3 Rounds to Clean Up Digital Files

‍One of the biggest contributors to “The Digital Mess” is disorganized files.

Most leaders and teams make 5 costly mistakes when it comes to their file management:

1. Their files are scattered across multiple platforms.
2. They keep unneeded files that lead to clutter.
3. They do not have a standardized naming system.
4. They don’t have a system for organizing their files.
5. They don’t share their files in a way that protects their ownership.

That’s why we're taking the month of March to dive deep into your file management.

I want to help you set up a streamlined system, so you and your team can stop wasting time searching for the information you need and start focusing on your most important work.

Last week, we talked about the importance of storing all your files in one, central location.

Today, I want to talk about…

How to Decide Which Files to Keep, Delete, or Archive

First of all, I want to reiterate that you do not want to do this work twice.

Before you start sorting through your files, make sure they are all in one place. Otherwise, you risk making this process much longer than it needs to be. If you have files on Dropbox, OneDrive, and Google Drive, you may have duplicates across each platform.

Get all your files into one place, and you’ll thank yourself later. (If you want help migrating your files to make sure you don’t lose any data in the process, reach out to me and my team.)

The next step is to clear all the clutter.

You will be amazed at how much peace this brings you and your team.

Many organizations never go through the process of getting rid of unneeded or duplicate files. They just hold onto everything. It builds and builds until, eventually, the files you need the most get lost in the mix.

To find the information you need, you have to scroll through your database and scan through the clutter to find the diamond in the rough.

It’s like trying to find a tool in a hoarder's garage. All you’re looking for is a simple hammer, but it’s nowhere to be found amidst piles of magazines no one will ever read. But when you clear out the mess, everything changes.

You can find exactly what you need in a second so you can get back to what matters.

3 Rounds to Clean Up the Digital Mess

Round 1: Delete

First, go through every folder and decide if any files should be deleted.

Ask, “Does this serve an obvious purpose?” If the answer is no, put it in the trash. Keep your eye out for duplicates.

Round 2: Archive

Second, go through every remaining file and decide if it can be archived.

Ask, “Do I need easy access to this in the immediate future?” If the answer is no, archive the file. You can always access these files later. Even if they might be important someday, clearing them from your folders will make it easy to find your most important information today.

Round 3: Group

Finally, group relevant files into subfolders to keep things tidy.

What's left should be the cream of the crop, the files, and folders you engage with on a daily or weekly basis. I’ll dive deeper into organization in another lesson, but for now, keep your digital space navigable by dropping like-files into subfolders.

That’s it for this week!

Here’s your action item:

Schedule an hour on your calendar this week to start the process of clearing the clutter in your digital workspace.

Even if you can’t get it all done, start the process. Once you get the ball rolling and see how good it feels to have easy-to-navigate folders, you’ll want to see this process through to the end.

If you're ready to take control of your digital world and want to know where to start, take our Quiz: How Organized Are You? to find your starting place.