large group or files or photos into smaller categories. Think about using logical categories that make sense.

   Cull:

   As often as possible, go through your photos, files, apps, email and delete anything which is not needed. This step is best done regular and in small measures, like a bit of gentle housework. It’s so much easier to keep things organised and to find what we need the less we have.

   Contain:

   Aim to put every files into a folder and every photo into an album. Everything should have a place.

4. Create good foundations.

   Creating a logical and organised folder structure is a priority. After that filing and tidying up your computer or laptop is so much easier.

5. Delete apps.

   Go through your phone and other devices and delete those you haven’t used in 30 days.

   Remove apps from your home screen and keep them in your App library

6. Organise your app into folders.

   An iPhone will do this automatically but you can also do this manually to group your apps together. It is much less visually overwhelming this way.

7. Name files and folders logically you so you can easily find them.

   Think about what you would type into the search bar to find a particular photo or file. You can organise the contents of a folder in list form so yo can see what files are not labelled and which are not consistently labelled.

8. Keep on top of your inbox.

   Keeping on top of you emails can be achieved if you don’t let them build up. Set aside a small amount of time each day just to action and delete old emails.

9. Progress over perfection.

   Aim to make things better gradually and remember its good to change and make improvements over time. I regularly delete folders I no longer need and I also rename folders that I think will be more appropriate. This is all about steady improvement and building your confidence and organisation continually.