We’ve all been there before. You get in a rhythm with work or a personal project and forgo organization. The next thing you know, your Mac desktop is so cluttered that you can barely see the background.
This is not only distracting but also slows down your computer and makes staying productive more difficult, as it’s now borderline impossible to find anything.
If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by the sight of your desktop, you’ve come to the right place. Listed below are a few tips to help organize a Mac desktop. Read on to learn everything you need to know!
Table of Contents
Prep Your Desktop for Organization
The first step is to prep your desktop, especially if it’s become overrun with files. Start with the clean-up and sort by options given to you when you right-click on your desktop.
If it’s still difficult to see everything after you’ve done this, take advantage of Mac stacks. This makes file arranging easy, as it places all of your files in stacks according to their file type. You can then expand the stacks one at a time to clean up the desktop.
Declutter Your Files
Everyone knows that clutter bogs down your computer, but it also has a negative impact on your mental health. This will be the most difficult and time-consuming step of the process; however, it’s the most important, so it’s vital that you complete it.
Go through each of the Mac stacks on your desktop and put any redundant or unnecessary files in the trash. Go into this process with the mindset that you’ll keep the bare minimum but be careful not to delete something you might need later.
Utilize Folders and Tags
Finding Mac files with Finder or Spotlight is easy if you have them organized well with folders and tags. Start with the simplest step: put all your text files in Documents and your image files in Pictures.
Then, create clear and informative names for your files and folders. Take your system to the next level by adding tags to your files and folders. These enable you to color-code all the important items on your computer.
Take Advantage of Organization Apps
One of the best things about Mac computers is that there’s an endless supply of tools available to you in the app store, many of which are free to use. Apps like Declutter, Spotless, and Unclutter are all excellent tools for getting and staying organized.
These are particularly helpful if you often find it difficult to keep up with your desktop organization, as they’ll do most of the heavy lifting for you.
Organize Your Mac Desktop to Improve Your Workflow
Depending on how disorganized your Mac desktop has become, this project could take a full day. That said when your computer is running smoothly, and you’re more efficient because you know exactly where everything is, you’ll thank yourself for going through the trouble.
Once your computer is organized, take a few minutes every day to keep it that way. Don’t let all your hard work go to waste.
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