Digital hoarding is a hassle to tackle too

When every file counts and you have more than you can count

Not my desktop, but it has looked like this before, Source

Never in my life did I expect to have this problem. I believe in, and practice, minimalism. Almost all of my belongings can fit into a few bags.

But somewhere along the way, I’ve become a digital hoarder. It’s been easy for me to minimize tangible objects. And maybe there’s a part of me that looked down on people who hoard physical possessions. But with my digital collections, I’m forced to reckon with myself.

I hoard screenshots I valued one time. I hoard shows on my DVR that I never watch. I hoard songs that haven’t topped any charts in years. My supply of podcasts, YouTube subscriptions, and audio books can last two lifetimes. I have free samples of hundreds of eBooks, just in case.

My email account is a mess of bold subject lines that blend in as unread emails. My browser has fifty tabs open at any given time. I have more bookmarks than books.

With my phone, I constantly have to delete something to do anything. When I uninstall an app, it feels like choosing between loved ones.

At my last job, my desktop icons looked like constellations in the sky.