Did you know that the average adult in the U.S. spends over 10 hours a day staring at a screen of some kind? Sure, some of that time is spent watching TV or scrolling on a smartphone. But for many people, a huge chunk of those hours are spent looking at a computer screen at home or at work.
If you’re an avid computer user, you know just how important a computer organization strategy is. It can help you get work done faster and help you avoid any stress that can come from not being able to find a file or folder.
In this article, we’ll give you seven tips and tricks that you can use to get your computer as organized as you want it to be. That way you can find whatever it is you’re looking for, at any time, in just a few clicks.
1. Start by Purging Old Files and Apps
Want to start organizing your digital life? Don’t know where to begin? Get started by purging all of your unwanted files and apps.
This will help you remove any old files or apps that you no longer need or want, making it easier to get organized afterward. It will also help you get an idea of what all you have, which can be helpful when coming up with naming and filing systems later on.
2. Create a File Naming System
Regardless of what you use your computer for the most, odds are you have a wide variety of file types that need to be sorted in some way. The best way to do this is to come up with a consistent naming system for all files, and then apply that system to every file on your computer.
Of course, if you have a ton of files on your computer already, implementing this new naming system could take days of manual work on your part. With that being said, when you’re done, it’ll be very much worth it, as finding files will be much easier.
3. Create a Folder/Subfolder System
The files on your computer aren’t the only thing that you need to create and implement a naming system for. The folders that you use to sort those files, and any subfolders within those folders, need to have a naming system, too.
Ideally, the file naming system would also work well for folders. Regardless, you want to be as consistent as you can throughout your computer, so things are easy to find when you’re looking for them.
Again, don’t forget about subfolders, as they’re extremely helpful when used correctly. So, make sure whatever computer filing system that you come up with is applied to those subfolders. That way things won’t get messy when searching for items on your computer later on.
4. Sort New Content Immediately
If you’re an avid computer user, odds are you’re adding new files and applications to your computer on a regular basis. While this may not be an issue now, down the line, things can get messy again if you don’t start sorting new content as soon as you download or create it.
A pro tip? Take a second to sort any new content as soon as it’s saved to your computer. This will make routine maintenance easier, as well as help you keep your computer neat and organized.
5. Clear Out Your Downloads Folder Often
Even if you do a good job of sorting new content immediately, there’s still going to be times where your downloads folder gets a bit cluttered. By clearing out your downloads folder often, you can make sure all areas of your computer are well maintained.
Again, being organized will make searching for files that much easier. And if you’re still having trouble finding files on your computer, and you’re a Mac user, you can learn more about how to solve the issue here: https://setapp.com/how-to/find-and-remove-duplicate-files-on-mac.
6. Perform Routine Maintenance Daily
Organizing computer files, and keeping them organized, truly is a full-time job. The best way to keep things tidy, and prevent big messes that take a great deal of time to clean up, is to perform routine maintenance daily.
Our recommendation? Before you’re done with your computer for the day, take a few minutes to scan through everything to make sure it’s up to par. Fix any issues that you see, that way when you go to use your computer the next day, it’s as organized as you want it to be.
7. Keep Your Desktop Clean
We get it. It’s super tempting to put everything that you use on a regular basis somewhere on your desktop. That way you can get to it fast, without having to browse for it on your computer using a search tool.
But too many files on your desktop will make it hard to find anything. It’ll also slow down your computer, especially after booting it up, which isn’t what you want, either.
So, keep a few files, and maybe an application or two, on your desktop. Put everything else in folders or subfolders located elsewhere on your computer.
Still Need Help With Computer Organization?
Remember, in order to maximize your computer organization strategy, you need to spend time each day sorting files, folders, and applications. That, combined with having a solid computer filing system in place, will give you the results that you’re looking for.
Need more help getting the most out of your computer? Check back with our blog often, as we’re always giving out useful tips and tricks for Mac and PC users.