How to organize your phone and computer so your digital life stays tidy and easy to navigate. Follow these simple steps to clean up your devices and keep them that way.
This is Day 15 of the 30 Days to Less of a Hot Mess Challenge. We’re decluttering, reorganizing, and taking a breath of fresh air to create a home—and a digital life—we love. If you’re new to the challenge, consider starting at the beginning. The tips below focus on decluttering and organizing your computers and phones so they work better and feel less stressful.
I spend a lot of time on both my laptop and phone. They represent my business, my communication, and much of my daily life, so I keep them clean and organized. Clearing out unused files and apps speeds up systems, reduces distractions, and often improves battery life.
How to Organize Your Computer
Keep the desktop clean. For me, a clutter-free desktop is essential. I don’t want to sign in and see a sea of overlapping icons; visual clutter is distracting and reduces productivity. Treat your desktop like you would a kitchen counter: tidy it up at the end of the day so you can start fresh the next morning.
When I upgraded to a new MacBook Pro I made a rule to stop using the desktop as a holding area, and that habit has helped keep my workflow calmer and more efficient.
1. Delete unused files and organize what remains
Start by removing files you no longer need. Sort the remaining items into meaningful folders—Work, Personal, Photos, Receipts, Projects—so you can find things quickly. This step can take time, so pause and return to it if needed until it’s finished.
2. Choose a simple, inspiring desktop background
A calm, uncluttered wallpaper helps reduce visual noise. Use a solid color, a minimal pattern, or a favorite photo that inspires you without overwhelming the space. A clean background makes icons easier to see and gives your workspace a neat, intentional look.
3. Check your Downloads folder regularly
Downloads accumulate quickly. Set a recurring reminder to clear out that folder and move important files to their proper locations. Empty your Trash or Recycle Bin regularly to reclaim disk space.
4. Always back up
Back up important files to a cloud service or to an external hard drive. A routine backup prevents loss if a device fails or is lost. I back up critical work to cloud storage and keep a monthly copy on an external drive for extra security.
How to Declutter and Organize Your Phone
Many of the same principles apply to phones, but phones often need a few extra steps because of limited storage and the amount of media we accumulate.
1. Backup
Before making big changes, back up your phone. Save photos, videos, and important files to your computer or a cloud service. Then back up that computer as well. Having copies stored in multiple places reduces the stress of accidental deletion.
2. Group similar apps into folders
Organize apps into folders by category so your home screen becomes functional rather than chaotic. On iPhone, long-press an app to move it into a folder. On Android, the process is similar—press and drag apps into folders. Common folder ideas include Messages, Photos, Media, Shopping, Social Media, Email, To Do, Reading, Finance, Travel, Delivery, and Food.
Common folder categories
- Messages: Messages, group chat apps, calling apps
- Photos: Camera, photo editors, cloud photo backups
- Media: Video and audio streaming apps
- Web Browsers: Safari, Chrome, or your preferred browser
- Shopping: Retail and grocery store apps
- Social Media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and scheduling tools
- Email: All your email apps in one place
- To Do: Notes, reminders, calendar, and task apps
- Reading: Book and news apps
- Finance: Banking, payment, and budgeting apps
- Travel: Rideshare and booking apps
- Delivery: Grocery and meal delivery apps
- Food: Restaurant and takeout apps
I use folders for most of these categories but keep only the apps I actually use. Less clutter makes it easier to find what I need quickly.
3. Delete unused apps—be ruthless
Go through each folder and remove apps you don’t open. If you don’t remember why you installed something, delete it. You can always reinstall it later if you change your mind. Removing redundant or overlapping apps frees up storage and declutters your interface.
4. Clean up the contents of your apps
After uninstalling unused apps, open the ones you keep and tidy their contents. Messages, photos, social media, and email often contain the most clutter:
- Messages – delete old conversations and large threads you no longer need.
- Photos – remove duplicates and images that don’t bring value; keep the best shots.
- Notes – archive or delete outdated notes.
- Contacts – remove numbers you don’t use or recognize.
- Social Media – tidy up follows and notifications; unfollow accounts that don’t add value to your feed.
- Videos – back up large video files to your computer and delete them from your phone to free space.
- Podcasts – unsubscribe from shows you don’t listen to and delete downloaded episodes.
- Music – remove tracks you no longer enjoy and organize playlists.
- Email – tackle email from a desktop if possible: delete, archive, and unsubscribe from lists that clutter your inbox.
5. Maintain your clean devices
Set a recurring reminder to review apps, messages, photos, music, and emails. A short monthly or quarterly cleanup prevents clutter from building up again.
6. Make it visually pleasant
Choose wallpapers and app icon arrangements that feel pleasing and calm. Personalized touches make maintaining an organized device more enjoyable.
If you follow these steps—delete what you don’t need, organize what remains, back up important files, and schedule regular maintenance—your phone and computer will be lighter, faster, and less stressful to use. Start your decluttering session today and book time with yourself to finish any longer tasks.
The Messy Work: Begin your computer and phone decluttering today. Make appointments with yourself to finish anything you can’t complete in one sitting.
In the mess with you, Laura
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