Spring is moving in, and with it, all the cleaning it entails. To that end, the second Monday in February – not too long after the groundhog delivers his news – is time to celebrate “National Clean Out Your Computer Day” by cleaning up the computers in your home! A bit different than dusting or downsizing your wardrobe, this unofficial national holiday is a great excuse to find the time to clean your computer of the detritus that bogs it down.
This “National Clean Out Your Computer Day,” spend a little quality time…
Sorting your desktop.
Is that your desktop, or did your hard drive throw up on your screen? Too many files on your desktop screen can gum up the works – and your brain when you’re looking for things. Clean up the clutter:
- Create and store items in relevant folders.
- Remove unused shortcuts (this won’t uninstall programs).
- With a right click, “auto-arrange” for a neat grid.
Organizing files and folders.
Find stuff faster – and stop relying on “search functions” – by getting in touch with your inner Monica Gellar.
Deleting junk, duplicate files and emails.
Copies of copies, copied and forwarded, BCC’d, replied, et.al. are a fantastic way to suck the life out of your computer’s memory. Data can really eat up hard drive space. For a zippier computer, hunt down and eliminate this digital clutter and waste – before your computer ends up a giant paperweight.
Transfer old stuff to “file 13.”
Trash the stuff that’s just needlessly hogging up space, like that 1990s thesis on why Apple will never make it, or those photos of you and your ex.
Removing programs no longer in use.
Clean up your computer by removing programs you don’t need anymore. (The process differs between PC and Mac.) WARNING: If you don’t know what it is, leave it alone – it could be a system program or file!
Removing programs from launch.
Lots of programs auto-load unnecessarily at startup, which can really drag down startup speed. A quick Google search of “How to remove programs from launch + INSERT OS HERE” should get you started. Just remember: When in doubt, leave it alone.
Defragging.
For computers with an HDD rather than an SSD, defragging drives more than 10 percent fragmented compacts data, speeding up access to the hard drive. Some OS’s do this automatically, so you may want to ask Cortana or Siri first.
Running system utilities.
Run Disk Cleanup/Utility to clean your registry and help your system runs more efficiently. View the Help/Tech Support icon on your computer or visit your Mac or PC’s website for specific instructions.
Backing up files.
Don’t lose sensitive or important files and end up paying big bucks to your local Nerd Herd geek to forensically find them. Back up to the Cloud, an external drive, and make a copy to be held off-site – just in case!
Enlisting help.
For computer users who like to drive but don’t understand what’s under the hood, enlist the help of a friend, software and apps, or a professional to aid you in these tasks.
Tired of all the wiring cluttering up the area around your computer? Mr. Electric® can help. Treat yourself and your computer to a treat this “Clean Out Your Computer Day.” Learn more about available wiring solutions from Mr. Electric today.
