In the age of ever-expanding digital footprints, our virtual spaces often mirror the cluttered closets and disorganized drawers of our physical world. As spring beckons with its promise of renewal, it’s the perfect time to turn our attention to our digital environments. Especially when it comes to your digital world for your business. In this blog, I will cover why it is essential to a thriving business, what areas to organize, and how to implement your digital spring cleaning!

ORGANIZING YOUR DIGITAL SPACE

The first step in spring cleaning is decluttering. And no better way to tackle this then with the most obvious- your desktop and it’s folders. Go through and clean out any old or unwanted files so that you can see and know where things are.

Next, go through and delete unused apps and files. Those apps are taking a lot of storage on your device. Your computer will actually move quicker with the absence of those rarely used apps.

Then, it is time to organize your email inbox and folders. I don’t mean get to “inbox zero”, a task I find almost impossible, but just like you did for your desk top, see what email files can be discarded. Delete and archive the emails that you don’t need anymore. While this works best if you work weekly to discard, if you haven’t done this in a while, just set a 15 minute timer and do it daily until you feel more caught up. The reason I don’t work at emails being perfectly at zero, is because emails are more about what people want me to do for them, then it is about what I need to do in my business. So quite frankly, I don’t let it run me.

Lastly, manage those digital subscriptions and accounts. I like to run a report from QuickBooks to show payments to all vendors. It is crazy the things that I catch that we have subscriptions to- that I simply forgot about. You can then decide if it’s still a service that you value (meaning you are using it!), or you need to start using it, or maybe it’s time to move on and get rid of it.

SECURING YOUR DIGITAL PRESENCE

Now that you have the decluttering done, its time to make sure all of your digital spaces are secure.

First, update passwords and enabling two-factor authentication. Keep all of your passwords in a place you can access regularly. Password protect the place you keep those as well!

Next, review privacy settings on social media accounts to ensure your personal information is protected.

Then, spend some time backing up important files and data. I like to use Dropbox for cloud storage and a black box external drive storage as well.

Finally, scan devices for malware and viruses. We use Norton’s on all of our company computers. It will do this regularly.

OPTIMIZING DIGITAL PRODUCTIVITY

First, evaluate and streamline digital tools and apps. This pertains more to tablets and phones. But just combing through and deciding if you really need those apps. Is there a new app that you have that replaces the need for another one. Evaluate how you use them and then decide how they are working for you.

Next, create a digital filing system for easy access. Like I mentioned, we use drop box and the entire team has a login. We can store all of our files there. Nothing lives on our desktops so that if a computer is lost or breaks, we can still access all of our files.

At Monarch Lane we set up reminders and schedules for regular maintenance. Spring and Fall are good times. We like to just focus in on this during the spring. Do what works for you but schedule it so it will happen!

Lastly, implement productivity hacks for better workflow. Is there an app or system you have wanted to try? In our weekly meetings, one of the things we like to share is “what new thing have you seen this week?” This might pertain to the design world (as we see a lot of great new products) but it also pertains to the tech world. We love finding new hacks and ways of doing things smarter. If you have a team, give them this charge to look for the things in their week that they could share with the team. Its pretty cool.

DIGITAL CONTENT CLEANUP

This is an area that I always have to spend more time in throughout the year – the reviewing and organizing digital photos and videos. As designers we take so many photos of our projects, shopping trips, people’s homes. We have to upload those to their Dropbox folder on a weekly basis.

Next, is sorting and deleting outdated documents and downloads. If you haven’t used it and still want to, move it to a “Review” folder. If it then becomes a great resource, you can tuck it back into a different folder when you’re done. But if some times goes by and you haven’t used that resource, it’s time to chuck it!

Review and revise your website! Look through each page and check for broken links. Check everything from the mobile view. Get your whole team to look this over. Take any content or portfolio images off your site that is no longer relevant. And finally, add anything new to freshen up your digital front porch. It is good to do this monthly, but do a deep dive at least once a year.

TIPS FOR MAINTAINING A CLEAN DIGITAL ENVIRONMENT

Make sure to establish regular digital spring cleaning routines. Put it on your calendar and block off time to get it done. Sometimes during the spring my team and I block off 15-30 minutes a day. Do what works best for you but make sure to fit it in.

Be mindful of the digital clutter and the bad habit of accumulation. If you can do a weekly or monthly maintenance, it will make the yearly cleanout even easier.

It is important to stay vigilant about digital security practices. In our firm, it is not just about our security, but also for our client’s protection. None of us want our information stolen or hacked. So take the time and make sure you are all set!

We know that our digital spaces are used daily, so spending the time to keep things clean, organized, and protected will make working in those digital spaces a whole lot easier. Implement your own digital spring cleaning journey every year. Set a reminder and create a checklist that you and even your team can tackle. Want a starting point? Download our Digital spring cleaning guide below!