Cozy Season Cleaner Tech
Fall is a great time to clean out the clutter, get organized, and prepare for the busy months ahead. But while you’re tidying up the office or planning for year-end, don’t forget about another space that could probably use some attention: your digital environment.
Old files, unused accounts, outdated software, overflowing inboxes, and forgotten applications can build up quickly. Besides making everyday work more frustrating, digital clutter can create unnecessary security risks and make your technology harder to manage.
A little digital fall cleaning can help your business start fresh, stay organized, and strengthen its cybersecurity before heading into the new year.
Here’s a practical checklist to get started.
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Clean Up Old Files and Folders
Start with the places where digital clutter tends to collect: desktops, Downloads folders, shared drives, OneDrive, SharePoint, and other file-storage locations.
Take some time to review:
- Outdated documents
- Duplicate files
- Old downloads
- Files stored in the wrong location
- Documents that are no longer needed
- Sensitive files that may be accessible to too many people
For documents that need to be retained for legal, regulatory, or business purposes, follow your organization’s retention requirements rather than simply deleting them.
A cleaner file environment makes it easier for employees to find what they need and helps reduce confusion over which version of a document is current.
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Review User Accounts and Access
Employees change roles, vendors finish projects, and people leave organizations. Unfortunately, system access doesn’t always get cleaned up at the same time.
Review who currently has access to your business systems, applications, shared folders, and sensitive information.
Pay close attention to:
- Former employee accounts
- Inactive accounts
- Old vendor or contractor access
- Administrator privileges
- Shared accounts
- Access to sensitive folders or business data
A good rule of thumb is that employees should have access to the information and systems they need to do their jobs, but not unnecessary access beyond that.
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Update Your Devices and Software
We’ve all clicked “Remind me later” on a software update. Fall cleaning is a good excuse to finally catch up.
Make sure your organization is keeping operating systems, browsers, business applications, security tools, and other software current.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) provides cybersecurity resources specifically for small businesses, covering areas such as securing devices, phishing, multi-factor authentication, ransomware, and protecting business data. [nist.gov]
Your technology review might include:
- Desktop computers and laptops
- Mobile devices
- Web browsers
- Business applications
- Endpoint security tools
- Network equipment
- Printers and connected devices
Where appropriate, automatic updates can also help reduce the number of updates employees have to remember to install manually.
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Check Your Backups
Having a backup is one thing. Knowing that your backup actually works when you need it is another.
Take a few minutes to review:
- What information is being backed up?
- How often are backups happening?
- Where are backups stored?
- Who can access them?
- Are backups protected?
- When was the last successful backup?
- Has your organization tested restoring its data?
guidance for small and medium-sized businesses includes backups among its recommended next-level cybersecurity practices, alongside logging and data encryption. [cisa.gov]
Your first attempt to restore important data shouldn’t happen during an actual emergency.
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Strengthen Account Security
Passwords are still important, but passwords alone are not enough to protect sensitive business accounts.
Review whether multi-factor authentication, or MFA, is enabled for important systems such as:
- Email accounts
- Microsoft 365
- Cloud applications
- Remote access
- Financial systems
- Administrative accounts
- File storage platforms
explains that MFA adds another layer of security by requiring more than a username and password to verify someone’s identity. If a password is compromised, that additional authentication step can make it much harder for an attacker to access the account.
likewise recommends requiring MFA wherever possible, particularly for administrative accounts, employees handling sensitive information, and remote access. It also recommends using phishing-resistant MFA methods when available.
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Declutter Your Inbox
An overflowing inbox isn’t just frustrating. Important requests, customer messages, invoices, and even security alerts can become much easier to overlook when they’re buried among thousands of emails.
Encourage employees to spend some time:
- Deleting obvious junk
- Unsubscribing from unnecessary newsletters
- Organizing important messages
- Reviewing inbox rules
- Removing outdated forwarding rules
- Reviewing shared mailboxes
- Reporting suspicious messages
This is also a good time for a phishing reminder. NIST describes phishing as convincing emails or other messages designed to trick people into clicking harmful links, downloading malicious software, or providing sensitive information.
When something doesn’t look right, slow down and verify before clicking.
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Remove Applications You No Longer Use
Over time, businesses can accumulate applications, browser extensions, cloud services, and software that are no longer actively used.
Take inventory and ask:
Do we still need this?
If the answer is no, work with your IT provider or internal IT team to safely remove it. You should also identify applications that are no longer supported by their vendors.
Less unnecessary software means fewer applications to maintain, update, monitor, and secure.
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Review Your Cybersecurity Basics
You don’t need to overhaul your entire cybersecurity program as part of a fall cleanup. Instead, use the opportunity to check whether the fundamentals are in place.
Review areas such as:
- Multi-factor authentication
- Endpoint protection
- Software updates
- Reliable backups
- Employee cybersecurity awareness training
- Phishing prevention
- User permissions
- Incident response procedures
For businesses looking for additional guidance, CISA’s Small and Medium-Sized Business Resources provide practical information around phishing, passwords, MFA, software updates, backups, encryption, incident response, and other cybersecurity fundamentals.
Cybersecurity isn’t something to check once and forget. It works best when these habits become part of normal business operations.
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Take Inventory of Your Technology
Do you know how many computers, mobile devices, applications, cloud services, and network devices your organization currently relies on?
Keeping an updated technology inventory can make IT management much easier.
Consider documenting:
- Device or system
- Assigned employee
- Location
- Operating system
- Important applications
- Warranty or support status
- Security and update status
Knowing what technology you have makes it easier to identify outdated equipment, plan upgrades, troubleshoot problems, and determine what needs to be protected.
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Start the New Season With a Cleaner IT Environment
Digital fall cleaning doesn’t have to mean spending days reorganizing every file or completely changing your technology environment.
Start small.
Delete what you no longer need. Organize what you do. Update the systems you rely on. Check your backups. Review access. And make sure the cybersecurity basics are covered.
A little maintenance today can make your technology easier to manage and help your business head into year-end more organized and prepared.
Let BEI Help Take IT Cleanup Off Your List
Not sure where to start or what needs the most attention?
BEI can help you review, secure, and manage your business technology. From managed IT and cybersecurity to Microsoft 365, data protection, infrastructure, and ongoing support, our team can help identify potential gaps and keep your technology working for your business.
Let BEI handle the technology behind your business, so your team can focus on moving it forward.
Explore more tips and insights in the BEI Resources Library.
