Expert Offers Advice On How To De-Clutter Your Devices

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- With the start of a new year, it's a good time to start a digital de-clutter.

A clear work space makes for a clear mind, and what better place to start cleaning house than with your favorite devices -- cellphones, laptops and tablets. But where do you start?

"Old pictures, old emails, things that I'm not going to use anymore," Dolly Acosta, of Hell's Kitchen, said.

"Some pictures, some videos, some apps," Queens resident Jossie Astudillo said.

An excess of emails, photos, files and more doesn't just take up storage space; it can also clog your thoughts and overwhelm.

RELATED STORY: Organization Expert Suggests Turning Clutter Into Cash For Your New Year's Resolution

David Carnoy, the executive editor of CNET.com, says it's important to take a look at what you can get rid of immediately and make decluttering a habit.

"The big thing about decluttering digitally is delete and what you don't delete, organize ... Organizing means creating folders, creating filters," Carnoy said.

Organization will make it easier to clean out what you don't need in the future as well. But ultimately, he recommends getting rid of whatever you can.

"That could also mean unsubscribing from newsletters. All those deals you're getting in your inbox, get rid of those. On top of that you can also de-clutter your social media, if you could get rid of some friends," Carnoy said.

When it comes to cleaning out your cloud, things get a little more complicated. If your cellphone or laptop are backed up and you try to delete something, it's never really gone. You'll more than likely have to delete the file from both the device and the cloud.

But experts say it's important to set reasonable goals for yourself.

"I need delete about 90,000 emails from my phone and I need to get started on that. I pledged to do 1,000 a day," Bonita Hyatt Jones, of Brooklyn, said.

Deleting old downloads, clearing your cache history and simply closing browsers can help de-clutter.

After all, technology is supposed to be a tool, not a source of stress.