Bookmark hoarders, it’s time to declutter
Have you looked at your bookmarks lately? You’d be surprised by the number of dusty gems you’ve accumulated by clicking ‘Bookmark this page’.
In a flurry of year-end housekeeping, I’ve gone through hundreds of hoarded bookmarks. Many have me wonder ‘what on earth was I thinking?’, much as you would when clearing up a crowded cupboard or a jam-packed garage.
Some of the bookmarks are so ancient that the internet was barely invented. Hence, I instantly trash those that ping back an irritating ‘404 Not Found’ message.
Just how many links is sensible? (I had 237, pre-cull). How do you decide what to keep? Above all, is there any point keeping any as the web refreshes constantly?
The answer to these questions are: first – whatever you need to avoid having to re-Google. Second – concentrate on keeping those you use regularly. Third – not really, no.
Which bookmarks to cull?
I’ve decided it’s pointless keeping the eclectic mix I’ve bookmarked while researching for articles, because who needs these regularly: why Manchester?, office locations in Dallas, the European Railway Traffic Management System (ERTMS) and the population
How many bookmarks?
I will keep the ‘how to’ instructional sites, ranging from news distribution channels to how to use Google+ and where to get cloud storage.
And I’ll certainly – well, maybe – keep informational bookmarks about the BowTie Method, Facebook’s terms and conditions, SEO training from Yoast, and a world time converter. Because you never know…
Which bookmarks to keep?
Rediscovered gems get to stay: the ones that remind you about grammar rules, like this blog on semicolons from WM Group. Also, what about the quirkiest page I’ve bookmarked – the world’s 10 best-designed bus stations of 2015? Er, no.
I reckon I use about 10% of my bookmarks regularly. They include links to my online work, client sites, banks, Guardian Style Guide and National Rail Enquiries (these are my two most used urls), and anything that benefits me financially, like Groupon.
Oh, and finally, the sites I really must get around to reading, like this one on General Data Protection Regulation for small organisations. Ah, so there is a point to bookmarks, after all.
