10 Tech Cleanup Tasks for a Fresh Start
Ready to start the new year with a digital detox?
Forget about New Year's resolutions. Instead, dedicate your New Year's Day to completing a few simple tech chores that will make you feel instantly better about the state of your digital life. These tasks are designed to be quick and easy, with some taking less than an hour to complete.
1. Dump Your Computer's Trash
How long has it been since you emptied the trash on your desktop? Start off with this dead simple, two-click task and bask in the motivation you feel to continue with your clean-up list. It's a quick win that can help you tackle the rest of your tech chores with renewed energy.
2. Organize Your Browser
Listen up, tab hoarders! Today is the day you free yourself of the browser window from hell. If you're reluctant to let go of all your opened tabs, consider bookmarking them first. In Chrome, go to Bookmarks > Bookmark All Tabs and move on with your life. Delete your browsing data, too, on both desktop and mobile devices. This will help you start fresh and free up space on your devices.
3. Clean Your Devices with Compressed Air
It's time to blow out all the crumbs and lint from your keyboard. Grab a can of compressed air and work its magic on your keyboard or laptop. You can also clean all the ports on your laptop, phone, and tablet while you’re at it. This simple task can help you maintain a clean and healthy digital environment.
4. Tidy Up Your Desktop
When was the last time you actually saw your virtual desktop? Take all the loose files and move them to a folder. If you're not sure where to start, make a folder called '2025 and older' and dump everything in there. If you have a little more time, even just 10 minutes, sort your files in whatever way makes the most sense for you. There's no right way to do it. There's only the way that helps you find what you need.
5. Unsubscribe From Unwanted Emails
It seems easier and faster to press delete than to unsubscribe from unwanted emails. But then more emails keep coming. Make January 1 the day you invest an extra 15 seconds per message to fully remove yourself from some email lists. If you have a soft spot in your heart for emails with deals and discounts, consider setting up an alias address for them. That way, you can keep deals emails totally separate from personal messages, bank notices, updates from your kids' school, and other important information.
6. Back Up Your Photos
Do you have photos on your phone that are more than a year old? Are they backed up somewhere automatically? If not, take care of it today. How much time you need for this task depends on whether you already have a cloud storage service you use for photos. Seeing as photos are among people's most cherished data, it's worth spending, say, half an hour finding a service, signing up, and setting your photos to automatically back up there. Keep copies of your most loved photos on your phone, but get rid of the rest to free up space.
7. Review Your Google Drive Files
If you have a Google account, the chance you have unexpected files in your Google Drive and Gmail is high. One example is you might have large PDFs of menus from scanning QR codes at restaurants if the provider hosted the file on Google Drive and you were signed to your account when you viewed it. You might also have files others emailed you lurking in Google Drive. Delete this unnecessary stuff from Google Drive. I recommend starting by viewing files Shared with me in the left rail of Google Drive.
8. Scan and Digitally File Important Papers
Scan and digitally file any papers that have piled up over the year. Once you have a scanned copy, shred and recycle or compost the paper responsibly. This task can help you go paperless and reduce your environmental impact.
9. Run a Privacy Checkup
One of my gripes about online services, including social media, is they sometimes change your settings when they roll out updates, or they opt you into features you do not want. Run a privacy checkup on your online accounts, paying particular attention to social media (don't forget YouTube), as well as Google. Look at what sort of data is being shared under your current settings and decide if you’re still comfortable with it.
10. Review and Cancel Subscriptions
Review and cancel any unwanted subscriptions, such as streaming services, newsletters, and memberships that you no longer need. With many services, you can cancel any time and continue using what you've paid for until the pay period ends. If you're tightening your budget in 2026, consider canceling all streaming services and keeping only one at a time. In some cases, you can cancel a prepaid membership and get refunded for the unused time, though it's rare.
