It's National Clean Out Your Computer Day!

Do you constantly save documents and files onto your computer without ever taking the time to clear out and organize what you don't need? Today is a national "holiday" to help create an awareness about removing unnecessary items from your computer and getting digital files organized. Seize the moment today and clear through your files. Here are some tips to help make the task more manageable:

• Think about the types of files you have and group them into a handful of main categories.
• Do you have a functioning paper filing system? Look at your paper files and create a similar digital system.
• Get email under control. Here are some email management tips from a post I wrote for NBC Chicago about getting control of email.
• Photo overload. Many people feel the need to hang on to every photo, whether digital or paper. If you keep too much, you can't find what's really important, not to mention images can be very large digital files. Organize your photos chronologically and remove what's duplicate/unnecessary.
• Gain control of your desktop. Spend some time sorting and filing what's on your desktop. Fences is a great program for PC users.
• Take 10. A daily 10 minute tidy of the files you've used each day will help maintain order on your computer and will actually save you time in the long run.

Take the time today to get your computer files in order and see how eliminating what's not needed and finding good, efficient places to store things will lead to better organization overall.