Technology is always progressing, which means many households are constantly acquiring new gadgets as older devices become obsolete.
While we’re often desperate to get our hands on the latest tech, we’re less enthusiastic about clearing out what we already have. This largely boils down to not knowing what to with old laptops, smartphones and so on, plus concern over getting rid of something important – a cable we’re suddenly going to need, for example, or confidential data.
However, no one has space for old computers and wires to be piling up in their homes, so we spoke to professional declutterers Helen Sanderson and Kate Ibbotson to find out how you can have a digital declutter. Here are their top tips…
1. Remove data from your devices immediately
One of the prime reasons we fail to get rid of old devices is because we are worried about losing the data stored on there, or private information getting into the wrong hands.
‘Nearly every client I have has an old computer they can’t let go of because it contains data they want’ says Helen. ‘I advise getting the data off your old laptop, phone or computer immediately; don’t procrastinate or it will sit in the back of the cupboard for a couple of years. Then at some point in the future you won’t remember what’s on there, and it will be harder to deal with.’
Transfer the data to the hard drive of your new computer or laptop, or to an external drive. There are lots of YouTube tutorials showing you how to do this, but, says Kate, you can also visit a local computer shop to get it done for you – possibly the better option if you’re a technophobe!
‘Then sell, donate or recycle your old computer – they are full of toxic chemicals so must be disposed of at a council recycling centre, not put in the bin’ says Helen.
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2. Label everything when you get it
We all know prevention is better than cure, and likewise, labelling all your wires and cables as soon as you get them means you won’t be left with a bunch of unidentifiable leads for years to come.
‘Get a white marker and write on each plug what it is for, or create a white sticky label and wrap it round the cable’ says Helen. ‘A lead that says “Canon camera” is much more useful than another anonymous one in your drawer whose purpose you can't remember’
Kate recommends storing cables carefully so they don’t end up in a mess. ‘Avoid a big box of wires and cables at all costs; they will get completely tangled and you won’t want to go near them’ she says. ‘Zip lock bags can be useful for storing similar wires and cables together, and you can label them too’.
3. Keep a box for review
Unfortunately, if your cables have already got themselves into a mess then the only way to tackle them is to sit down and untangle the lot, before matching each one to a device you own.
At this point, many of us worry about getting rid of a cable which we can’t identify, dreading the moment we come to realise it was actually really important.
If you’re worried about getting rid of a lead, Kate advises boxing it up for the timebeing. ‘Put all unidentified cables in a box with a date on, and review them in six months time’ she says. ‘If they are still unidentified, you can safely get rid of them.’
4. Sell and recycle old gadgets
Those old gadgets might seem worthless to you, but you may be surprised how much money you can get for them on websites like Music Magpie. Simply type in the name and model of your device and such websites will tell you if you can get any money for them, as well as sending out stamped, addressed packaging for you to return the item.
This is a good way to get rid of laptops, tablets and smartphones.
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‘If it isn’t worth anything, which is common in the case of older devices, then once your data has been wiped you can take it to a recycling centre’ says Kate
You could also try listing retro devices such as video players and old computer consoles on Freegle, a website where you can give things away for free to the local community. ‘Someone out there may be able to use them’ says Kate.
5. Remember you can replace things
According to Helen, the biggest fear people have when letting go of their tech collection is what will happen if they suddenly realise they need something.
However, this isn’t really a reason to dedicate a whole cupboard in your home to unused tech.
‘To soothe your fear, it’s worth knowing that these days, in most cases, you can buy a new cable or part online if you desperately need it, and have it delivered the next day!’ says Helen.
6. Organise your storage
Rather than simply bunging every gadget and wire into a drawer together, Helen says categorisation is key. ‘For example, if you have heaps of cameras, keep the manuals, labels and appliances together in a drawer, a plastic box or a heavy durable ziplock bag, to keep things nicely separated’ she advises.
‘Rymans has heavy-duty bags that are good for tech stuff (buy here), while Muji sell lots of different-sized boxes that can be used to keep things nicely categorised (buy here)’ she adds.
Now get to it!
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(Images: Getty)
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