How to Run a Digital Cleanup Day with Your Team

2/23/2026, 8:35:00 AM

Over time, every organization accumulates digital clutter: outdated pages, unused tools, messy folders, and duplicate documents. This makes it harder for staff, volunteers, and community members to find what they need.

A digital cleanup day is a focused session where your team — and possibly student collaborators — works together to tidy up.

Here’s how to run one effectively.

1. Set a clear scope and time box

Pick a specific focus area for your cleanup, such as:

  • Website content and navigation
  • Shared drive or cloud storage
  • A particular tool (like your email platform or CRM)

Schedule a 2–3 hour block where key people can participate without distractions.

2. Make a quick inventory

Before changing anything, spend 20–30 minutes mapping what exists:

  • List key pages, folders, or tools
  • Note obvious problems (broken links, duplicate folders, outdated info)

This helps you prioritize where to spend your limited time.

3. Define "keep, update, or archive"

For each item you review, decide:

  • Keep: It’s current and useful as-is
  • Update: It’s important but needs edits
  • Archive/Delete: It’s outdated, redundant, or irrelevant

Document these decisions in a shared sheet so everyone stays aligned.

4. Tackle high-impact fixes first

Focus on changes that:

  • Remove confusion for your community (e.g., outdated program pages)
  • Make staff workflows smoother (e.g., cleaning up key shared folders)
  • Improve security or access (e.g., revoking old tool access)

Student teams working with programs like Volta NYC often support organizations through this process, especially on website and file system cleanups.

5. Set new norms to prevent future clutter

A cleanup day is a great time to agree on:

  • Folder naming conventions
  • Where new documents should live
  • Who owns which areas of the website or tools

Capture these norms in a short, easy-to-read guide.

A digital cleanup day won’t fix everything overnight, but it can dramatically reduce friction and confusion.

Consider making it a recurring practice — once or twice a year — and inviting student partners when you have access to programs like Volta NYC. Fresh eyes can help you see what’s confusing and where to simplify.