This month’s article differs from my usual ones, but I believe many of you can relate to it.
Digital clutter has consumed valuable time that could have been avoided.
My Digital Clutter Experience
For a couple of weeks now, my phone has been giving me warnings that my storage is full. “Later,” I say to myself. “Later, when I have time, I will go through my phone, delete what I don’t want, what is not important, delete duplicate photos, photos I take while out shopping and I forget to delete.” We all do it, thinking our phone has infinite storage!
There are even apps to clear your phone storage, but that requires free space on your phone. You can buy iCloud storage, but why not build good habits and avoid digital clutter instead?
If you are old enough, you may remember the days when you would take a photo, being careful not to take too many because the roll of film would only take 12 or 24 photos, not to mention you had to wait a week to have it developed, and developing the photos was an expensive exercise.
The reality is we are in a digital era, whether we like it or not, and we fall into the trap of trying anything new that comes our way. There is an app for everything because we are told it will make things quicker and easier. It is “being with the times”, they say; if you fall behind with the latest innovations, it is more difficult to slip back in and understand the process. In the meantime, you have created Digital Clutter that you need to make time to clear.
I knew I needed to make time to clear my digital clutter when photos were not being saved; I was unable to download apps and the list of warnings kept flashing before my eyes, but it was easier to ignore it rather than make the time to sit down and audit the photos, messages and other information that is no longer relevant.
The other night I set aside an hour to scroll through the photos and transfer them to my laptop. That became another nightmare when I realised my laptop had little storage left.
So the audit began on my phone and on my laptop.
Which one do I tackle first?
Let’s go with the laptop, I thought; it will be easier, having a bigger screen to work with, and I will be done in no time.
I was becoming a little frustrated with the time I was spending when I could have been more productive or relaxing with a nice book. After a deep breath and a long sigh, I knew taking action was the only way.
By taking small steps every day, you will confidently accomplish everything you set out to do.
A few days down the track, I am still auditing my phone and laptop. Small steps day by day, it will all be done.
Lesson Learnt
This has taught me to be a little more mindful of every photo I take; I don’t need to take 10 photos of the beach, a bird, a tree during my walks (I do get carried away when I am in nature, everything excites me!) or at gatherings with friends, and if I do take one too many I made a promise to myself to go back and save one photo, the best one.
Some Tips To Help You Avoid Digital Clutter
A Little Less Clutter, a Little More Peace
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The Evening Purge: Spend just two minutes deleting screenshots, blurry shots, and accidental videos from that day.
- Favourite the Best: Tap the heart icon on your absolute favourite photos to separate them from the clutter instantly.
- Import in Small Batches: Transfer 50 to 100 photos at a time rather than dumping your entire phone library onto your computer at once.
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The App Cleanout: Delete any app you have not opened in the last 30 days to free up instant storage.
Wishing you a wonderful month ahead.
Warm Regards,
Christine
