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" Sometimes, digital clutter is even worse than the piles of papers we let stack up on our desks. To keep your devices clean and running smoothly, trying adopting these quick strategies.  Control Your Email If you find yourself registered for a mountain of e-newsletters you barely have time open, let alone read, try Unroll.me. It compiles all of your subscription emails in to one (one!) palatable email, delivered daily. Clean Your Virtual Desktop A cluttered screen doesn&amp;#039;t just signify digital chaos, it also slows down your computer&amp;#039;s performance. Here&amp;#039;s what can help: \u2022 Pick a fun wallpaper \u2014 If I have a really beautiful picture or wallpaper on display, it reminds me that I want to keep it clean. \u2022 Don&amp;#039;t save unnecessary items to the desktop \u2014 Take an extra second as you work to save items to the proper folder; it&amp;#039;s really worth it!. Some computers have built-in desktop organizer tools you can use, so take a few minutes to check out your machines options. \u2022 Back up your files \u2014 Whether you rely on the cloud (like Dropbox) or an external hard drive (a Research Institute favorite is WD My Cloud) to clear your important files off your desktop, take advantage of auto-backups available on most. If you opt for USB thumb drives, make sure to label each with a sticker so you can identify it with just a glance. Contain the CordsAs the unofficial &amp;quot;cord whisperer&amp;quot; at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute, I take pride in my work station. I love Cable IDs for labeling the ends of cords, and Wire Snake Cable Organizers for keeping the cable bundles tightly wound together. Alternatively, try a wireless your keyboard and mouse, to clear cords (almost) completely! Don&amp;#039;t Forget Your Smartphone That little mini super computer glued to your eyes all day likely needs a clean-up, too. Many people are good at deleting unused apps and offloading photos to the cloud, but you can also speed up your phone by deleting old texts. If people have sent you tons of photos or videos, they&amp;#039;ll slow you down a lot! Remove photos and videos you&amp;#039;ve taken too. Delete those you won&amp;#039;t ever need, and send the rest to the cloud or a backup external hard drive.  RELATED: More of Our Best Cleaning Tips and Tricks    Tell us: How do you keep email overload and other digital clutter at bay?   Rachel Rothman is the director of the consumer electronics lab of the Good Housekeeping Research Institute. This article originally appeared on GoodHousekeeping.com.  ----- Plus:More Cleaning Ideas From Our One Month to a Cleaner Home Series \u00BB 27 Ways to Make Your Entryway More Welcoming \u00BB10 Solutions for Banishing Entryway Clutter \u00BBEven More of our Best Cleaning Tips \u00BB "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.countryliving.com/home-maintenance/cleaning/tips/a5053/spring-cleaning-computer-good-housekeeping/>