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When you work from home, your computer is an integral part of your day.  It’s very important to keep it organized and running smoothly.

We all know it’s important to organize our physical files, homes, and schedules, but even with all of that, our computers can look like a disaster!

Get a program

Software programs can really help to keep your computer running smoothly.  An organized computer doesn’t just look good, it functions well.  It’s important to clean out the clutter or “junk” on your comptuer on a consistent basis.

Whether you have a Mac or PC computer, there are several options available.  One is CleanMyPC and another is CleanMyMac.  Both are reasonably priced, and you can run diagnostic and maintenance tests and clean up cycles on your computer.

This will eliminate old, large files, system clutter, and much more.  It’s a sophisticated way to delete several files that are causing your machine to run slowly or inefficiently.

Another method of organization comes in the form of storage.  Sites such as Dropbox allow you to clear a lot of clutter from your desktop and computer and put it elsewhere.  This will free up a ton of space! Just be sure that you’re taking time to organize those files as well, so it doesn’t become a big mess of files.

You can store text documents, spreadsheets, forms, and other types of word processing documents in Google Drive/Google Docs.  It’s a great place to keep things that you want to keep Internet-based.  It’s also easy to share with your team directly.  This is helpful for organization, as it prevents you from having to store individual word documents on your computer.

Make a plan

An organization plan is helpful for everyday life! It should be no different for your computer.  It’s not enough to simply clean off your desktop once or twice; it should become part of your process.

Where do your struggle the most with your computer organization?  It is hundreds of files on your desktop?  A slow-running machine that’s full of unknown junk that’s bogging it down?  Do you have tons of mailboxes with no idea what’s in them?

Have a long session of organization to take stock in where you need to focus your efforts.  Make a plan of action that will get your started in the right direction!

Organize daily

Organization is a habit and you must do it daily.  Take a few minutes at the end of each day to clear your desktop, send files to Dropbox, and put your notes from the day in Google Drive.

Once you’re in the habit of organizing consistently, you’ll see how it frees up your computer and your mind from thinking about it.

Use folders

Folders are a beautiful thing! Whether for your desktop, in your computer or both, it’s important to organize.  In work from home positions, we can typically be working with several clients and/or employers at once.

You can start with big categories, such as one employer, then narrow it down by project or event.  You can keep the most important, often accessed folders on your desktop for easy opening.

Do your best to not have things sitting wildly on your desktop.  It can be visually stressful and overwhelming to see this often, and it makes finding important things very difficult.

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