The ritual of spring cleaning spans 3,000 years and many cultures. It seems that lengthening days and milder temperatures prompt in us an almost-inborn urge to de-clutter, clean and re-organise our surroundings. The promoters of UK National Spring-Cleaning Week 2019, starting on 4th March, advise readers how best to achieve this.
Labour-saving gadgets and modern cleaning products aside, their approach to spring cleaning a house has changed little since that described by Mrs Beeton in her 19th century ‘Book of Household Management’. One striking difference, however, is the medium used by each author, namely internet vs book, and the extension of ‘spring cleaning’ to cover more recent features of our lives, including the computer.
Cleaning a computer screen, case and keyboard is obvious. But unless you’re computer-savvy you may not know that a clean ‘inside’ demands good anti-virus software, files neatly organised into named folders, out-of-date files ‘thrown’ into the Recycle Bin, which is emptied regularly. All these practices free up storage space, make your computer easier to use and enable it to run faster.
If the above paragraph leaves you baffled, the Rotherham U3A Information Technology group can help you make sense of it all. Learn what you need to know about PCs at your own pace, from switching on and off correctly, using the internet, avoiding scams, creating documents such as letters, making posters, etc. To find out more contact Maureen Broadhead on 01302 746744.
Explore www.u3asites.org.uk/rotherham for full details of contacts and all 34 activities available through Rotherham U3A. Or call Sylvia Duncan on 01709 374841.