I'm No Tech, But I Know 90% of My Cloud Backup Is Garbage
You don’t need to be a tech expert to feel this one: cloud backups are out of control. Open your iCloud, Google Photos, or OneDrive and you’ll find thousands of screenshots, duplicate photos, accidental videos, weird auto-saves, old downloads, and blurry shots you meant to delete years ago.
Most people don’t admit it, but here’s the truth:
Around 90% of what we store in the cloud is digital garbage.
And we’re all paying for it every month.
This isn’t a tech problem — it’s a human habit problem. We take too many pictures. We never delete anything. We let apps auto-save everything. And then we’re shocked when our cloud fills up, even though we barely remember half the stuff we backed up.
Let’s talk about why this happens, why it matters, and how cleaning up your digital life is not just good for your wallet but good for the planet too.
1. Cloud Backups Are Designed to Grow — Even When You Don’t Need Them To
Cloud companies make storage so easy that you don’t even notice what's happening.
- Every photo auto-uploads - Every screenshot auto-saves - Every WhatsApp image goes to the cloud - Every silly video is backed up instantly - Every old backup from an old phone sits there forever
Cloud Icon (Public Domain)
Image: Cloud storage icon (Public Domain)
Cloud storage feels infinite — until you run out.
And when you do, the answer is always the same:
"Upgrade your plan."
It’s easier to click “upgrade” than to clean things up, so almost everyone does it.
That’s why people end up paying every month for thousands of files they will never open again.
2. 90% Garbage? Yes. Let’s Be Honest.
Here are the biggest cloud storage offenders:
✔ Duplicate photos Every phone restores backups over backups. You end up with the same picture 3–5 times.
✔ Screenshots from 2017 Menu screenshots. Coupon screenshots. Random memes. Screenshots of screenshots.
✔ Burst shots and Live Photos You only wanted one, but your phone saved twelve.
✔ Accidental videos
You think you're taking a picture → it’s actually a video → cloud backs it up → 200MB instantly gone.✔ WhatsApp / Messenger junk
Every sticker, GIF, forwarded image, and blurry cousin selfie goes into your backup.✔ Download folders you forgot existed
Old PDFs, boarding passes, receipts… all stored forever.✔ Old device backups
Your old iPhone 7 backup is STILL taking up space in iCloud.Example: Cluttered Camera Roll (Public Domain)
Image: Messy photo gallery (Public Domain)
If you’ve ever scrolled through your cloud photos and thought, “Where did all this come from?” — you’re not alone.
3. Cloud Garbage Costs Money — Every Month
Most people upgrade their plan instead of cleaning up, without realizing how much it adds up.
- iCloud 200GB → $2.99/month - iCloud 2TB → $9.99/month - Google 2TB → $9.99/month - OneDrive 1TB → $6.99/month
Over 10 years, it can easily pass $1,000.
Storage Growth Chart (CC BY-SA)
Image: Growth of storage usage (CC BY-SA)
All for files you don’t even want.
4. Digital Hoarding Is Real — And Happening to Everyone
Most people say:
“I’ll clean it later.”
But later never comes.
Digital hoarding is easy because:
- There’s no physical mess - No guilt from seeing clutter - No pressure to organize - Deleting feels risky - “What if I need it someday?”
But do you really need:
- 9 pictures of the same sunset? - 20 random memes? - That blurry cat video from 2014?
Probably not.
5. Cleaning Your Cloud Is Good for Your Wallet AND the Planet
Yes — your cloud junk impacts the environment.
Data centers use massive amounts of:
- Electricity - Cooling system energy - Backup power resources
Green Energy Data Center (CC0)
Image: Eco-friendly datacenter (Public Domain)
Storing useless files across millions of people equals enormous energy waste.
Cleaning your cloud helps:
- Reduce energy consumption - Lower carbon footprints - Decrease redundant data replication - Save natural resources
6. You Don’t Need to Be Technical to Fix This
Anyone can clean their cloud — no tech knowledge required. Start with simple habits:
Tip 1: Delete duplicates
Duplicates take more space than anything else.Tip 2: Remove old device backups
If the phone is long gone, delete the backup.Tip 3: Clean screenshots monthly
Most screenshots are disposable.Tip 4: Delete short, accidental videos
Those 3-second mistakes can be 150–300 MB.Tip 5: Turn off auto-download in messaging apps
Stop apps from syncing junk automatically.Tip 6: Convert heavy media
Use modern formats like HEIC, AVIF, and AV1 to shrink storage.Tip 7: Use tools like Tomyaya
These tools can:- Identify duplicates - Remove junk - Compress photos - Compress videos - Organize your cloud automatically
7. Cloud Cleanup = Better Habits = Less Stress
A cleaner cloud feels good.
- Less clutter - Faster browsing - Less stress looking for old photos - Less wasted storage - Lower cloud bills
Start with these easy habits:
- Delete before uploading - Monthly cleanup sessions - Organize into albums - Use modern compression - Keep only what matters
8. Final Thoughts: Your Cloud Doesn’t Need to Be a Dumpster
You’re not a tech person — and you don’t need to be.
You already know your cloud is stuffed with garbage. You already know you're paying for storage you don’t use. You already know you have blurry photos, duplicates, random downloads, and forgotten backups.
What you might not know is:
- Cleaning it up is easy - It saves money - It helps the planet - It reduces digital stress - And it gives you back control of your digital life
Your cloud should be a collection of your best memories — not a landfill of forgotten files.
Start small. Build good habits. Keep things clean. Your wallet, your sanity, and even the Earth will thank you.