7 Digital Decluttering Tips from Professional Organizers

Eliminate unused apps, old documents, and duplicate photos to reduce digital clutter.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 12:22am

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Professional organizers Beata Kozlowski and Tonia Tomlin share their best tips for decluttering your phone, computer, and other devices. The tips include starting with one device, focusing on one category at a time, preventing future clutter, and setting calendar reminders for regular maintenance.

Why it matters

In an increasingly digital world, decluttering your devices can help reduce distractions, improve productivity, and make it easier to find important files and information when you need them.

The details

The tips include starting with your phone, which is the device most people use daily, and not trying to declutter everything at once. Instead, focus on one category like photos, apps, or emails at a time. To prevent future clutter, clear your camera roll while waiting for your coffee, delete screenshots right after using them, and set reminders to do regular maintenance like deleting downloads and merging duplicate photos every few months.

  • The author spent 30 minutes deleting 2,000 unimportant images from her phone.

The players

Beata Kozlowski

A professional organizer at Tidy Step by Step.

Tonia Tomlin

A professional organizer at Sorted Out.

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What they’re saying

“Your phone is usually the best starting point, since we use it daily.”

— Beata Kozlowski, Professional Organizer

“Think of it like cleaning — start in one room, rather than trying to clean the whole house at once.”

— Beata Kozlowski, Professional Organizer

“Take a few minutes every day to prevent clutter from accumulating again — clear your camera roll while waiting for your coffee to brew and delete screenshots right after using them.”

— Beata Kozlowski, Professional Organizer

“Uninstall apps you no longer use to free up space and reduce visual clutter.”

— Tonia Tomlin, Professional Organizer

“Customize your notification settings to minimize distractions. Enable alerts only for essential apps and messages, helping you maintain focus and reduce digital noise.”

— Beata Kozlowski, Professional Organizer

The takeaway

By following these digital decluttering tips from professional organizers, you can reduce distractions, free up storage space, and make it easier to find important files and information on your devices.