5 Easy Steps to Organize Your Computer and Get the Best Speeds

Did you know that your computer can get cluttered? Documents that are saved and forgotten and programs that go unused take up hard drive space, and desktops get cluttered with folder icons. All of these elements can actually slow down your computer’s operating speeds. Luckily, there are a number of things you can do to keep your computer organized and fast this year.

1. Sort through your documents folder

To ensure that you have space for the important things such as photos, applications, or documents, you should start by de-cluttering your documents folder. Have multiple versions of one document? Have downloads from five years ago? These are some of the files we recommend moving to the trash bin. Make sure you check with everyone who uses the computer before permanently deleting items.

2. Remove older apps and programs

Programs and app technology change from year to year. We frequently have old apps or old versions of programs on our computers that we no longer use. These programs take up space and can slow down the operating system. If you no longer use a program, delete it so that your operating system doesn’t waste time updating it.

3. Declutter your desktop

Your desktop is meant to be an easily navigable shortcut to your most-used apps and programs. If you have a lot of folders or documents saved to your desktop, however, you might see faster speeds and easier navigation if you clean it up. Move files to folders that are not on your desktop, and you may notice faster speeds while working on your computer.

4. Tidy up Your Browser

When using their computer or mobile devices, Americans tend to spend the majority of our time browsing the Internet. That browsing time adds up to a lot of cached files and data in our browsers. Every once in a while, it’s a good idea to clear the cache and start a new browsing history altogether.  All browsers have different ways of cleaning up. You can find these settings in the following places:

Chrome:  Go to settings, show advanced settings, then select clear browsing data. This will erase cached files, browsing history, and plug-in data.

Firefox:  Go to preferences, advanced, network, and cached Web content and select your settings.

Microsoft Edge:  Go to settings and clear browser data.

Safari:  Go to the app menu and select clear history.

5. Empty your trash bin

After you have gone through your documents folder, programs, and you desktop, you should check your trash bin and make sure you are okay with permanently deleting everything. While this step should come last, it is an essential step to completing the clean-up process. If you skip emptying your trash bin, everything you just deleted will still take up space on your machine.

Spring cleaning my sometimes be arduous, but the result is always satisfying. With an organized space, you can do things more efficiently. The same thing goes for your computer. Add your computer to your spring cleaning list this year and you could be browsing faster before the flowers bloom.