Does your phone’s home screen have apps scattered everywhere across five different pages? Do you find yourself swiping back and forth just to find your text messages or the weather app?
Over time, we download dozens of apps, and our home screens can quickly turn into a chaotic digital jungle. But a cluttered screen can actually slow you down and make using your phone feel stressful. Today, we are going to show you how to declutter your device and set up a clean, calm, and easy-to-use home screen!
Step 1: The Great Digital Purge 🗑️
Before you organize, you need to declutter. We all have apps we downloaded for one specific vacation or a restaurant we haven’t visited in years.
- The 6-Month Rule: Scroll through your phone. If you haven’t opened an app in the last six months, it’s time for it to go! Deleting apps frees up valuable storage space and can even make your battery last longer.
- How to Delete: On both iPhone and Android, simply press and hold your finger on the app icon you want to remove. A menu will pop up allowing you to select “Remove App” or “Uninstall.”
Taming Your iPhone (iOS) 🍎
Apple has introduced some fantastic tools to help you hide the clutter without actually deleting the apps you still need occasionally.
- Embrace the App Library: If you swipe all the way to the right past your last home screen page, you will find the App Library. This automatically categorizes every app on your phone. Because of this, you don’t need every app on your main screen!
- Hide Apps from the Home Screen: Press and hold an app, tap “Remove App,” and then select “Remove from Home Screen.” The app won’t be deleted; it will just live quietly in the App Library until you need it.
- Create Folders: For apps you want to keep on your screen, group them together! Drag one app directly on top of another app, and your iPhone will automatically create a folder. You can name it anything you like, such as “Travel,” “Banking,” or “Games.”
Organizing Your Android 🤖
Android phones have always been great at keeping things tidy because they separate your “Home Screen” from your “App Drawer.”
- The App Drawer: If you swipe up from the bottom of your screen, you will see your App Drawer, which holds every app installed on your phone. This means your actual Home Screen only needs to hold your absolute favorites!
- Clear the Clutter: To remove an app from your main screen without deleting it, press and hold the icon, then drag it up to the word “Remove” (usually at the top of the screen).
- Stop Automatic Placements: By default, Android might put a new icon on your home screen every time you download an app. You can stop this! Long-press on an empty spot on your home screen, tap “Home settings,” and turn off “Add app icons to Home screen.”
Master the “Thumb Zone” 👍
As phones get larger, it gets harder to reach the top corners with one hand. This is where the “Thumb Zone” strategy comes in.
- The Dock: The very bottom row of apps (which stays there even when you swipe to a new page) is your prime real estate. Put your four most-used apps here. For many people, this is Phone, Messages, Web Browser, and Camera.
- Bottom-Up Organizing: Place your most frequently used apps (like Maps, Email, or your Calendar) on the bottom half of the screen, where your thumb can easily reach them. Leave the top half for a nice weather widget or just enjoy your background wallpaper!
Taking a few minutes to rearrange your digital living space can make your phone feel brand new again. You will save time, reduce frustration, and finally get to see that beautiful photo of your family you set as your background!
If you want a hand sorting through your apps, creating folders, or figuring out how to use the App Library, our Sharks are always happy to help you get organized. Schedule an appointment today!