Here’s some advice about computer housekeeping - some of these apply whatever device you have, so make sure you review and action!

1. Empty your ‘Recycle Bin’ – When you delete a file, it does not disappear permanently into cyberspace, it stays on your disk in the ‘Recycle Bin’, just in case you deleted it by mistake. At least once a week, you should empty your Recycle Bin completely, to ensure that it does not get clogged up with all your computer rubbish.
2. Use 'Add/Remove programs' - If you want to remove a program from your computer, make sure you use the ‘Add/Remove Programs’ function (via ‘Settings’) rather than just deleting the files you can see. If you don’t use the proper procedure, you will leave debris littered all over your disk!
3. Delete Unused files - Make sure you delete files and emails that you no longer need. They are taking up valuable space on your disk! I know you may have xxx gigabytes of storage on your disk or in the Cloud – they are very big these days – but good housekeeping says keep only what you need! If you have a phone or Tablet you may find most files are stored not on the device but in the 'Cloud' - this is a shared space on the Internet which may have a certain amount that is free to use but may be chargeable if you use a lot of space, so keep an eye on it!
4. Compress your files - If disk space is really tight, and you have already performed the other housekeeping tasks in this list, it might be time to use Compression on your files. File Compression changes the structure of the files so that they take up less space on the disk, although there may be a performance penalty by doing this. It is best to use compression only on files that are not used very often.
5. Change your Passwords - Passwords should be changed regularly for additional security. Whether on a PC, Laptop, Phone or Tablet, passwords should be updated to ensure proper security. Look out for another article in this series about passwords that goes into more detail about this.