New Year's Resolution No. 1: File Purging

These resolutions might only last as long as the one to go to the gym every day and find better balance in your life, but let's try to keep our resolve about these things.

First, let's clean up programs, files, and bad photos. I hereby resolve to clean up old:

• Programs
In Windows, go to the Control Panel and click on Add/Remove Software. It displays a list of your programs. If you haven't used the program ever (like the ones you get on your PC when you buy it), it's time to get rid of it. Click on the program name and select Remove.

• Files
Open Windows Explorer and go through your various folders. It's best to sort them by date. To do this click View on the Toolbar, then Detailed, and then click on the date field. Highlight the docs you want to delete and press Enter. They go to a recycle/trash can that you must remember to delete too. You may want to move some of them to an external drive for archival purposes.

• Photos
Use a photo viewer like the one that ships with Windows or iPhoto (Mac) or Picasa. They'll display all your photos. Weed out the ones taken up people's noses, down at their feet, blurry, or black.

Next, let's look at your email and contacts…