The dilemma of figuring out what digi-stuff to keep.

[QuiltyMom]

I've spent the day (I'm not joking!) trying to clean out my EHD of excess digi-"trash", stuff that I haven't needed to keep and just hadn't gotten around to sorting and deleting. I now have room to save things again, but I also saw just too much old stuff that I've held onto for whatever reason: old CT pages that I made even though I'll not use them in an album, files of hundreds of templates that I'll most likely never use again, lots of kits that I "just may need"...

What do you keep? What should be tossed? I'm a horrible hoarder since once it's gone I'm sure I'll regret it.

If anyone else had recently purged their digi-stash I'd love to know what you did. I think I need some hand holding right now!

 

[bellbird]

i wish you luck but i'm not a good one to ask - i just keep buying more EHDs!

 

[rdjrneace]

I did do a purge a few months ago and I someone told me to make a folder and put the stuff you are considering in that folder. After 6 months if you don't touch it delete the folder.

 

[QuiltyMom]

Most of these things I haven't used in at least two years, but I just keep holding on to them. Told you I'm bad!

i wish you luck but i'm not a good one to ask - i just keep buying more EHDs!

That is what I'm not wanting to do! I need to buy a new one soon, but I want to get this one cleaned out first. Just one designer's templates is 6 gigs worth! EEk!

 

[jk703]

I purge.... and get rid of things that I haven't used in over a year to a year and a half. If I end up not liking my layout... which doesn't happen often, I delete it, but just keep the album copy and web version.

I know it's hard... but maybe make a small step. If you haven't used it in 2 years, take a batch, and delete it. Then give yourself time to see if you miss it or go to use it. You probably won't, but you have to get used to the idea that you can delete and it's ok. Once I did it once, and realized I never went back, I deleted happily after that!

 

[Tree City]

How long have you been digiscrapping? It's been a fairly long time for this hobby, right? What about deleting freebies you got when you first started? Or kits/templates you bought the first year you DSed that you've never touched since then?

Or, don't worry about deleting and instead just buy a second EHD. Also, is this your only EHD and if so, do you have a cloud backup? Cuz if not and you don't keep everything on your computer, then your EHD is no longer a backup but your only copy. (Justine @bellbird now I'm thinking of you cuz you said you think of me when you back up, and here I am, talking about backing up. What a weird Inception-like loop lol!) Anyway, you could just buy a new EHD and only copy over stuff you LOVE onto it and not worry about purging. That would leave you lots of space for new goodies on the new EHD, plus it takes away the stress from purging. Or you could just do a set number of kits a day, like you'll look at 30 kits per day and that's it: you'll purge what needs it but stop after 30 so that it doesn't take too much time every day. As for templates: if you love all 6 gigs' worth of templates, then don't worry! But if looking at that folder makes you groan, then delete the whole thing and relish in knowing you just "freed" 6 gigs of space.

 

[BevG]

First thing I deleted was all the blog hops and freebies that I downloaded when I first started. Most were in colors or themes I have never used. Second pass, I moved a bunch off to an EHD that I keep as a second backup. Eventually, I may bring myself to delete those too. Third pass, I moved a bunch to file folders that start with Z so they sort to the bottom. Only once recently have I wanted to find one of those old kits. Eventually those will get moved off too.

 

[Karen]

I am probably not the one to ask either... like @bellbird I just keep buying bigger EHDs

I did go through and delete a ton of the freebies I downloaded circa 2006 era, but I keep pretty much everything else. And honestly I do go back and use my older kits. A couple weekends ago I did a scrappy weekend and I actually went back and used some kits from about 8-9 years ago before I was a Polly. I even keep my .psd files on a separate EHD and I've definitely gone back and used those many times too (to look up fonts or reuse an element I couldn't find or copy a layer style).

#DigiHoardersUnite

 

[cookingmylife]

I laugh when I read these threads because I have one item that still lingers is my stash (somewhere) and it's one I should never have even bought. But you know how it is in the earliest days...a massive dose of Oh cute! Oh I want that! etc etc I bought an alpha that is letters like high school letters. My children were already in their late 40s; the two that were letter athletes went to overseas schools that did not give varsity letters; I had almost no photos of them playing their sports. But I wanted that alpha pack! Now I know I almost never use any premade alphas! (or buttons...LOL) Live and learn.

But definitely delete old old freebies. Or ~2006-2009 kits that would even embarrass the designer.

 

[jenn mccabe]

I really need to do this again or buy a new EHD - I'm getting warning notices that I'm close to full. ugh. I have a folder that has stuff that hasn't been used in a long time and when I don't open it for a good 6 months - I know it is time to just delete it!

I also need to cull photos big time. I know that is taking up so much of my space - and there are tons of photos that are just crud. I am really bad at culling photos!

I do keep all TLP stuff - and then old stuff that I didn't even know was there - I look at the preview and then make a decision to dump. If there's one little thing that stands out as useable - I throw that in the misc folder by type and just make sure the file name reflects kit/designer for credits - but it has to be a classic piece (like a really great stitch) or so darn cute or unique, that I think I will use it. With freebies or older product -sometimes it's not a whole kit that I love but one or two pieces. So I can get rid of a lot without feeling like I dumping things I love!

Good luck - it's a project. And hard to do.

 

[cookingmylife]

I have a folder that has stuff that hasn't been used in a long time and when I don't open it for a good 6 months - I know it is time to just delete it!

For me, this is one guide I don't adhere to whether it's digi stuff or clothes or kitchen stuff etc. I have things in all those categories that I don't use often but when I want it, that's specifically what I want. Admittedly, I am not on any CTs so I don't feel the need to buy and use the newest and latest. I also have to have my stuff cleared out enough to know what I DO have! That's the tricky part...LOL

 

[cfile]

Before I get rid of any TLP or purchased kits, I will first go through and delete my psd pages. I always (why??? not sure) keep the PSD page besides the jpg. One day if I need more room on the EHD I will first delete those.

 

[LeeAndra]

I posted elsewhere (maybe on another thread of yours, Jan?) that I, generally, don't keep any supplies more than 3 years old.

There are exceptions, of course, but I'd say 85% of my stash is less than 3 years old. Most of that 15% is specialty albums or alphabets (which is hilarious since I rarely use alphabets) or tools like masks and brushes. I don't keep templates after I use them once unless they are part of a mini-album collection.

I don't download freebies anymore, and I don't save my TIFFs.

You just have to delete, delete, delete. What's the worst that could happen? There's no digital supply that you couldn't replace with a suitable alternative.

 

[bbymks5]

I deleted a TON of freebies that I had managed to hoard from last years holiday season...kits that absolutely weren't my style but I knew I could use in my phone app..well I haven't touched my phone app in months so I held my breath and hit delete!

 

[Tree City]

I even keep my .psd files on a separate EHD and I've definitely gone back and used those many times too (to look up fonts or reuse an element I couldn't find or copy a layer style).

I remember you mentioning this before. When I first heard it, I thought to myself "but doesn't that take up a lot of space on your EHD?" For me personally, I back up exactly the same files onto my 4 EHDs so they all "look" the same. (Well, now only 3 EHDs cuz one of them is totally full and residing at my parents' house as an off-site backup.) Anyway, now it makes sense: you have a separate ".psd file" EHD. I need to buy another EHD soon, so maybe I'll just buy 2 more and make one my .tiff EHD.

 

[amien1]

Not long ago I did a big purge- I hadn't done one at all before so it was SO NECESSARY! The first thing I did was 'sort by date modified' in my folders. That alone showed me things that hadn't been opened in YEARS! Those were deleted right away. Honestly, if I haven't looked at it in the last few years- I HIGHLY doubted I would use it in the future. Some were good things- like overlays & such, but I stuck by my dates- not used, goes in the trash!

The other thing I did is look through the kits that I had used but were maybe not my style, either any more or used as a ct requirement but won't use again sort of thing.

Hope that helps! Good luck- but it does feel 'good' to de-clutter those EHD's!

 

[jagruti patel]

i need to do this too! i have so much stuff that i hoarded when i started. Like freebies. I just need to delete them! What i want to do , but not sure i have the guts to do is delete all non TLP stuff. I hardly use it. i really only go to my TLP folder!

 

[QuiltyMom]

Thanks for all of your tips! I did do an "unexpected" purge a few years back when I had stored my older kits located on an EHD that died. That was one easy way to get rid of old files - fast! And all the old freebies are long gone. I got rid of those once I joined a couple of CTs and realized what quality work looked like! I'll need to purchase a second EHD next week anyway, so I can just move onto there the stuff I need to keep and let the rest languish on the other one.

But definitely delete old old freebies. Or ~2006-2009 kits that would even embarrass the designer.

I had a good laugh on that one! Or I could have fun and pull out one of them to make a page and post it somewhere. heh heh

I also need to cull photos big time. I know that is taking up so much of my space - and there are tons of photos that are just crud. I am really bad at culling photos!

Ugh. That's next on my list. I've allocated 15-30 minutes a day to go through the photos I never edited once I uploaded them to my computer. I'm perpetually bad about not getting to that "tomorrow". Talk about a space hog!

I posted elsewhere (maybe on another thread of yours, Jan?) that I, generally, don't keep any supplies more than 3 years old.

You just have to delete, delete, delete. What's the worst that could happen? There's no digital supply that you couldn't replace with a suitable alternative.

I remember you saying that about getting rid of kits more than 3 years old. It's a good rule of thumb, especially since I'm finding that my scrapping style has been dramatically changing over the years. And you're right - I could always find an alternative if I delete something I want back!

 

[Nemla]

That is the beauty of getting old ; you will forget quite quickly what you deleted ,and therefore not miss it...the only advantage to getting older I have found so far LoL

 

[patsyt]

Before I get rid of any TLP or purchased kits, I will first go through and delete my psd pages. I always (why??? not sure) keep the PSD page besides the jpg. One day if I need more room on the EHD I will first delete those.

I've seen so many scrappers that say they trash the psd file and keep the jpg. Am I the only one who trashes the jpg and keeps the psd? I know it takes up a little more space but I make sure to delete any unused layers. I've gone back to psd files many times. Besides I can always make another jpg from the psd but I can't make a psd (and make changes or pull of something I can't find in my stash) from a jpg. Just curious!