Week Nine: Digital Housekeeping

Week Nine: July 11th, 2015: Digital Housekeeping

Now that we are in the daily and weekly habits of simplifying, cleaning, and leaving no trace in our home, my attention has turned to the digital landscape. I started playing with Social Life Management (sociallifemanagement.com) in an effort to limit my social media footprint a bit. I've been minimal on Twitter (but had two accounts), YouTube, Pinterest, etc. but my Facebook footprint is so big I'm surprised a sasquatch hunter hasn't cast it in plaster.

Additionally, I have growing concerns about sharing pictures online to too broad an audience. Not just for security for my family, but more the ego driven part of selfy culture and a tendency to vomit 'look what I can do!' Stuart moments out into the digital ether versus being really present in that actual moment. I say this not with criticism of others, but of absolute admission that I have been doing this for YEARS. Time to stop. We have claimed some simplicity - time to reclaim our privacy and set a better example for our daughters that life is beautiful, moments are precious, and experiences are fleeting. Be in it instead of tweeting it.

So, last night I started cataloging how many pictures I had on Facebook (>5,000 - yup), how many Google+ profiles I had out there (at least three), and all the others. I'm still going to keep a few photos on Facebook, but will try to keep it to <200, and half of them will only be viewable by family members. I already deleted all my Google+ profiles (which I never used - and then had to add one back just so I can use Blogger), my extra Twitter account, and am trying to figure out how to download my Instagram photos and then that may go away too. This is not an effort to cut social media out completely - but to SIMPLIFY what feeds I feed into, what I share and with whom, and to reclaim privacy and the ability to fully enjoy moments without the needs to over share. 

Here's another perspective on why to be in the moment instead of on Instagram or Facebook.