Why we never delete old photos, emails, and screenshots

We’ve all been there—scrolling through thousands of old photos, trying to find that one perfect shot, only to be reminded of blurry restaurant dishes and ten versions of the same sunset. Or worse, searching an email inbox overflowing with unread newsletters, spam, and outdated work documents. If this sounds familiar, you might be a digital hoarder.

Digital hoarding is real 

Unlike physical clutter, digital hoarding often goes unnoticed. There are no overflowing closets or jam-packed drawers—just infinite storage space on cloud services that silently collect everything we refuse to delete. The psychology behind this is simple: we believe we might need these files one day. That one email from 2014? It could be important. The hundred nearly identical selfies? There must be a difference.

Why do we hoard data?

• Fear of losing memories – In the age of digital nostalgia, deleting an old text thread or a forgotten meme feels like erasing a piece of our past.

• Unlimited storage, unlimited clutter – With terabytes of cloud storage, there’s no urgency to clean up. Unlike a physical space, our phones and laptops don’t get visibly messy.

• The ‘just in case’ mentality – That one screenshot of an interesting book recommendation? You haven’t read it, but you might one day.

• Work and productivity anxiety – Old emails, meeting notes, and drafts stick around because we fear deleting something that might prove useful later.

The consequences of digital clutter

Digital hoarding isn’t just an annoyance—it has real consequences. Studies show that excessive data storage can cause decision fatigue, making it harder to focus and process information. Additionally, disorganised files slow down devices, increase stress, and even pose security risks if sensitive data is stored indefinitely.

How to declutter your digital life

Make it a rule to delete unnecessary photos and files weekly. Clear out email newsletters and categorize important messages into folders. Artificially limit yourself to a specific amount of space to encourage mindful saving. If you haven’t looked at a file or photo in a year, you probably never will. Maybe it’s time to hit ‘delete’ on that folder of blurry concert videos. You weren’t going to watch them anyway.