Friday, March 27, 2009

Friday Declutter Challenge - documents and folders on your computer


Today we're decluttering files and document folders.

I have three tips for you today:

1. Keep it simple


Make folders in your My Documents folder.

BUT please don't make too many folders so that you have to click through lots of layers to get to your documents.

2. One in, one out

Declutter regularly. If you know you download documents like PDFs and audios on a weekly basis, then you need to declutter those (or others) on a weekly basis.

Just this weekend I listened to a 60-minute audio while I decluttered some files in my study. When I was done, I deleted the audio. There didn't happen to be anything that I needed to action but if there had been, I'd make a note in my spiral-bound notebook and then still delete the audio.

3. Make your system work for you

My filing system may not work for you and yours may not work for me.

Ask yourself, "where would I look for this document if I had to find it in the future?" That's how you name your files.

I have household forms and business forms. You might file them together but the way my brain works, I think of business forms with business, and so on.


This week, your challenge is to

go through at least 5 folders in your My Documents and declutter ...
  • any duplicate documents
  • documents you no longer use or need
  • audios you've already listened to and actioned
  • PDFs that no longer serve you (forms you're not using, etc, etc.)
To get you inspired, read how Anne organised her document folders when she did the Office Organising Makeover.

Share in the comments how you did!

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On this 75-minute teleclass, you’ll learn:

  • Where to start organising your computer
  • My DREAM method of organising your computer
  • How to keep control of all the audios, PDFs and ebooks you get for free off the internet and how NOT to let it clutter up your hard drive
  • Exactly how to label and store your documents and files so you can find them
  • How to organise your contacts and all those business cards
  • How to cut your computer time in half
  • How to organise tasks and projects
  • How and when to do a proper, thorough back up of your files and how to know when to do it so you don’t lose your work
  • And much, much more
Check out Everything you EVER wanted to know about organising your computer :)

3 comments:

Raewyn aka whinney said...

At the moment I only have time to declutter in small chunks, so in the last half hour I deleted 116 docs from my folder. Ahhhhhh it felt great! Thank you for the challenge, I will keep working on it a half hour at a time! Must remember to empty my recycle bin too.

Elozia Marie said...

Thanks! I just cleaned my 10,000 item MISC folder ... and trashed most of it. The other stuff is ORGANIZED!!! Now I CAN find the photos of my kids!

Marcia Francois said...

Raewyn, that's EXACTLY what it's all about - do what you can WHEN you can because baby steps add up.

SunnyMomma - wow, 10 000 items! That's a great job. And you need to be able to find your kids :)

Well done - I'm proud of both of you!

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