Headline February 27, 2018/ '' 'STUDENTS JUNK DIGITALS' ''

'' 'STUDENTS JUNK DIGITALS' ''

WITH A NEW YEAR AND A NEW NETFLIX show that features the Japanese organization guru  Marie Kondo on the art of organizing our things -

Many of us are experimenting with how to simplify our lives by purging our homes of unwanted possessions. But what about the stuff we don't see?

Think about the digital junk we hoard, like the tens of thousands of photos bloating our smartphones  or the backlog of files cluttering our computer drives, such as old work presentations, expense  receipts and screen shots we have not opened in years.

In addition to the digital mess tech hardware adds to the pile of junk that creates no joy in our lives. Everyone has a drawer full of ancient cellphones, tangled-up wires and earphones that are never touched.

And the things we do use everyday, like charging cables strewn across the house, are an eye-sore.
Why are people so terrible about tech hoarding?

Cary Fortin, a professional organizer for the company New Minimalism, summed it up :

''We don't really think about the cost of holding on to things, but we think about the coast of needing it one day and not having it.''

Don't fret, dear Students and readers.

As a technology critic, who tests dozens of gadgets a year I have to wrestle with extraordinary amount of tech products and accessories every day. [Last year I brought nine new smartphones, two tablets, four smart speakers and 14 power accessories into my home.]

So here's a guide to tidying up your technology physically and digitally, including tips from professional organizers.

How To Declutter Power Cables:

The No 1 culprit of tech clutter in every household, professional organizers say, is the power cable. Part of the problem is that we typically need different wires for products like smartphones, battery packs, cameras and laptops. Then they accumulate into one tangled mess.

Here's how to solve power cable over population in a few simple steps:

Pure The Ones You Don't Need :
This sounds easier said than done, but here's a good rule of thumb : ''If you don't know what it goes to, get rid of it,'' said Marissa Hagmeyer, an organizational consultant and co-owner of Neat Method. Among the wires you keep, if there are extras, cap them at two, such as two Micro USB cables, she said.

In the process, you may end up discarding wires that you later need. But don't beat yourself up. ''You can buy a new one if it turns out that you needed it,'' Ms Fortin said. That's better than wasting space on something you might hypothetically need.

The same approach can be applied to other tech gadgets, like the obsolete smartphone that is living in your sock-drawer.

If you don't use it for six months, get rid of it. Unwanted tech accessories and gadgets can be discarded responsibly through the  donation centers or e-recycling programs.

Have A Place For Your Stuff : Pick somewhere in your home where your various wires will live, like a closet, cabinet or drawer. From there, categorize the wires and give them compartments.

I separate my different types of wires - earbuds, phone chargers, miscellaneous USB cables and computer chargers - into sealable bags and label them with a label maker. All the bags live in a drawer in my TV stand.

There are different approaches to organizing your power cables. Families with children could give each member a compartment. For example, put your son Joe's iPhone charger, laptop charger and earbuds into one Ziploc bag and label it ''Joe's tech.''

This step is a must. ''If you don't have a dedicated place for your items, then you're wasting your time finding them,'' said Keith Bartolomei, a professional organizer for Zen Habitat.

The Honor and Serving of the Latest Operational Research on organizing Digital Mess, Spree and then the purge, continues. The World Students Society thanks author, researcher and critic, Brian X.Chen.

With respectful dedication the Parents, Students, Professors and teachers of the world.

See Ya all prepare for Great Global Elections and ''register'' on : wssciw.blogspot.com - The World Students Society for every subject in the world and Twitter -E-!WOW! - the Ecosystem 2011:

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