Ever heard of the saying “a clean laptop doeth good like a medicine”? No? Really? Sorry, I am just kidding, there is no such saying, but imagine how great a smooth-running, cleaned-up PC would be.
Minimalism and tuning always give a maximum and efficient result. Having your disk drive littered with unwanted apps, files, and others, that chunk up storage only promises over labored PCs, working slowly, poor compatibility and stability.
Did you know February 12th is National Clean out Computer Day? Well, you don’t have to wait till then to fix it. Follow these 5 tips and get your PC clutter-free
Uninstall Unnecessary Programs
An unnecessary program on your PC doesn’t and won’t suddenly release the space it occupies simply because you stopped using it.
You have to deliberately sort them out and uninstall them from your PC. Unnecessary programs, especially outdated ones pose a threat to your computer. So if you want your PC running smoothly, take out time to sort and uninstall these programs or applications.
Simply,
- Open settings
- Apps
- Apps and features.
You will find a list of all installed applications on your PC, you can then sort and have the unnecessary removed.
Backing up your Data
Assuming your files are so delicate and they are not worth deleting, not even a picture but your PC is running out of space and you need it running smoothly.
Simply get an external drive to move your valued data from your PC to this external storage location. This is an effective declutter strategy but you are strongly advised to backup all your data as every hard drive has a certain lifespan.
You can also turn to cloud storage provisions such as google drive or Dropbox. Whatever option you pick would sync with your PC, storing your data in the cloud and not on your PC.
No doubt, you can always still access all your valued data on the cloud and if ever you want it back, you can download them.
Cleaning your Browser and Downloading Folder
Storing cookies is a must-do for your browser and most times automatically. It stores these cookies to aid your browsing experience but when it saves too many cookies as you continue to surf the web and visit different sites, this advantage swiftly becomes a disadvantage. Soon your PC will begin slowing down in your browsing.
Stored caches are no different either, caches stores the specifics of each site you visit, so when next you come, it will speed up loading time.
Therefore, it is always advised to clean out your caches and cookies as it wipes out all caches and cookies-related problems. It also ensures the next time you visit a site; your cache function will register the most recent version of that webpage, increasing your browser’s performance for your PC.
To clear out your browser in Chrome
- Click the 3 dot icon at the top right corner
- Click history
- Click clear browser data
- Select “time range” in the popup and hit clear data
OR
- Use shortcut “CTRL H”
- Click clear browser data
- Select the time range in the popup and hit clear data
Cleaning your download folder is equally vital. As the time spent on your PC grows, You are most likely bound to download many different items such as work documents, music, videos, pictures, games, even updates, and others, this will grow your download folder to enormous, if not regularly checked.
You won’t need everything in that folder as time goes on, probably because you moved what you required to the most suitable folder. Clear out your download folder by sorting and deleting what you no longer need.
Updating your Antivirus and Running Virus Scans
Check for and upgrade your antivirus from time to time, to make sure your computer is safe from glitches, hackers, bugs, etc.
The whole purpose of decluttering in the first instance is to arrive at a PC free from all interruptions and corruption in its performance. Therefore, as you clean out all unwanted documents, you must check for unwanted parasites (virus) or unauthorized presence in your PC lurking in some dusty areas of your drive.
Protect your PC because it is your valuable resource and if it were to crash, I’m certain you won’t like it, as the saying goes “prevention is better than cure”. If you don’t run a virus scan, schedule it, a virus scan is part of digital cleaning.
Updating your Software Program
Updating programs on your PC is one step closer to a smoother running PC but updating your Windows Operating System is the icing on the cake. However, it is never a simple task, but once done, you would be glad you did it.
As manufacturers are always seeking to upgrade and make their products more stable with improved performance, it becomes very vital that you upgrade with the tide.
Honestly, you don’t want to be caught still using a Windows 7 Operating System right now, “you might just be tagged outdated”, again, I am just kidding but you get the point.
In conclusion, imagine taking out time to clean up your kitchen, taking out the trash, doing the dishes, refilling the cooker, and others. This act will most likely get you a great environment to prepare that all-time delicious meal you dream of, so also is decluttering your PC.
You will enjoy working in a much more stable, smoother, high-functioning digital environment. I hope you have enjoyed this article and that its content helps you in decluttering your PC.
