Here are some of things I’m doing today to clean out my computer today:

Running Maintenance Scripts

I’m on a Mac, so a system tuneup app like Onyx is ideal for this job. Your Mac runs scripts overnight that keep your system in working order, but it’s nice to run them manually if you don’t leave your machine on all the time. Some of these scripts only run once a month, so you should make sure to include those in a full cleanup. (Also, make sure you download the version of Onyx that matches your version of Mac OS.) If you’re on a PC, you should definitely run Disk Cleanup and defrag your hard drive!

Cleaning Up My HD

This one probably takes the most time and manual effort. That untamable documents folder is just sitting there waiting to be properly organized, and today is the day to man up (or woman) up and just do it. This has become a much easier task on my Mac since the introduction of Quick Look. No more opening up all those poorly-labeled Word docs to see what they are. … which brings me to another point: I should be labeling my files better to begin with, so I’ll be able to remember what they are when next year’s Clean Out Your Computer Day rolls around.

The other problem areas that need serious attention —for me, anyway — include my horrifying iTunes library and collection of seldom-used fonts. This stuff is taking up valuable hard drive space, and the fonts are only increasing the load time on my apps.

This would also be a good time to back up your hard drive if it’s been a while.

Cleaning Up My Browser

Time to see which of those bookmarks you still actually use, and which ones you can safely chuck out. Clearing cookies and caches isn’t a bad idea, either. How about those scripts, add-ons and themes? Still using all of them, or are they just slowing you down?

Literally Cleaning Up My Computer

Macworld has a great guide to cleaning up the physical stuff about your laptop, especially displays and keyboards. These tips aren’t Mac-specific, though, so feel free to apply them to whatever machine you’re cleaning.

Ahhh, doesn’t that feel better? Now, go get some work done on your freshly-cleaned machine!

Jay is a freelance writer based in Seattle, WA. He blogs about software for Download Squad and contributes interviews to The Morning News, among others. You can also find him on Twitter.

Photo Credit – twid

Because I had no idea there was a National Clean Off Your Desk Day, I also didn’t realize there were so many desk-cleaning tips on the web to help you celebrate this illustrious day. I thought I could learn something here, so I gathered some advice and went through it step-by-step on my own desk.

Grossest stuff first:

Start chucking out old food boxes, wrappers, and empty bottles. If you tend to eat while you work, this could be the bulk of the mess on your desk. I’ll admit to some empty Oreo wrappers this time around. For most people, though, the big problem is probably papers.

The paper problem:

I had a stack of papers that was so enormous, it started to block my view of the monitor. When it went through them, 80% were bills I had already paid, magazines I had already read, and credit card offers I didn’t care about. I put this stuff in a pile for shredding and recycling. This was a good reminder to switch as many of my monthly bills as possible to electronic statements. I pay them online already, and the paper copies just take up space.

The two-minute rule:

Out of the other 20%, at least a few of the papers were attached to action items that fell under the two-minute rule. I took some time out from my attack on the desk to sign a couple of checks, fill out some forms, and put them in envelopes for my next mail run. Total time? 5 minutes, tops. The rest of the paper went into my terrifyingly unkempt filing system — but that’s a horror story for another time.

With the paper out of the way, the rest was easy. Pens and other office supplies were returned to their proper bins, and I dusted my desk and wiped it down. National Clean Off Your Desk Day was complete … and only two weeks too late!

Pick a time this week and do your own desk-cleaning day. We’d love to hear about the grossest trash and biggest sources of clutter on your desk, so leave us a story in the comments.

Jay is a freelance writer based in Seattle, WA. He blogs about software for Download Squad and contributes interviews to The Morning News, among others. You can also find him on Twitter.

Photo Credit – williamhook