Join our Waitlist for Expert Advice!

5 Painless Steps to Eliminate Your Desktop Clutter All of those icons, folders and shortcuts are hurting your productivity. Here is how to clean it up and get more done.

By Stephanie Vozza

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

greenceramictablelamp.blogspot.com

You probably don't store all of your files on top of your desk -- the clutter on your work surface would be distracting and it would be difficult to find what you need. But your computer desktop is a work surface, too, says Monica Friel, president of Chaos to Order, a Chicago-based professional organizing firm.

"Too many people use their desktop like a big storage bin, with a mix of folders, shortcuts and icons," says Friel. "It's like having a filing cabinet that's always open and it can hurt your productivity."

Instead, tidy your desktop as you would your desk. Friel offers five steps entrepreneurs can take to create a productive and organized computer screen.

1. Choose a simple wallpaper.
Personal pictures are a popular background but when you place folders and icons on top you can't see the picture, says Friel. "It turns into chaos and can affect your productivity," she says. Instead, choose a solid color or faded photo that will create a calm background, and save the beloved family photos for frames.

2. Store temporary items only.
Similar to the way you use your desk surface, commit to using your computer desktop only to hold temporary items, says Friel. This might include photos that need editing or working documents. Once you're done, file what you want to keep, and move the rest to the trash.

3. Use software to organize your screen.
Divide your desktop into sections and hide icons that aren't often used with a program such as Fences for Windows or DragThing for Mac.

Friel says Fences and DragThing operate like containers for your desktop. Instead of having icons and folders strewn about, the software sorts and organizes everything into categories that you set such as "Daily Use," "Projects," and "Applications." Users can easily find what they need by clicking the neatly designed icons. Fences offers a 30-day trial version, and you can purchase a single-user license for $9.99. DragThing also offers a 30-day free trial, and is $29 for a single-user license.

Related: Productivity Lifesaver: The 5-Sentence Email

4. Automate your filing.
Instead of manually moving files, automate the process with a program such as Hazel for Mac or Belvedere for Windows. You simply set up rules for frequent commands. For example, you can tell Hazel and Belvedere to automatically store screenshots in a screenshot folder instead of on your desktop. Or program Hazel and Belvedere to delete downloaded files that are more than a month old. Hazel offers a free two-week trial and is $28 for a single-user license. Belvedere is a free download.

5. Create multiple desktops.
If you can't seem to get your desktop screen under control, create a new one, says Friel. Hit the F3 key on a Mac to access the built-in Mission Control feature that allows you to add multiple desktops. For Windows, download the free Dexpot software to create multiple desktops. Adding a new desktop will allow you to start from scratch or create separate desktops for different uses, such as one for business and one for personal.

However you get there, "a clean desktop is a productive one," says Friel.

Related: 3 Simple Steps to Eliminate File-Sharing Problems

Stephanie Vozza is a freelance writer who has written about business, real estate and lifestyle for more than 20 years.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business News

Apple Intelligence Is Finally Dropping This Week. Here's a Peek at What's Changing on Your iPhone.

Apple's iOS update will introduce features like AI summaries of text messages and an AI-powered Siri that can handle tech support questions.

Business News

A Wells Fargo Worker Was Discovered 4 Days After Dying at Her Desk. Her Cause of Death Was Just Revealed.

Medical examiners have released the cause of death of Denise Prudhomme, who was found dead at her desk in Wells Fargo's Tempe, Ariz. office.

Business News

You Have One Month Left to Buy a House, According to Barbara Corcoran. Here's Why.

"If you are planning on waiting a year and seeing where interest rates go, you are out of your mind," Corcoran said.

Leadership

How to Create a Workplace Culture That Supports Digital Transformation (and Why It's Important)

Technology and culture change go hand in hand — pay attention to both!

Business News

Meta Fires Employee Making $400,000 Per Year Over a $25 Meal Voucher Issue

Other staff members were fired for the same reason, per a new report.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.