---
title: "How I Declutter My Digital and Developer Life for 2026"
date: "2025-12-27"
slug: "digital-declutter-2025"
author: "Dany Paredes"
canonical: "https://danywalls.com/digital-declutter-2025"
description: "The year is ending soon. In 2025, I made many small projects, saved many articles, and installed many tools. Now, my digital life is messy. Here is how I cleaned it to start 2026 with a fresh start."
---


The year is ending soon, and the holidays are here. This is the perfect time to slow down and clean our "digital house."

In 2025, I did what many developers do: I made many small test projects, saved hundreds of "must-read" articles, and created repositories I will never use again.

The result? A messy digital life that makes work slower. This month, I decided to do a big cleanup. Here is my step-by-step guide to starting 2026 with a clean slate.

## Why should you do this?

Think of your computer like a physical desk. If it is covered in old papers and broken tools, it is hard to focus on new work.

For developers, a clean space means:
- **Less noise:** You can find what you need faster.
- **More speed:** Your computer runs better.
- **Mental space:** You can focus on creating new things.

## 1. Cleaning your computer's storage

Some folders take up a lot of space without you knowing it.

### Deleting old Node.js folders
The `node_modules` folders are very heavy. They stay in your computer even if you don't use the project anymore.

**Action:** Use a tool called `npkill` to find and delete them.

![](/images/posts/digital-declutter-2025/node.png)

```bash
npx npkill
```

Just run the command and use your keyboard arrows to select and delete the folders you don't need.

### Cleaning Docker
Docker images and volumes can take many gigabytes of space.

**Action:** Run a "prune" command to delete everything you are not using.

![](/images/posts/digital-declutter-2025/docker.png)

```bash
docker system prune -a --volumes
```

**Result:** I saved **3.943GB** of space in just a few seconds!

## 2. Cleaning your Vercel Dashboard

I use Vercel for almost everything. After a year, I had many "zombie" projects (old projects I don't need).

**Tip:** Don't delete them one by one. Use the [Vercel Bulk Manager](https://vercel-bulk-manager.vercel.app) tool by [@v_skandan](https://twitter.com/v_skandan). It is the fastest way to clean many projects at once.

![](/images/posts/digital-declutter-2025/vercel-bulk-manager.png)

## 3. Archiving old GitHub projects

Having too many projects you don't use can be confusing for you and others. I used the GitHub CLI (`gh`) to clean them.

### Step 1: Find old projects
I looked for projects I haven't updated since late 2024.

```bash
gh repo list --limit 200 --json name,updatedAt,isArchived --template \
'{{range .}}{{if and (not .isArchived) (lt .updatedAt "2024-12-26T00:00:00Z")}}{{.name}}{{"\n"}}{{end}}{{end}}' > outdated-repos.txt
```

### Step 2: Archive them
Archive means the project becomes "read-only." It stays on GitHub, but it is clear that you are not working on it anymore.

```bash
while read repo; do 
  echo "Archived: $repo..."
  gh repo archive "$repo" --confirm
done < outdated-repos.txt
```

### Step 3: Remove empty forks
If you copied (forked) a project but never made changes, it is better to delete it.

```bash
gh repo list --fork --limit 1000 --json name,parent,defaultBranchRef --template \
'{{range .}}{{if eq .defaultBranchRef.target.history.totalCount .parent.defaultBranchRef.target.history.totalCount}}{{.name}}{{"\n"}}{{end}}{{end}}' > forks_vacios.txt
```

## 4. Cleaning your Coding Tools (IDE)

Our code editor is our main tool. But sometimes we keep old ones "just in case." 

This year, I realized I don't use WebStorm or VS Code anymore. Now, I only use **Cursor**. 

**Action:** Uninstall the coding tools (IDEs) you don't use. If you still use VS Code, delete the extensions you don't need. Every extra extension makes your editor slower.

## 5. Browser and Focus

If your browser is messy, your mind feels messy too.

### Clean your extensions
Delete every extension you haven't used in the last month. This saves memory (RAM) and makes your browser safer.

### Check your passwords
It is a good time to check your saved passwords. Delete the ones for websites you don't use anymore. You can find them here: `chrome://password-manager/settings`.

### Organize your Bookmarks
I moved my bookmarks into three simple folders:
- **AI & Engineering**
- **Learning**
- **Tools & Productivity**

I also deleted broken links and old projects.

### Clean your YouTube Feed
The videos you see define what you think about. Unsubscribe from channels that are no longer helpful for your career. You can do it here: [YouTube Subscriptions](https://www.youtube.com/feed/channels).

## Summary

Cleaning your digital life is not just about saving space. It is about saving **time** and **focus**. 

Starting 2026 with a clean computer feels great. Using tools like `npkill` or small scripts makes the work easy. The most important thing is to be careful about what we keep.

**Your Challenge:**
Run `npx npkill` right now. How many gigabytes did you save? Share your result!

Happy cleaning and happy coding!