It’s the New Year so time for new starts and new resolutions. With a new year upon us, now is a good time to clean out the clutter. Clutter is overwhelming, messy and inefficient and it transcends in both our physical and digital lives.

Here are some tips to help clear the clutter out of your digital world.

1. Backup the Data on Your Devices

You are (hopefully) about to delete lots of stuff.

• Back up everything you have onto an external drive – make sure this is your files, contacts, browser bookmarks, photos and any other important content you would want
• Don’t forget to back up your smartphones and tablets as well
• For extra de-cluttering, set up a secure cloud backup that runs 24/7

2. Organize your Computer

Organize files on your desktop and within desktop files, including consolidating several similar files into one file.

• Delete duplicate files and ones that you do not need
• Rename files so you can locate them easier in the future
• Uninstall programs you never use

3. Clean Up Your Browser

• Go through your bookmarks and delete the ones you don’t use
• Clear out your cookies and browsing history
• Disable or delete any add-ons or plug-ins that you are not using

4. Monitor Your Social Media Accounts

• Cancel accounts on sites you don’t use—leaving your profile up can make you more vulnerable to cyber attacks
• Go through your friends and/or follow lists and see if there’s anyone on there that you don’t want updates from any longer

5. Scrub Your Email Inbox

• Move messages that you want to save into folders
• Unsubscribe from mailings you never read or are no longer interested in

6. Scrutinize Your Smartphone/Tablet

• Delete photos, music, texts or other items that you don’t use any longer
• Remove apps that you don’t use any longer

Happy de-cluttering and Happy New Year!