While I can’t speak for you, I can tell you that my desktop is constantly a disaster area. I usually have 10+ windows open at any given time that help to hide the mess underneath, but I always have to rely on using a Finder window listing the “most recent updated” files in order to locate anything that I need. I find keeping my desktop clean to be an organizational step that I just can’t seem to find the time for. I’ve actually had my desktop so covered with image snippets, screenshots, graphics, ect… that Finder has no other choice that to pile one icon on top of the other.
One new problem that has arisen is that my mac will soon be connected to the network at the office and they will be backing up items on my Desktop and my Documents folder on a routine basis. This creates a problem because I had 150+ Gigs of junk sitting on my desktop and they weren’t about to deal with backing all that up. So while I made a strong effort to reduce the content on my desktop and got rid of all kinds of junk, I know that it’s a problem that will just come back again…
This is where Clean by Vojtech Rinik steps in and helps save me from myself. Clean is a free app that automatically moves files from your desktop to a specified location, which are then grouped by day or month. You can set it to run once a day or once a week, or you can force it to run at any time just by clicking the “Clean now†button.
Download Clean from the Mac App Store (free)
Now, you may be thinking… “But what if I have stuff on my desktop that I want to keep there, How do I exclude it from the process?” Have no fear, they’ve got you covered! All you need to do is attach a Finder Label and set Clean to ignore labels. The Labeled files will remain on your desktop while the rest are swept away into your previously chosen location. This should allow me to keep my desktop clean, my backups small, and still have an automatically organized location for all of my inspirational snippets that I accumulate on the internet.
One drawback that I have read in some of the other reviews and comments about this app is that there is no Restore option. I think a few people made a classic mistake of not knowing their destination location before hitting the Clean Now button. While I think it would probably be pretty cool to have a restore button that allowed you to select the archived folder of your choosing, I think I should be just fine doing it manually should I ever need to.
Clean is a simple time saving app that is a must have for anyone who fears desktop clutter, plus it’s free! I would highly recommended this mac app to anyone that suffers from a chaotic desktop.
Your turn to comment on Clean!
So what are your thoughts on Clean from the App Store? Have you tried it out on your desktop? What are your favorite features of the clean app for Macs? What tips do you have you can share with others who may have a cluttered desktop?
