Digital Declutter

As digital clutter does not take up traditional physical space, some people tend to turn a blind eye or try to ignore it everytime they log on. However, similar to physical clutter, dealing with this matter can also produce cathartic effects.

Social media

Decide which form of social media works for your needs and preferences. If you only use social media to keep in contact with friends and family whom you don't see very regularly or for sharing photos and life events/news, then perhaps Facebook might be a good option for you.

Don't fall into the trap of signing up for every single option out there such as Twitter/X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn etc.

Cull your 'friends' list periodically to only include the important people in your life. Delete those who create drama; those who only use social media to humble brag, those who just lurk etc.

Cull your followers or those you follow periodically. Apparently, Beyonce has millions of followers on Instagram, but does not follow anyone herself.

The Domestic Goblin has wide ranging interests when it comes to YouTube videos such as exercise, fragrance, food/cooking, interior design, skincare, fashion for short people, minimalism, hoof trimming etc. Whilst there is nothing wrong with having these interests, there is no need to follow five or more YouTubers talking about the same topic. Whilst some topics are for entertainment purposes or for knowledge, some interests can be expensive and it's best to reduce the amount of temptation where possible and to just subscribe to one channel. Easier said than done!

Keep the social media profile information you display to a minimum. True friends and family should already know your gender, marital status, date of birth and where you work. Do not display information that hackers can use.

For those who haven't succumbed to social media or have deleted their account many years ago, well done! Life is much simpler! 

Email inbox

Login and check your emails periodically for personal email accounts and every working day for work email accounts. 

Make sure to delete all emails that you have read and dealt with and are no longer worth keeping.

In a work situation, create folders within your inbox to help you file/move important emails.

Unsubscribe from unnecessary retail mailing lists, job searches, society newsletters etc. They just clog up your inbox.

Block spam or unsolicited emails.

If you have several personal email accounts and have accumulated thousands of emails for an account you no longer use, delete the account. Don't let this take up digital space.

This will be an ongoing maintenance task.

Online storage

The problem with online 'cloud' storage is that photos and electronic documents are saved/dumped there and sometimes forgotten about like some 'junk drawer'.

It makes sense to save photos that you love as well as emailing them to yourself as backup. Delete any duplicates.

An up to date CV, contact list/address book and copyright-protected work/articles are worth having on file.

Electronic copies of manuals, receipts and warranties for items/products you don't even have/own anymore needs to be deleted.

Smart phones and other electronic devices

This follows a similar concept to your email inbox and will be an ongoing maintenance task.

Photos

Many of us have taken photos of our meals, exhibits and random trees etc. Once these have been uploaded onto your preferred platform and documented, you should delete after there is no more purpose or reason for keeping it.

The same goes with photos when you can't remember why you took them in the first place.

WhatsApp messages/text messages 

Do you really need to keep individual message chains from more than a year ago? Do you really scroll back through all the messages?

Do you really need to be a member of so many group chats? If there are important, useful or interesting messages being exchanged almost daily or weekly, then keep them. Inactive group chats that were started months or years ago can be deleted.

Videos

Upload the videos onto your preferred platform then only back up onto online storage or email to self those containing people who are no longer with us or those important to us or events that needed to be documented. Delete the rest.

Contact list

Review and edit your contacts list annually. You will know who are the most important people in your life and those who you love and care about the most. Also there will be those who are useful to have such as your doctor, dentist etc. Your neighbour's dog walkers best friend might not be a necessity.

Phone apps

Assess the apps you have downloaded onto your smart phone. Do they still serve a function or are they just taking up space?

Downloading apps 'just in case' takes up unnecessary memory on your phone and the only sensible choice the Domestic Goblin can think of in this category is the torch/flashlight option or the map and this is providing you have enough data to use this when outside. Sometimes, data/roaming isn't working when you're on holiday or in the middle of nowhere. This is when the physical item becomes useful.

Streaming services

Ask yourself, do you really need to subscribe and pay for every single streaming service available to you? 

The Domestic Goblin knows someone who has Netflix, Disney Plus AND Amazon Prime and yet  sometimes find themselves not able to find anything they want to watch or in the mood for.

If you don't watch live TV and don't want to pay TV license fees just to watch BBC catch-up (for example) then streaming services are a good alternative but try to limit yourself to ONE.

Copyright to J.Chan aka The Domestic Goblin