An incentive to declutter electronically

There's nothing nicer than having an empty Inbox and a computer that is quick, organised and efficient. All it takes is a bit of work now and you'll reap the benefits the entire year!

CELL PHONE
There are many areas that get cluttered very quickly in your cell phone.

1. Contacts
Delete all temporary numbers and those belonging to people you don't know.

If I get a call from a potential client, I save the number immediately so the next time they phone I can say, "Hi Adam" and wow them with my organising skills ;) so I end up with quite a few numbers.

2. Photos
If you don't need the photos, delete them. Or send them to the person (s) you took them for.

3. Inbox
Delete all those old text messages from Christmas and New Year (and even before then). Create one standard thank-you text and send it to all those people, and then you'll feel okay about deleting their lovely messages. Or send them an email.

4. Notes and reminders
Remove any old notes (so-and-so's birthday, library books to be returned, etc.) from your calendar.

* If you have a Blackberry (crackberry ;)) or PDA, please follow the same steps above to get it all organised.

COMPUTER
5. Programmes
Go to Control Panel and click on Add or Remove Programs to remove all those trials you downloaded that you no longer need.

6. Photos
Burn your photos to disc (for back up) and delete the files from your hard drive.

Remember to label! I label each disc with a number and then I put that same number on a round piece of paper in the CD sleeve with a list of the events, like Christmas 2007, CT Nov 2007, PE Dec 2007, etc.

7. Files and folders
Delete any files you no longer use. If you need to keep any documents for reference, burn to disc and free up the space on your hard drive.

This year, resolve to apply the one in–one out principle. For every file you download, delete one. Drastic? Maybe, but it works. I go one step further and even delete the file once I've read the e-book.

8. Inbox
Delete and then archive your emails. Read Suzanne's lovely post on archiving your old emails

Delete old folders. Go through your Sent Items and please make me happy and delete the items from your Deleted Items!

9. Contacts
Delete any contacts if you can't even remember who they are or why you have their details ;) Or take the take to reconnect!

10. Bookmarks
Oh my word! It's so easy to press Ctrl + D and voila! Bookmarked! But when you have a gazillion bookmarks, it's too much bother to even look at them. So go through and delete, and then make folders to organise your bookmarks


Bonus - Blogs in your feed reader
I started off the year with 48 and am now down to 43. How about you?


Please print this email and get cracking. I'm joining you this week because I've only done the computer part of this list myself.


Okay, let's sweeten the deal and have a contest ;)

If you take up the challenge, please post a comment telling me what you did and I will give a random commenter one of my Household Organising Files (R75 value) when the contest ends on 25 Jan. If you already have one, you may pick another product of similar value - yay!!!

Or you can write a post on your own blog and link up.

Either way - just link up. Remember you have TWO whole weeks so there are no excuses :)


Are you up for the challenge?