Clean Out Your Computer Day

Since 2000, the Monday of this week has been designated as National Clean Out Your Computer Day. What a great time to take a few minutes out of your busy schedule to perform some maintenance on something that we use, and depend on, every single day.

There are a lot of reasons why your computer isn’t running the way it used to and I will leave the technical assistance to the professionals but the reason we love this day is it gives you the chance to “organize” your computer and your electronic files and “downsize” the number of programs that you no longer, or never did, use.

It’s also a good opportunity to physically clean your computer. I’m sure most of you don’t give it much thought throughout your busy day. Make sure you computer is turned off and give the screen and the keyboard a good cleaning. A can of pressurized air will get all that hair, skin and other foreign objects out of the spaces between the keys. Yuck!

Your desktop

The first thing you see when you turn on your computer is your desktop. Many people create short cuts to programs they use often and keep it on the desktop. It’s easy for your desktop to get out of control.

Before you know it you have a visually distracting view that takes time to find the program or file you need.

If you really need all of the shortcuts you created then try to create files like News, Entertainment, Finance or whatever else you require. Then drop the short cuts and addresses into these folders. It will drastically cut down on the time you spend looking.

The interior

The interior of your PC also needs a good cleaning. It attracts a lot of dust and debris. After your PC is shut down take the back off and clean it with compressed air and a soft brush. If you are not comfortable doing this, have a professional do it for you.

Programs you don’t need

The more programs you have, the slower your PC may run. Some of them can also take up quite a bit of space. Keep in mind that deleting them will not, in most cases, get rid of them. They need to be uninstalled or removed using the disk you installed them with.

Email

This is the biggest problem area. With the number of emails we receive, both valid and trash, our inbox quickly becomes a catch all for everything.

Delete the emails that you don’t need to keep right away and create folders for the rest. Only keep the emails that require your immediate attention in your inbox. Ensure that they are looked after by days end.

Virtual Organizer

Virtual organizing is becoming more and more popular for those that may not require a lot of work or want to minimize their cost. Assisting with cleaning up your PC is perfect for this option. A virtual organizer will sign into your PC and clean up your desk, organize your files and help with your emails all under your direction. This is a service we are offering soon!

Tips going forward

Restart your PC at least once a week to clear out the memory and to ensure that any background processes are shut down. Keep the number of browser tabs open to a minimum as this can slow down the speed of your PC. Make sure your anti virus software is always up to date. Of course, periodically clear your browsing history to prevent a build up and maintain speed.

Take this time to perform the same maintenance on your tablets and phones as well to keep them operating in top shape.

You really are dependant on your computer both for work and for home so take this time to ensure your investment is running in top shape. If you are looking for a solution to be more efficient with your time and ease the stress of disorganization, contact me here and we can chat.