Spring Clean your digital life: 4 easy steps to organize and declutter

Most of us feel a surge of energy and motivation in spring. Longer sunnier days and warmer weather inspire us to move, go out, start new projects, and generally feel more productive. It’s the perfect time to declutter, refresh routines, and make space for what truly matters. 

While many focus on physical spring cleaning, which is a proven method to enhance mental health and mood, our devices often remain a chaotic mess of old files, with cluttered desktops, and disorganized documents. Have you ever felt overwhelmed when looking at dozens of old screenshots living on your desktop screen? Or have a panic rush in when you can’t find that old PDF contract somewhere in all of your folders? 

Your digital space deserves the same level of attention as your physical clutter when it comes to spring cleaning; plus, it can be done much faster! With just a few simple steps, you can eliminate clutter, streamline your workflow, and create an organized system that makes work and life easier. Here’s how:

1. Clear out the digital clutter

Take a moment to review your device—how many old PDFs, duplicate files, and unnecessary screenshots are taking up valuable space? 

• Delete outdated PDFs and screenshots: Go through your desktop, download folders, and cloud storage. Use PDF Expert to open and review files before permanently removing them.
• Merge related documents: To save storage space and categorize similar files, combine multiple related docs and PDFs into one. Here is how to do this on a Mac or iPad/iPhone. 
• Rename files properly: Adopt a consistent naming structure for easy searchability. Instead of “Doc1.pdf,” use descriptive names like “2024_Tax_Return.pdf.” 

2. Organize your files like a pro

Once you’ve cleared the clutter, set up an efficient filing system:

• Create folders based on categories: Think “Work,” “Personal,” “Finances,” or “Travel.” To do this in PDF Expert on iPad or iPhone, go to the ‘My Files’ tab, tap on the plus icon, and tap on the ‘Folder’ option. 
• Tag important documents: PDF Expert allows you to add documents to Favorites or highlight with color to make key files stand out. 
• Sync with the cloud: Store important PDFs in iCloud, Dropbox, or Google Drive for easy access across devices.

3. Enhance your everyday document workflows

Spring cleaning isn’t just about organization—it’s about making your daily tasks smoother:

• Use annotations to highlight key information: Markup PDFs with comments, underlines, or drawings for easier review. Use PDF Copilot to list main points in the document instantly and highlight them in one click. 
• Fill out forms digitally: Skip the paper clutter—complete tax forms, contracts, and applications right from PDF Expert.
• Sign documents seamlessly: Say goodbye to printing and scanning—use PDF Expert’s e-signature feature to sign and send documents in seconds.

4. Go paperless for a greener future

Spring is also a time to embrace more eco-friendly habits:

• Digitize receipts and notes: Scan and store them as PDFs to reduce paper waste.
• Convert paper documents into searchable PDFs: OCR (Optical Character Recognition) in PDF Expert makes scanned documents easy to search and edit.
• Share PDFs instead of printing: Collaborate efficiently without needing stacks of paper.
• Find more tips on going paperless here >> Going paperless: 5 simple things you can do today

Refresh your routine and stay organized

Spring is the ideal time to hit reset and build better habits. By decluttering your digital space and optimizing your workflow with PDF Expert, you’ll experience less stress, more focus, and greater productivity.

Ready to spring into new routines? Download PDF Expert today and take control of your digital life!