Your digital declutter checklist

Step-by-step digital cleaning checklist

1. Digital audit: What’s essential and what’s outdated?

Start your decluttering with a quick scan of your digital landscape. If you’re using OneDrive—Microsoft’s cloud storage service—you already have a powerful tool for organizing, accessing, and backing up your files across all your devices.
OneDrive lets you:

• Search by keyword, file type, or name
• Find photos based on where and when they were taken—or even by searching for what’s in them
• Sort by last modified date, file size, or shared status to spot what’s outdated

Use the Recent view to surface files you’ve interacted with lately, and if you’re offline, any changes you make will sync automatically once you reconnect.

Once you’ve reviewed everything:

• Delete what’s no longer needed
• Archive older files in a dedicated OneDrive folder for safekeeping

2. File organization: Build a smart folder structure

Think of your digital space like a well-organized closet. You wouldn’t toss your socks in with your tax returns, right?

• Create main folders like Work, Personal, Finance, and Photos.
• Use emojis or prefixes in folder names (e.g., “📁 Work_2025”) to visually separate categories.
• Pin frequently used folders in OneDrive or File Explorer for quick access.

3. Naming conventions: Be consistent and searchable

A messy naming system is like labeling everything “misc.” Instead, make your files work for you.

Use a format like 2025_ProjectProposal_ClientName.docx to include the year, project name, and keywords. Avoid spaces—opt for underscores or dashes to prevent syncing issues. And if you’re working across teams, create a simple naming template and stick to it.

Pro tip: Adding dates to filenames helps you sort chronologically and instantly spot the latest version.

4. Cloud syncing and backup: Stay secure and accessible

Make sure your files are synced to the cloud. With OneDrive, you get automatic backup and access across devices. No more emailing yourself documents or losing files to a hard drive crash.

• Enable “Files On-Demand” to save space—your files will stay visible and accessible, but they’ll only download when you open them.
• Use version history in OneDrive to recover older versions of documents.
• Set up automatic backup for key folders like Documents and Desktop.

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5. Delete and archive: Clean house and keep moving forward

You’ve sorted, named, and structured, now it’s time to clear the path ahead. Think of this step as making room for what’s next.

Use Storage Sense, a built-in Windows feature, to automatically remove temporary files and empty your recycle bin on a schedule. It can even convert unused OneDrive files to online-only, freeing up space without deleting anything important.

Make it a habit to sweep your Downloads and Desktop folders regularly—they’re clutter magnets.

Pro tip: Compress large files into ZIP folders before archiving to save space and make sharing easier.

Bonus: mind decluttering techniques

Digital clutter isn’t just about files—it’s also about mental overload. Free up brain space with these strategies:

• Use Microsoft To Do’s “My Day” feature to zero in on what matters today. It helps you prioritize only the most important items task list, giving you clarity, control, and a sense of accomplishment as you move through your day.
• Turn off Teams and Outlook notifications during focus hours. A quiet workspace—digital or physical—makes a big difference.
• Uninstall unused apps and remove browser extensions you don’t use. Fewer distractions = more clarity.
• Create a “brain dump” notebook in OneNote where you can offload ideas, reminders, and random thoughts. It’s like a digital scratchpad for your mind.

Clear space, clear mind: Why digital decluttering pays off

A tidy digital space helps ensure a tidy mind. With a solid declutter checklist, you’ll boost your productivity, reduce stress, and feel more in control. Let Microsoft 365 help you stay focused, stress-free, and ready for whatever’s next.