Marty, Peter, Chris, and Bob talk about how they maintain their computers files and do preventative maintenance.
Basic Maintenance Habits
• Restart your devices once a week—many glitches clear up instantly.• Keep macOS and iOS updated (Settings > General > Software Update).• Uninstall unused apps. If you haven’t opened it in 6 months, consider deleting it.• Use About This Mac > Storage > Manage to find large or redundant files.• Empty the Trash and Downloads folders regularly.• Keep the Desktop clean—each icon loads at startup and slows things down.
System and File Cleaning
• Use Finder’s Search filters to locate large files (“File Size > 500 MB”) and move or delete them.• Clear Safari/Chrome caches occasionally—helps with speed and privacy.• Remove old backups from Time Machine or iCloud Drive.• For Photos, consider Optimize Mac Storage or offload to an external drive.• Don’t obsess over “cleaning apps.” Stick to built-in tools first—then consider trusted options like CleanMyMac X or OnyX if you understand what they do.
Preventive Steps
• Schedule backups via Time Machine or iCloud— a clean system isn’t helpful if you lose data.• Keep your Desktop background simple and widgets minimal.• Run Disk Utility > First Aid occasionally to check drive health.• Create a “To Review” folder for clutter you’re unsure about deleting.• Do a quarterly “digital spring cleaning” day—like cleaning the garage, but for your tech.
Useful Resource Links
Apple Support – Optimize storage on your Mac:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT206996 How to free up storage on your Mac
https://macpaw.com/how-to/free-up-space-mac CleanMyMac X – Trusted Mac cleaner and optimizer:
https://macpaw.com/cleanmymac OnyX – Free macOS maintenance utility:
https://www.titanium-software.fr/en/onyx.html Backup Basics: Time Machine and iCloud:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201250
Hazel
Cocktail
https://www.maintain.se/cocktail/
Daisy Disk
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