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This is Tim's new, clutter-free desktop. Be jealous, then copy. (Tim Anderson , buzz Writer)

This week I want to discuss the peace of mind that I associate with a clean and organized minimalist desktop. My desktop screen used to be cluttered with unnecessary files, folders and shortcuts to programs I hadn’t used for months. The screen became bleak, complicated and unappealing, and I decided to take a step towards trimming the fat.

I began by considering which programs I used most frequently and would always need access to, and consolidating those into a neat, simple row of shortcuts across the screen. I deleted or uninstalled programs which served the same function as another program (for instance, I’m exclusively using Google’s latest browser “Chrome” and no longer need to have Firefox, Safari and Internet Explorer on my machine as well). I went online to pull up an attractive new wallpaper to fit with my minimalist motif, and finished by applying a fresh coat of paint to my stale old icons to create a more unified look. The result is a sweet and simple screen which is far more appropriate to my needs.

To complete this exercise in consolidation, I changed the shortcut names accordingly to verbs appropriate to the action of the program they follow to. The internet became “surf,” my instant message client became “talk,” Microsoft Word became “write,” and so on. Programs that I need less frequent access to, such as Calculator or Photoshop, were sent to the “applications” folder and further filtered into a “work” or “play” folder to be easily accessed whenever I need them and not crowding my new desktop.

The fluidity of this simplicity really makes this a smooth transition that I’d recommend if you need some breathing room on your computer.

If you want to be like Tim, check out these websites for wallpaper and icons.