Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Forget the new Resolutions of the year. Instead, dedicate New Year’s Day to completing a few simple tech tasks that will instantly make you feel better about the state of your digital life.
The first four are very quick and simple, the last six take a little longer but can still be done in under an hour.
1. Throw out the trash on your computer
How long has it been since you emptied the trash on your desktop? Get started with this super simple two-click task and enjoy the motivation you feel to continue your cleaning list.
2. Close redundant tabs and clear your browser history
Listen up, tab hoarders! Today is the day you free yourself from the browser window from hell. If you’re hesitant to give up all your open tabs, consider bookmarking them first. In Chrome, go to Bookmarks > Bookmark all tabs And move forward with your life. Delete your browsing data too, on both desktop and mobile devices.
3. Use compressed air to clean your appliances
It’s time to get all the crumbs and lint off your keyboard. Grab a can of compressed air and work its magic on your keyboard or laptop. You can also clean all the ports on your laptop, phone, and tablet while you’re at it.
4. Desktop arrangement
When was the last time you saw your virtual desktop? Take all the loose files and move them to a folder. If you’re not sure where to start, create a folder called “2025 and up” and dump everything in there.
If you have more time, even just 10 minutes, sort your files in a way that works for you. There is no correct way to do this. There is just the way to help you find what you need.
5. Unsubscribe from unwanted emails
It seems easier and faster to hit “delete” than to unsubscribe from unwanted emails. But then more emails keep coming. Make January 1st the day you invest an extra 15 seconds per message to completely remove yourself from certain email lists.
If you have a soft spot for emails with offers and discounts, consider setting up an alternative address for them. This way, you can keep transaction emails completely separate from personal messages, bank notices, updates from your kids’ school, and other important information. The reason I prefer to use an email alias instead of using your real address and letting transactional emails go to a dedicated folder or tab is because of what happens when companies sell your information to a third party. If you receive scam messages that look like they’re coming from your bank, but will go to your email alias, you don’t have to dig around to see if they’re legitimate.
6. Back up the photos on your phone
Do you have photos on your phone that are more than a year old? Are they backed up somewhere automatically? If not, take care of it today.
The amount of time you need for this task depends on whether you already have a cloud storage service that you use for photos. Since photos are among the most important data people have, it’s worth spending, say, half an hour searching for a service, subscribing, and setting up your photos to automatically back up there. Keep copies of your favorite photos on your phone, however Get rid of the rest to free up space.
7. Scan your Google Drive files at once
If you have a Google account, the possibility of unexpected files in Google Drive and Gmail is high. One example of this is that you might have large PDF files of menus from scanning QR codes at restaurants if the provider hosted the file on Google Drive and you were signed in to your account when you viewed it. You may also have files that others have emailed you that are in your Google Drive.
Delete these unnecessary things From Google Drive. I recommend starting by watching the files Shared with me In the left bar of Google Drive.
8. Clear away any loose but important papers
Scan and file digitally That is, leaves that have accumulated over the course of the year. Once you have a scanned copy, shred the paper and recycle or compost it responsibly.
9. Run a privacy scan
One of my complaints about online services, including social media, is that they sometimes change your settings when they roll out updates, or give you features you don’t want. Conduct a privacy check of your online accounts, paying special attention to social media (don’t forget… YouTube), besides Google. Look at what type of data is being shared under your current settings and decide if you are still comfortable with it.
10. Review and cancel subscriptions
Review and cancel any Unwanted subscriptionssuch as streaming services, newsletters, and memberships that you no longer need. With many services, you can cancel at any time and continue using what you paid for until the payment period ends. If you’re trimming your budget in 2026, consider canceling all streaming services and keeping just one at a time. In some cases, you can cancel a prepaid membership and get a refund for unused time, although this is rare.