Got a Messy Desktop?
Do you see dense clusters of unnecessary items strewn across your desktop? Things like untitled folders, three drafts of the same iteration of a finished project, a JPEG of Mother Teresa, a random link to a video of an orangutan attacking a tractor, a Happy Birthday! GIF your great aunt sent you five years ago (which you accidentally saved to your desktop and left there to age like a fine wine).Â
How are you going to get any work done like this? Our Director of Design, Brian Stifle, has a few tips and tricks for you! Let’s boost some productivity!
1. Change Wallpaper
First off, change your wallpaper to a solid color. Make sure it's one that is easy to read text and/or recognize folders on. Productivity boosted 15%!
2. Trash that Trashy Garbage
Throw all those unnecessary links, JPEGs, and folders in the garbage. Keep the essentials anything that supports or enhances your productivity!
3. Folder TLC
Next, let’s tighten up those remaining folders. In your menu bar, click on view. Then click on show view options. Once you’re there, just three things:Â
First thing is to bring down the icon size a bit. 24x24 should do just fine. This will help to declutter, giving your desktop a cleaner, more approachable feel.Â
Second thing is to tighten your grid spacing. Bring it down a few ticks. This will help avoid the lost in orbit feeling unorganized folders tend to give off.Â
Finally, change label position from bottom to right. This will improve scannability up to 80%! Eyes tend to wander or cut short as they move across the screen, so let’s improve function where we can. Ergonomics for the win!
4. Parent Folders
Make a few broad parent folders—categories that more or less control your work flow. Extensive categories like "Work," "Food," or "School."
Then, move the remaining folders under their corresponding parent category. This way you won’t ever have any folders cast adrift, hiding in a cobwebbed corner of your desktop while you spend time searching for it.
5. PRO TIP: Make Reminders with Folders Â
Some like to use team organizers like Asana or Teamwork for planning their work day, but using folders to make reminders can be just as effective. To each their own!
But as an example, let's say you need to craft a grocery list. Bananas, eggs, milk, etc. You can use folders as a check list by taking advantage of tons like color tags, using them as priority indicators as you move throughout your reminder.
Just like that, you've got a concise, organized reminder.
6. Keep Up the Long Game!
Nice work! Now you’ve got a cleaned desktop!Â
But remember, stay on top of it! As life and work accumulates on your screen, keep up these practices. Imagine your desktop as a workbench or dinner table—these are spaces you normally want to keep tidy for quality productivity.
Your desktop is a vital work space, so let’s keep it clean!Â
