Dealing with Digital Clutter on your Smartphone
If you’ve already seen the first post in this digital declutter series you will have the clutter on your computer under control. Now let’s dive into our phones and tablets.
For many of us, our devices are our near-constant companions. They are our go-to digital tool for communication, information, organisation and entertainment. This heavy usage can quickly lead to clutter and confusion. Here are some ways you can organise your smartphone to keep it clutter-free.
Apps
Begin with a thorough edit of the apps you no longer want or need. Be ruthless. If you don’t use an app at least once or twice a week do you really need it? Check your phone’s storage summary to view what you have installed, how much storage space each app is using and how recently you accessed it. If you haven’t used it in a while, you probably won’t miss it when it’s gone.
Badges and notifications
Notifications are the alerts that pop up on the screen when you receive a message. Badges are the little red dots that float above an app, for example, to show you how many unread emails you have. Did you know you can control these?
You can turn notifications on and off, choose what type of notification you want to receive or add and remove sound and vibration alerts. Using your phone’s Do Not Disturb feature will mute them for a period of time when you don’t want to be distracted such as when you’re driving. You can also dig into your phone’s settings and turn notifications off entirely if you prefer. Doing so means you are in control of your phone, not the other way around.
Music and podcasts
Saving music and other audio files onto your phone can overwhelm its storage capacity pretty quickly. Swapping out your selection from time to time will help to ensure only your absolute favourites are kept close to hand. Streaming services are a great alternative for accessing your music, radio and podcasts leaving you fewer files to store, organise and maintain on your own device.
Photos
The camera roll is often the worst culprit for clutter. Many of us hoard photos with good intentions of sorting them, editing them and backing them up… one day. Make today the day when you begin tackling that backlog of images. Deleting duplicates is a great place to start. For the photos that make the cut, sort them into folders. And importantly, make sure they’re backed up in case your phone is lost or damaged.
If you aspire to get a handle on your files, folders, apps and devices get in touch for a bespoke organisational plan. Together we’ll calm the chaos on your devices and get your digital life back on track.
