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StitcherRight when you’re about to get something done, your phone interrupts: “Insufficient Storage.” Now, instead of working, you’re cleaning out files or worse, paying for more space. In this episode, we’re breaking down why digital clutter can be just as costly as physical mess and the smartest ways to simplify your phone so it stays that way.
If you can mindlessly consume, you can mindlessly delete too.
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Tara is the founder, owner, and CEO of House Peace and has been bringing peace into homes since 2013. She holds a BA in Psychology from Purdue University, and a Master’s in Counseling from Moravian Theological Seminary. She brings this knowledge of the human condition, behavioral psychology, and habit formation to every home she visits, all with a judgement-free mentality. Tara puts her experience to the test every day with her own family, as a wife and mother of three. You can follow Tara and her family’s story of reclaiming a hoarder’s land into a wooded retreat on IG!
The Mental Load of Digital Clutter
Jen and Jill have already established how physical clutter can impact our mental state and finances. But what we often overlook is that digital clutter can have just as much impact. To help unload this digital clutter, Tara demonstrates how she does it by using built-in photo album categories as a starting point to sort and delete with ease.
The Cost of Digital Clutter
Easily, those storage subscriptions are a real cost of digital clutter. The more unnecessary stuff we keep, the more we end up paying for things that no longer serve us. But it’s not just about money. Tara also shares that digital clutter also takes away our time because we have to spend longer digging through files or photos just to find what we need.
How to Get It Done in 3 Days
Generally, Tara suggests prioritizing the type of file that stresses you out the most. This is how it could look like:
- Day 1: Email. Begin by mass unsubscribing from emails you no longer care about, then set up filters to keep things organized moving forward. Once done, create folders to help you sort and easily access what matters most.
- Day 2: Pictures. Delete duplicates, blurry shots, and old screenshots manually, or make it more fun by using a decluttering app. Try Tara’s “eat and delete” trick by clearing out photos during quick breaks.
- Day 3: Phone Apps. Tara suggests keeping your most-used apps front and center, group the rest into folders, and delete anything you haven’t used in a while.
Maintaining a Decluttered Digital Life
Tara says that setting rules for yourself can be a helpful guide when managing digital clutter. For example, she only allows herself to keep three folders on her laptop. And if her phone hits 2,000 to 3,000 photos, she starts filtering and deleting what she doesn’t need.
She also recommends writing your rules down and sticking them somewhere visible so you’re reminded to stick to them!
Most-used app on your phone?
- Tara: Instagram
- Jill: iMessage
- Jen: Instagram
Get more from Tara
Website: https://www.tarabremer.com/
Newsletter: https://housepeace.net/newsletter
Instagram: @house.peace or @tarabbremer
Youtube: The Popcast
Bill of The Week
Thanks Tara for sharing about spending $4k on a land project.
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