7 Tips for Finally Organising Your Laptop

Imagine a world where you are greeted with a tranquil desktop background, seamlessly appointed files, and useful folders. It is much more appealing than dozens of duplicate files, nameless documents, and things that you will never need again.

If you are not great with organising files or storing anything in useful ways, then you are probably aware of the agony that is searching for a file or scrolling in vain through thousands of old photos for the one thing that you need. This kind of messiness does not help your productivity!

Most of us are using our laptops (desktops, notebooks, whatever you have) all day long, particularly at the minute. So, it really make’s sense to organise your laptop and get rid of the clutter and chaos! There are some things that you can do to clean up your computer once and for all:

1. Delete duplicate files
You would be surprised on how much storage is used up in duplicate files. When I work with clients, I always see the exact same files that are saved at least twice and in different locations. This also causes all sorts of confusion! Take your time to remove any duplicates which will save you time and stress in the long run.

2. Create a folder structure
If your existing structure is very disorganised, start fresh with a new, clean, and well-planned folder structure. The best folder structure is the one that mimics the way you work. Think about what main folders and sub folders you need. I would recommend that you create a template and copy and paste it every time you start a new project. A clear folder structure will enhance searchability and save you time.

3. Put some thought into file names
Try not to give your files meaningless names like ‘Document 1’ or folders called ‘Important stuff.’ This just makes it hard to find what you need. Create a practice for naming documents. One that accurately reveals its contents without repeating the entire contents name.

4. Personalise your desktop background
Choosing a wallpaper may seem like a trivial thing, but when you are staring at it every day why not select something that reflects your personal interests or a motivational quote or a treasured family photo! Mines is currently a photo I took in Dingle this summer that I absolutely love. Every time I look at it – I smile!

5. Organise and erase your Downloads folder
Take time to go through your Downloads folder. I am sure there is quite a few things that you will never need. Delete the old cinema tickets! Remove what you no longer need and organise what you do.

6. Clean your computer
Now that you have spent the time ‘cleaning’ and organising your computer, you might appreciate physically cleaning your computer as well! Spend some time dusting the keys, cleaning the mouse and screen.

7. Stick to your plan
Now that you have put the wheels in motion and have a plan to organise your computer, stick to it! Every new file that you get, spend those extra few seconds giving it an accurate document name and filing it in the correct location. You will save yourself so much more time in the long run.

Catherine Deegan
www.doc-elite.co.uk

About Me
I created Doc Elite as I was tired of seeing poor Document Control within Construction projects and all the problems that occurred as a result out it. When I asked around in my network of those in the industry, I realised it was a pain for them too. So, I decided to do something about it and that’s where Doc Elite came in.