While your devices have various apps that help organize your life, keeping your actual devices organized isn’t always as easy. Keeping track of your multiple devices and apps can be a headache. Whether it’s getting them all set up on your new computer or trying to remember where you put that one app, everyone has that moment when they need to find something.
Fortunately, you can ensure that your computer is organized and optimized for your needs with a few little tricks. Here are five simple tips to help you get your computer organized and make it work for you instead of against you.
Updating Is the Cure-All
The first step to organizing your computer is updating it. All of the other tips might not work on an outdated system, so make sure you update to the newest versions of all your software before anything else. This will also help to streamline your computer.
Clear the Clutter
Before you can take your first step toward organizing your computer, you need to clear the clutter. There are two ways you can do this. First, if you’ve just set up a new computer, it should be relatively clean and ready to go. However, if that’s not the case, it might be time to get rid of old files and start fresh. To remove old files, go to Finder –> Empty Trash. You can also move files to an external hard drive and save them there to free up space on your computer’s hard drive. Once you’ve done that, it might be a good idea to make sure everything is organized where it needs to be. For example, if all of the photos from your last vacation are in one folder on your desktop called “vacation photos,” but you have another folder for all of your work-related documents and presentations, these folders may not be as organized as they could be. Arrange all of the folders to correspond with what they contain – this will make it easier for you when trying to find something specific later on down the line. If you use software such as Photoshop, you should consider clearing your scratch disk to make more storage space – find out how to do this here.
Don’t use a dark theme
Using a dark theme on your computer can save you power, but it also makes it difficult to find things. A dark background is easier for the eye to look at than a bright white background, but it also blocks your view of the contents in your folders and windows. Many people prefer using a dark theme when they go to sleep, but it’s not ideal for working on your computer. If you need to save battery life out of necessity, use a lighter or brighter color scheme when you’re on your devices. You can find apps that will change the hue of your screen based on the time of day and your location, for example. Another reason not to use a dark theme is that if someone else has access to your computer, they might have trouble reading text. Many people don’t realize that they have their windows set up in such an intense way until they show someone else how to use their device, and they find it difficult to read the screen. The colors make it harder for other people to see what’s happening on the screen as well, so if you want others with access to your device or account (like IT technicians), then this is something worth considering as well.
Set Up Automated Tasks
If you’re not already using automated tasks, start today! Automated tasks are a little-known organization and time-saving tool. Once you set up your automated tasks on your computer, it will automatically do a task for you when the time is right. For example, if you want to be reminded of something in 10 minutes or less, simply set the alarm for that time and create an automated task that reminds you of what you need to do. The key point here is that as soon as the alarm goes off, your computer will automatically open the document you need or send you a reminder email with all the information and links that need to be completed. It’s one more way to make sure that your computer is working for you instead of against you by ensuring things get done on time when they’re supposed to.
Don’t Overwhelm Your Browser
When overloaded with tabs and windows, it can become challenging to find what you need. Try to keep your browser tidy by closing the tabs you don’t need anymore. You can also use a free extension like OneTab to help you out. OneTab will allow you to save all of those open tabs into a list that’s easily accessible anytime.
Thanks for reading and y’all stay dandy.
-Diego
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