Digital Cleaning Tips & Tools

Spring cleaning is a traditional task performed by millions throughout the world. While we've always talked about physical buildings or vehicles when talking about Spring cleaning, today we have to add our digital house to the discussion.  In some cases our digital house is far more cluttered with unwanted, outdated stuff.  Now is the time to start cleaning up our digital house.

Here are 4 steps to cleaning up your content:

Step 1:

• Identify your digital content
  • Company/contact files - all applications, all devices
  • E-mail messages - all accounts (except the linked IMAP accounts)
  • Files
  • Images/Videos
  • Social Media profiles ​

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Step 2:

• Break down your content into small pieces
  • Contact databases
    • remove duplicates 
    • correct/add addresses (physical, e-mail, websites)
    • correct/add phone numbers (landlines, mobile)
    • add additional information (names of spouses, children, pets, schools attended, hobbies, hotel, food & beverage preferences, favorite sports teams)
    • add sales relationship information (current vendors w/product pricing, competitors w/pricing if known, target accounts)
  • E-mail
    • delete old/unnecessary messages
    • delete outdated or duplicate attachments
    • archive important messages
    • add/delete folders
    • move key messages/attachments to file share
  • Files
    • save, move, or delete outdated files (price lists, marketing materials, industry standards, credit apps, presentations)
    • add/delete folders
  • Images/Videos
    • delete or refresh outdated videos
    • delete unwanted images
    • move old images/videos 
  • Social Media profiles
    • update profile picture
    • edit/add to profile (experience, education, groups following)
    • add new profiles on different sites

** Don't forget to use the tools found in your applications, like MRSware's Duplicate Removal Wizard, and E-mail Archive Wizard.

Step 3:

• Set a time frame for completion of each content piece
  • be realistic

Step 4:

• Reward yourself when you've completed a content piece

Like Spring cleaning of your physical house or vehicle, cleaning your digital house requires time and effort, but the results will make it easier for you to keep your data current and more relevant during the year.
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