Our phones are like our secondary brains – they are full of apps, photos, messages and random downloads. A messy phone creates stress in life in the same way that a cluttered house becomes overwhelming. If your phone is running slow, your storage is constantly full, or you just feel mentally drained by all the digital noise, it’s time for a cleanup! Here are 10 simple steps to organize your phone and experience a digital life free from stress.
Featured Image Credit: tweek /Depositphotos.com.
Delete Unused Apps
You probably have multiple apps that you downloaded at one point but never used since. Review your app list and uninstall any applications that you no longer need. If you’re hesitant, ask yourself:
- Have I opened this app in the last three months?
- Am I receiving any real benefits from this app?
If the answer is no—goodbye, app!
Organize Your Home Screen
A cluttered home screen can be overwhelming. Try these tips to keep it clean and easy to navigate:
- Move your most-used apps (messaging services, maps, email, etc.) to your home screen.
- Group similar applications together in folders according to their categories like social media, finance, and health.
- Remove distractions (if you don’t see it, you won’t waste time on it)
- Keep your home screen simple by displaying only essential apps.
Bonus: iPhone owners can move less frequently used apps into the App Library to keep their home screen free of clutter.
Clear Out Old Photos & Videos
It’s likely your phone contains many blurry selfies along with repeated shots and miscellaneous screenshots. Take some time to:
- Remove duplicate and poor-quality photos using apps such as Google Photos or Gemini Photos.
- Store your important pictures on Google Photos or iCloud services or transfer them to an external storage drive.
- Transfer large video files to another storage solution to increase space on your phone.
Once you delete unnecessary files, you will notice a significant increase in available storage space!
Clean Up Your Contacts List
Do you really need the contact number of that coworker from 2015 or the person you met at a party once? Probably not. Go through your contacts and:
- Remove contact numbers that you don’t recognize or need any more from your list.
- Merge duplicate contacts.
- Update outdated info for important people.
A streamlined contact list simplifies your texting and calling experience.
Turn Off Useless Notifications
If your phone keeps buzzing with alerts, then it’s time to take control of your notifications. Go to your settings and:
- Disable notifications for apps that aren’t essential (like shopping and random news alerts).
- Activate “Do Not Disturb” mode when you need to concentrate or unwind.
- Customize app alerts to show only essential notifications.
Less distraction = less stress!
Delete Old Messages & Chat Threads
Text messages and WhatsApp conversations along with random group chats accumulate quickly. Declutter by:
- Deleting old conversations you no longer need.
- Remove big media files from messaging apps.
- Move important conversations to archive folders instead of storing them permanently.
By clearing out old messages, you will gain more storage space and improve your ability to find important messages.
Manage Your Downloads Folder
Have you ever saved a PDF or meme onto your device then completely forgotten about it? You probably find a lot of unnecessary files cluttering your phone’s Downloads folder.
- Launch your file manager application and remove any files that you no longer require.
- Transfer important documents to online storage platforms such as Google Drive or Dropbox.
Your phone will thank you.
Unsubscribe from Email Lists You Don’t Read
A messy inbox = unnecessary stress. You should unsubscribe from email lists that send you spam and unwanted newsletters which you never read.
- Use Unroll.Me or Gmail’s unsubscribe tool to get rid of junk emails.
- Establish email filters so important messages are automatically organized.
- Delete old emails clogging up your storage.
A cleaner inbox = a happier you.
Streamline Your Widgets & Shortcuts
Although widgets can be useful, they create clutter on your home screen and reduce battery life when there are too many of them. Take a few minutes to:
- Keep only essential widgets (calendar, weather, to-do-list, etc.)
- Remove unnecessary shortcuts from your home screen.
- Go to your settings and disable any widgets you don’t use.
Set Up a Monthly Phone Declutter Routine
A single phone declutter session helps but maintaining that cleanliness produces even better results! Set a reminder to:
- Delete unwanted photos and videos.
- Uninstall apps you no longer use.
- Clear old messages and emails.
- Organize your home screen.
A monthly phone maintenance routine gives you optimal performance without any stress.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.