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Well, out here on the Pacific Coast, the flowers are beginning to bloom, and the trees are starting to bud. (I hate to tell my east coast friends who are now digging out of what will hopefully be their last snow of the season, that, in truth, the flowers never stopped blooming out here. We had roses blooming every month in the garden!) But, with the sun re-appearing and frigid temperatures beginning to wane, I say it's time for some Spring Cleaning!

I have three great suggestions for us all...

1. Clean up that messy computer hard drive!
Is your hard drive like mine? Where does all of the clutter come from, and why am I so afraid to trash those files I will never revisit again?! Well, today I've been unburdening my computer of every file I can trash.

For Mac users, I recommend OmniDiskSweeper because it's free! It scans your computer and lists your files, by categories, in order from the largest files in each category to the smallest ones. (I'm sure my Windows friends have similar utilities.) I've gone through those files looking for what I can trash and what I can permanently archive and remove from my laptop hard drive. I'm amazed at what I've accumulated over the years!

Next, I tackled orphaned files--those files that are no longer used on my computer because the applications associated with them have long since been deleted. I used CleanApp to identify and delete those. It only costs $15 and does a lot more--like identifying those files you haven't used in forever. Then, I deleted some old applications I never use. (CleanApp offers to delete those hidden files, like the preference files, etc. associated with the app too.) Several other apps are available to assist with this type of task, I just chose CleanApp.

This process has now reclaimed nearly 100 GB of much-needed disk space! I feel as if I've been on a successful diet plan!

2. Clean up that messy computer desktop!
No matter how hard I try, my computer desktop gets cluttered with things I need to get to, but just not right now. I try really hard to keep documents located in a folder, in my documents folder, for the application that created the original file. But try as I might...

So today I cleaned up the computer desktop by placing all of those miscellaneous files in their correct and logical place. It's completely free!

3. Purchase an automatic offsite backup plan/service!
I personally use Backblaze (Mac and Windows) as I find it to be very reasonably priced and hassle-free. I've used it now for over a year. No matter how many disks you have routinely connected to your machine, no matter how large the capacity of these disks, Backblaze only charges you $50 per year per computer. (I was afraid of services that charged incrementally as I had no idea what I would actually be spending per year. Backblaze is one fixed price!)

After setup, Blackblaze automatically and constantly keeps the files on your machine, unless you choose to exclude them, encrypted and copied safely on the great server in the sky. So if the house burns down, if someone steals my computers, if California falls into the Pacific Ocean, I can restore my machines, once they are replaced, to the state they were in when I used them last. I love that peace of mind.

Having my time capsule backup doesn't save all of my data (because I have too many external hard drives filled with data) nor does it protect my data should the time capsule be stolen or destroyed with my computer. With Backblaze, I don't worry at all.

So, for the first spring cleaning for the new decade, why not join me in getting your machines nice and tidy! You'll be glad you did.

I was probably like most people: I used the same password over and over for nearly everything. After all, keeping up with all of the different UserIDs and Passwords can become a huge, difficult-to-manage ordeal. With just a small number of passwords, you could have taken over my life.

No more!

After having my professional Twitter account compromised a few weeks ago, and going through about 2 weeks of tech support with Twitter to get it resolved, I decided it was time for me to get serious about online security. What a drag!

Not really!

I revisited a program I had used a couple of years ago when it first came out: 1Password. (Similar programs exist for Windows users: search link.) A couple of years ago I abandoned this tool after giving it a trial run. It had too many limitations. But, now on version 3, 1Password is much more robust, and I really like it.

1Password stores online detailed login information, account information (like email, ftp, router, database, and server settings, etc.), identities (for filling out those pesky online forms requiring name, address, email, phone numbers... for business use, personal use, volunteer use.), software licenses, and more. This information can all be shared between multiple devices (like your iPhone, iPod Touch, laptop, desktop). And, best of all, is made easily available to your various browsers.

Because 1Password will generate long, obtuse, secure passwords for you when you go to set up an online account at any web site, now everything requiring a password has a different one that would be a stupendous challenge for the dark side to figure out. And if the evil hackers did break one, that's the only one they have. Each site has a unique password that is equally as difficult to guess.

What I love most though, is how easily the information is retrieved for my later use. For example: If I want to post to this blog, I have to log in to it. I can now do that 1 of 2 ways. I can launch 1Password; do a quick search for this blog in my list of 64 log ins, and double click it. 1Password launches my browser and logs me in.

Or, I could launch my browser and go to the URL required to log in to my blog, just as I have always done. At the top of my menubar and at the top of my browser window, I have a 1Password button. When I click it, the top choice is "Fill & Submit." When I select that, 1Password fills in the login credentials for that webpage and logs me in. The process is now much faster, much simpler, and much more secure than before!

Really easy!

In the past, whenever I setup an online account (and I tend to do this a lot), I had to be certain I wrote down the URL, the UserID, and the password on my password reminder sheet. I especially hated those sites that had password requirements and restrictions: "Your password must contain at least ## numbers," or "Your password must be ## or more characters," etc. 1Password makes all of this so much easier and more secure!

Passwords can be easily tagged for later search and retrieval. Emails and other documents (containing login confirmation information or serial numbers) can be attached to your 1Password logins or software serial numbers. 1Password even maintains a password history log. And, if you wish, you can print out your detailed information and place it in your bank vault. :o)

So, as part of this Spring Cleaning season, join me in organizing your passwords, making them far more secure and much easier for you to use. Start using a password management system like 1Password!

[I am in no way associated or affiliated with 1Password. I bought the application like anyone else would and use it and like it! Your mileage may vary. Numerous other options are available.]