A hard drive that gathers much clutter tends to be slow but most of all, is a security hazard. Especially if this pertains to software that has been installed and used only once.

This means that if you rarely use it, there’s every chance that it isn’t patched or updated leaving your computer vulnerable.

That said, here are 3 ways by which you can reduce clutter:

#1: Applications that aren’t used

In using Windows, go to Control Panel, Programs and hit ‘Uninstall a program’. What you will see is a list of application that are currently installed on your PC. Look for unwanted applications that are taking up too much space by sorting this list out by size. You can use the uninstaller that Windows offers or even a more comprehensive tool such as Revo Uninstaller.

#2: Services that aren’t required

Windows services are usually programs that, while not being used, run in the background. Among the many functions that they carry out, performing core system functions and helping software applications to interact with Windows are two important ones.

Yet a number of them need not run and identifying these services can be a bit of a challenge. Look for services that aren’t required in the Services panel by opening the Charm bar, and remove them. For example, Bluetooth devices or even Remote Desktop services among others. Look for assistance over the internet for this.

#3: Obsolete data

All of us are guilty of having duplicate copies of videos, music and other files on our system. This slows your system up for the simple reason that your RAM depends on unused storage space affecting its performance due to too much clutter. You can do a Disk Cleanup or even defragment or optimize your hard drive. You’ll find it in the Tools section.