Wrangle Clutter
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Don’t think, Just do!
Pick one or do both!
- Evaluate the icons on your desktop and file away the ones that should be in folders.
- Scroll through your emails for ones that you need to keep “just in case”, put them where they go.
GUIDE VIDEO: Join me as we work on this Game Challenge together.
Simple Setup for this Game Challenge
The best way to deal with digital clutter is to have a pre-determined place to put stuff when you are done with it.
- Create at least 1 digital folder under the main Document folder of your computer to save things you are no longer working with but don’t want to delete.
- Create at least 1 email folder to save the emails you want to keep for future reference.
Join the Lux Lab and we can work on this together with friends.
When you join the Lux Lab you get to work on your current digital office backend issues while having tech support and group energy available for troubleshooting, brainstorming, and general productivity solutions.
Join the Lux Lab (Group Session)
- Get feedback on that crazy thing your computer is doing.
- Conquer your email inbox
- Organize your digital files
- Untangle your passwords.
- And more Rescue your Digital Office challenges.
View the LUX LAB Schedule
With your registration, you will also receive the regular Tech E-Rescue email dispatch which offers challenges and guidance toward rescuing your digital office.
You can unsubscribe anytime.
Deeper Work and Strategy for this Game Challenge
Most clutter is caused by not having a strategy to deal with things after we are done with them. Projects that have been completed, files that have been downloaded, email conversations that have ended and online research that is no longer necessary often just sit there. These take up visual space on your computer in the various digital inbox buckets in your system.
A digital inbox bucket is a place where information either originates or is staged to be dealt with, like your email inbox or your computer desktop and downloads folder.
This game challenge is to guide you toward the maintenance aspect of keeping your inbox buckets from getting overloaded with stuff you already accomplished to make room for the stuff you still need to do.
Let’s Start with your Digital Files
Do you have a place where you put stuff until you have time to decide where to keep it? Like your Desktop? Take a look, make a decision and put things away. You may also want to take the time to rename files so they make more sense when you go looking for them.
- Look through your Documents folder, find all the files you can delete and just delete them!
- Go through your Documents folder and save the ones that are not already in folders and put them where they go.
- Take a peek into your Downloads folder and make sure you saved the things you want to keep. (Your downloads folder is not a good place to store your important files.)
To set up a complete and organized digital file system check out the GAME CHALLENGE: File Folders
Attack your Email Inbox Clutter
Think Like a Triage Nurse in a busy ER
If you keep a ton of emails in your inbox, it is a good idea to clear out as much as you can so you don’t need to keep scrolling through them. This digital clutter can cause your email inbox to feel overwhelming, even if you know that there is nothing important in there.
During this quick and dirty clear the clutter session do not waste time overthinking things. Act quickly without remorse.
Take 3 seconds (or less) per email to only read enough of each email to determine if you need to keep it or delete it (or archive it).
To set up a complete email system check out the GAME CHALLENGE: Set up your email system
Think Binary:
- Look through your email inbox and find all the emails you can clear and just delete them!
- Go through your emails and save the ones that you need to keep “just in case” and put them where they go.
For more specific instructions on how you can clear out your email inbox quickly without missing anything check out the BLOG POST: Clear the Email Clutter and the Unsubscribe Challenge
Fun facts about delete vs archive
Archive
Imagine you have an unlimited storage container to put stuff in. It is out of your way, but you can always go back and fetch stuff out of it if you need to. This is archiving. Out of your way, but not totally gone. These emails can still show up in email searches.
Delete
Deleting is like throwing it in the dumpster. You got rid of it, it’s gone* and you know you don’t want it back!
*Many email systems have a 30-day expiration on deleted emails. Take a peek in your email trash folder and see what is there. You can empty this deleted folder and then the emails are really, really gone.
Organize your Favorites and Bookmarks
Open your favorite browser and take a look at the links in your Favorites or Bookmarks.
- Look through the links and find all the ones that can just be deleted and delete them!
- Go through the links, find all the ones and save the ones that are not in tidy folders and put them where they go.
In the GAME CHALLENGE: Optimize your Browser I share some ideas on how to organize your browser to support you as you work. You can create folders for the websites you use most often just like you can with your digital files and emails.
Resources Associated with this Game Challenge:
GAME CHALLENGE: Delete the Dregs
GAME CHALLENGE: File Folders
GAME CHALLENGE: Set up your email system
BLOG POST: Clear the Email Clutter
GAME CHALLENGE: Optimize your Browser
Overwhelmed by your chaotic computer situation?
I invite you to schedule a 30-minute Topic Tackle session with me to tackle your digital office.
During this 30-minute screen-sharing session; we will chat about your computer situation and then, together we will get to work improving your digital situation.
Type CARE TACKLE into the topic code field and get a name-your-price* session.
*price recommendation $15-$65 - paid after session
