Now that fall is in full swing, it is the perfect time to organize your digital life. So, I have put together a list of 5 easy to implement tips to help you clean out your computer and reorganize your files, a must on the To Do list of any student, working adult, parent or retiree this season!

Let’s begin, shall we…

If you want to clean out and reorganize your Mac, the first and best thing to do is delete all unnecessary files, folders, programs, ect, from your hard drive. This could take time depending on how much you have stored on your hard drive and how much you want to erase.

For applications, I recommend using a program like AppCleaner to get rid of the program and all associated systems files in one action. It is a free download, so you might want to hang on to it for future use.

It might also be a good idea for you to clear your Safari cache as well. To do this, open Safari and from the menu select, Safari > Empty Cache > Empty. If you use another web browser you should still be able to do this, but consult their help menu for proper instructions.

After you have deleted the files you no longer need, you must reorganize the ones you still want to keep. Although OS X does a great job of providing a built in organization system for different types of files like movies, photos or documents, it is still up to you to keep these files straight within their selected locations.

For instance, if you took a trip to France and you have a bunch of photo’s just sitting in your Pictures file, organize them by creating a new file called ‘Trip to France’ within Pictures to keep them together for easy location later. It is easier to store photos in a named file then to put names on each individual photo, as you can always add those later after you have them organized into a group.

There may be some files you want to keep as a backup, but don’t want taking up space on your hard drive, so to solve this problem I use an external hard drive. I do this for all my iMovie projects once I have uploaded them to the web, because I want to keep copies of them as a backup, but I don’t need hundreds of movie files crowding up my hard drive. By storing them on a separate hard drive, I know I can retrieve the files whenever or if ever I need them.

If you’re like me and like to read a wide variety of websites and blogs, you probably also have a mass of links bookmarked in Safari that you just sift through as you’re surfing. Well, to make this process easier and much quicker, you may want to download an RSS/Atom reader like NewsFire.

With this simple application, you can add a long list of RSS feeds and just click through each article you want to read. This saves you the time of having to load up each page and gives you the benefit of having the title of each article laid out so that you can pick and choose which you would want to read without having to scroll through multiple pages of a blog or site. Using a RSS reader like this also gives you the ability to read your favorite sites while you are offline as well, so long as you refresh your feed before you go offline!

Many of us use our computers to organize not only our work but also our family and personal lives simultaneously. This may result, however, in a chaotic mess of information, to do’s, links, recipes and whatever else you need scattered throughout multiple places on your computer.

So, to get all your tasks done and all your information in one place, use a program like iGTD. With iGTD you can organize your tasks by context or projects, separating work tasks, home tasks, family tasks, etc, with a built in organization system of calendars, places for notes, web links, and whatever other information you will need to complete your tasks.

After painstakingly choosing which type of Macbook you want, the next most difficult decision is how to keep said Macbook protected. There are so many options out there, ranging from no protection to complete protection, and in many different forms, that sometimes it can become difficult to decide. Well, don’t worry, because this easy guide will help you to choose between the many options and levels of protection out there for your Mac.

Perhaps one of the many reasons you decided to purchase one of Apple’s beautiful Macbooks was because you were in love the form and finish of the machine. Perhaps you love the glossy white of the Macbook, or the sleek aluminum of the Macbook Pro and you are not about to cover that up! So, what are your options? Let’s discuss.

Leaving your Mac naked is not the best idea to prevent from scratches or dents, but if you want to let the natural beauty and sleek physique of your notebook shine through, you might want to think about using a clear protective film. BodyGuards and Zagg’s Invisible Shield are two highly recommended brands of full body clear protection. These military grade films are easy to install and removable in case you need to, and for about $50 for complete coverage, they are a great way to protect the natural beauty of your machine from scratches. Downside, however, is that they do not protect against dents to aluminum models, so as long as your careful not to bump your Macbook, this protection could work for you.

So, you bought your Macbook because you are one of those expressive types that likes to show off your individuality, creativity and genius, and the best way to do that is through a computer that is designed just like you. You don’t just want your Macbook to create but you also want it to be a creation. Well, they make an App for that, err…. well, they make as skin for that at least!

GelaSkins makes a full line of protective sticker skins that provide an excellent source of protection for the lid of your Macbook for about $30. Only thing is, it provides no protection to the sides or bottom of your notebook, leaving it vulnerable to scratches and dents. You may want to use this option in conjunction with another form of protection, like a hard shell or one of the previously mentioned protective films. BodyGuardz actually sells their protective films by the piece so you can buy exactly the protection you need.

By the way, if your not happy with the choice of artwork offered at GelaSkins and other similar skin manufacturers, you can always create your own skin at Skinit ($34.95).

Scenario: You purchase a shiny new Macbook pro, stick a nice colorful skin on it to protect it, but one fine day you drop it as you’re pulling it out of your bag. It has only fallen a few inches, but UT OH, you dented it! It is one of the worst things that can happen physically to the aluminum Macbook casing and after checking the machine to make sure it is still working properly, you are left with a fully functional, but physically deformed, Mac.

So, I found an application that gives Mac users the ability to tether their Blackberry devices to their Macs. TetherBerry, costs about $50 but so far it is the only solution I have found that lets me utilize my mobile broadband plan.

In case you can’t watch the video and still want to know my tips on getting your Blackberry device to tether to your Mac, I am going to provide written directions below.

1. To begin, you will need to download the Tetherberry application on both your Mac and your Blackberry. Follow the link above, select Free Trial, and then choose the Mac Version of the software. From your Blackberry, open the TetherBerry webpage from your browser, select Free Trial, and then follow the URL provided to download the software onto your Blackberry.

2. Once you have successfully downloaded the software onto both your Mac and your Blackberry, go to Options on your Blackberry, then select Memory, and make sure Mass Storage Mode Support is ON and that Auto Enable Mass Storage Mode When Connected is either PROMPT or YES.

3. Next you must connect your Blackberry to your Mac via the USB cable that is provided to you with your Blackberry. At this point it would also be a good idea to check to make sure you are not connected to the internet by any other means. On your Mac, go to System Preferences and select Network. Check to make sure you are not connected to the internet at all before you continue.

4. The next step is to run the TetherBerry GUI on your computer and then also run the TetherBerry application on your Blackberry. You may need to provide your password in order to allow the connection between the Mac and the Blackberry on your computers end.

5. At this point, if everything has gone correctly, the Status of Tetherberry on your computer should say “TetherBerry Connection Active,” and you should see activity in the numbers of Packets and Data Sent and Received. You can also check that you are connected to TetherBerry by going back to the Network settings we visited earlier, where you should see that TetherBerry has an active connection.

6. Test your internet connection by opening up a browser window on your Mac. If it opens in a reasonable amount of time, you are good to go. However, if your browser does not open a new page or you get an error message from your web browser saying you are not connected to the internet, then Exit the TetherBerry Application (you may need to provide your password on your computer again) and then begin again from step 4 until the tethering is successful.

On a side note, the first time I attempted this method, it took me a few times of connecting and reconnecting to the TetherBerry software before my Mac was successfully receiving an internet connection. On subsequent attempts, it takes me two trials of step 4 onward to successfully get a browser page to load.

A few months ago, my house was broken into at 2 in the morning when the garage door was accidentally left open. The thief was only in the house for about 10 minutes while we slept upstairs, unaware of what was going on downstairs, until an odd noise woke someone in the house and when they went downstairs to see what was the matter, the thief ran out of the house. They only had enough time to grab a few things, but they ended up taking an HP laptop and an iPod as well as a purse and a container full of change. When I think about that night, I always go back to the question of why we felt safe enough to just leave the laptop sitting out on a table. Had we tucked it away in a desk drawer or someplace of out sight, it most likely wouldn’t have been seen, and therefore wouldn’t have been taken. Since then (although the stolen gadgets weren’t my own) I have learned my lesson and I keep my own tech gadgets hidden away when not in use. I think, however, accessory manufacturers need to come up with some good solutions beyond the traditional heavy wire Kensington locks that are just not practical for everyone.

For the past few days I have been working on creating a desktop image that would help me to enter a creative mindset whenever I used my mac. Since I am a sucker for interior design and I love images of desk setups, I decided to create my own fantasy Deskscape filled with elements of my design taste as well as some of my favorite things. The image includes a white tulip table desk, hanging lotus lamp, inspiration board with some of my favorite images, a monthly calendar, my Macbook Pro and an ipod touch. I think this Deskscape is a successful example of my personal style and design influences, and I am very pleased with the affect it is having on me already. I love the idea that my desktop image is a desktop set up itself, so that wherever I take my mac, so goes my fantasy desk top.

I have the full Deskscape image available for download on my Flickr, here. Enjoy and I would love to hear your feedback! I will be making a video on this Deskscape so keep an eye out for that as well!

One of my favorite things about my new Macbook Pro is the presence of the SD Card Slot, the new addition to the Macbook Pro lineup. As someone who uses their digital camera frequently for both images and video, there is nothing easier than slipping the slim card into the side of my Mac for quick uploads of my digital media onto my computer and the internet. In fact, it is so easy to upload my digital content onto my computer now, I actually credit it with the increase in my productivity.

Before the SD slot, I would have to do one of the following. (1) I would have to connect my camera to my Mac via a cable and then upload my images through Image Capture or (2) I would have to attach my USB SD Card Reader to my Mac and then insert my SD card to upload my media that way. Either way, I had to use another device to transfer my media, and although it wasn’t a difficult task, it certainly wasn’t something I was willing to do frequently, and I would actually hold off on uploading my pictures and videos because I didn’t feel like making a mess and pulling out extra cables for a small transfer.

I am really excited today for three reasons, but let me give you a little back story first. Whenever I go to the mall, I always search the magazine sections in book stores and in large stores like Target to locate my favorite magazines. Unfortunately, most stores don’t carry all of the tech magazines that I like to read. So, after yet another unsuccessful trip to Target this weekend to find the new MacLife, I decided that I needed to get my reading from the source. So, I finally went ahead and subscribed to MacLife, Macworld, and Wired Magazines! I am really pleased with my decision because MacLife specifically also provides you with digital copies of the magazine, so you can just take it with you on your computer! No more scouring news stands and bookstores for me!