While some may see cloud storage as unlimited compared to hardware, cloud storage can become cluttered and inefficient. Cleaning cloud storage is all about freeing up disk space, eliminating files that do not serve your organization, and creating the most efficient database possible.
Here are the best ways to free up your cloud storage account, ensuring you always have the space you need without being stopped by a full cloud storage.
Empty Your Trash Folder
Cloud storage typically has a trash bin equivalent to any desktop’s recycle bin. All deleted files go here for a limited or infinite time. Before you delve into other strategies, delete all remaining files in the trash folder. Set it up to keep files for only a limited time.
Delete Multiple Copies
While this process can take some time, look through your file history. When you find multiple versions of files, drafts you did not realise existed, or older versions of existing files you won’t ever need or look at again, it may not make sense to keep them. Delete previous drafts or old copies.
Look at Email Attachments
If you know you receive a lot of email attachments that automatically get saved to cloud storage, refining or reviewing the attachments you have saved may be a practice to delete what’s not worth keeping anymore.
Refine Your Naming Conventions
To keep your files organized, refine your file names and apply them consistently. At the same time, ensure a clear folder structure that holds files visible and prevents data from getting lost in cluttered, unfocused hierarchies.
If you don’t already, this will make finding files in your cloud storage database easier. It’s a fast way to remove disorganization and visually clean up your storage space.
Use the Marie Kondo Approach
Marie Condo, the world’s most famous professional organizer, argues that if an item doesn’t ‘spark joy’ for you, remove it. Stop letting it take up personal space around you.
Apply this to files and folders. If data does not serve any purpose, is not legally required to be kept, and does not make you happy, delete it.
Filter Your Files for Deletion
There are many ways to determine which files are worth removing from your cloud storage. These include storing them offline or deleting them altogether. You can also filter by size to see which files and folders are the largest.
Keep an eye out for anything large you no longer need. Filter by date to understand what older files are no longer necessary. Filter by app folder to find matching apps and folders irrelevant to your company.
Remove Temporary Files
Digging through your cloud storage may reveal temporary files you no longer need, such as old downloads, images, and documents. This is a quick way to remove clutter.
Delete High-Quality Photos and Videos
Photos and videos are often the largest files clients have in cloud storage. Unimportant or duplicate photos or videos that you do not intend to use within the next ten years should be deleted or moved to an external drive. They should also be stored permanently offline.
Compress Your Biggest Files
File compression re-encodes files to reduce the size and tackles large videos or photos. File compression is an art, as you want to avoid re-encoding at the expense of visual quality. That said, you can save a literal ton of space by downloading files from your cloud storage server, compressing them, and re-uploading them at a much smaller size.
Stop Syncing Unnecessary Files
Evaluate your settings to see what files are synced to your cloud. There may be entire folders of files that are entirely unnecessary to save. Eliminate any syncing sources that don’t apply to your business.
Change File Ownership
Any time you collaborate with another business or stakeholder, ensure you aren’t taking on all ownership of files – unless this is your preference. Transferring ownership of files to other stakeholders is a way to get those files and folders off your storage quota.
Clean Up Your Backups
Like elsewhere in your cloud storage, items you don’t use take up a lot of space in your backups. To reduce storage size, remove parts of your future backups.
Downloading Files to External Storage
Several times, it has been mentioned that you can download files to external storage. External storage is inexpensive and a way to save files you do not want to delete completely but don’t need to be accessible anymore. This may be your best strategy for cleaning up cloud storage quickly and effectively.
