For many years, I've had the pleasure of teaching older adults how to embrace the wonderful world of smartphones. One of the most common frustrations I hear, especially from folks new to the technology, is about the "clutter" on their home screen. "Suzy," a lovely gentleman named Arthur, who recently turned 82, told me last Tuesday, "my phone looks like a teenager's backpack after a school trip – full of stuff, and I can't find anything!" He wasn't wrong. Modern smartphones come preloaded with so many apps, and then we add more, and before you know it, what should be a helpful tool feels like a digital junkyard. But it doesn't have to be this way! Today, we're going to embark on a journey together to transform your smartphone's home screen into a calm, organized, and truly useful space. Think of me as your personal digital librarian, helping you put everything in its rightful, easy-to-find place.

Welcome to a Simpler Screen!

Your smartphone's home screen is your digital front door. It's the first thing you see every time you unlock your device, and it should guide you effortlessly to what you want to do. If it fills you with a sense of dread or confusion, we need to change that. My philosophy, developed over nearly two decades of teaching, is simple: technology should serve you, not the other way around. And a well-organized home screen is foundational to that. We'll tackle this step-by-step, no hurried movements, no technical jargon that leaves you scratching your head. Just clear, actionable advice.

Why a Tidy Home Screen Makes All the Difference

Imagine your kitchen. If all your pots were stacked haphazardly, your spices were mixed in with your plates, and your cutlery drawer was a jumble, cooking would be a nightmare. The same principle applies to your phone. A cluttered screen means:

• Wasted Time: You spend precious moments swiping through pages, searching for that specific app.
• Increased Frustration: The feeling of "I know it's here somewhere!" can be incredibly irritating.
• Missed Opportunities: You might not use helpful apps simply because they're too difficult to locate.
• Cognitive Overload: Too many icons, too much visual noise, can be taxing on the brain, especially as we get older. A simpler screen is a calmer screen.

One of my students, Eleanor, who is a spry 92 and recently got her first iPhone 15, found herself always asking her granddaughter to find her "photo app." After we rearranged her home screen, putting the Photos app prominently, she proudly showed me a picture of her cat on her own just a week later. She felt such a wonderful sense of accomplishment, and it all started with knowing exactly where her most-used tools were.

The Ever-Present Dock: Your Best Friends Live Here

Let's start with the absolute prime real estate on your phone: the Dock. This is the row of apps at the very bottom of your screen that stays visible no matter which page of your home screen you're on. Think of it as your most cherished, most frequently used tools – your absolute go-tos. On both iPhones (running iOS 17/18) and Android phones (like a Samsung Galaxy running Android 14/15), you can typically place four to five apps here. What should go in your Dock?

• Phone: Absolutely essential for making calls.
• Messages: For staying in touch with family and friends.
• Camera: Ready to capture those spontaneous moments.
• Safari/Chrome (Web Browser): Your window to the internet.
• Email: If you check it frequently.

To move an app to the Dock on an iPhone:

1. Tap and hold any app icon on your home screen until all the icons jiggle.
2. Drag the app you want to remove from the Dock up onto your main home screen. This creates space.
3. Now, drag the app you want into the Dock down to fill that empty space.
4. Once you're done, tap "Done" in the top right corner (or press the Home button on older iPhones, or swipe up on newer ones) to stop the jiggling.

On an Android phone, the process is very similar:

1. Tap and hold any app icon on your home screen.
2. Drag an existing app out of the Dock (sometimes called the "Favorites tray" or similar) onto your main home screen to free up a spot.
3. Drag the app you want into the Dock down into the available space.
4. Release your finger. There's usually no "Done" button; just tap an empty spot on the screen or press the home button.

Take a moment now to arrange your Dock with your top 4-5 apps. This simple step makes a huge difference!

Folders: Your Digital Filing Cabinets

Once your absolute essentials are in the Dock, the next level of organization comes with folders. Folders are brilliant for grouping similar apps together, reducing clutter, and making your home screen much cleaner. Instead of having 20 different apps scattered across two pages, you can have a "Social" folder with Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, or a "Finance" folder with your banking apps. I always recommend aiming for a single home screen page if possible, with folders doing most of the heavy lifting. This means less swiping and searching for you.

Think about categories that make sense to you. Here are some common and effective folder ideas:

• Communication: Messaging, Email, Phone, FaceTime/Google Duo (though Phone and Messages might be in your Dock). This is also where you might put your favorite video calling apps.
• Photos & Video: Camera (if not in Dock), Photos, Gallery, Photo Editing apps.
• Utilities: Calculator, Clock, Weather, Flashlight, Notes.
• Travel: Maps, Airline apps, Hotel apps.
• Health: Fitness trackers, Medication reminders, Doctor appointment apps.
• Entertainment: Netflix, YouTube, Music apps, Books.
• Astoria Net Shop: If you use our website often, you might save a bookmark to your home screen!

To create a folder on an iPhone (iOS 17/18):

1. Tap and hold an app icon until all icons jiggle.
2. Drag one app icon on top of another app icon that you want to group it with. A folder will automatically be created around them.
3. Tap on the newly created folder to open it.
4. Tap on the folder's name (it usually defaults to a suggested name like "Utilities" or "Productivity") and change it to something meaningful to you, like "My Tools" or "Bank Apps."
5. You can then drag more apps into this folder.
6. When done, tap "Done" in the top right.

To create a folder on an Android phone (Android 14/15, for example, on a Google Pixel or Samsung Galaxy):

1. Tap and hold an app icon, then drag it on top of another app you want to group. A folder will form.
2. Tap the folder to open it.
3. Tap "Unnamed Folder" or the default name to rename it.
4. Drag more apps into the folder as needed.
5. Tap an empty spot on the screen or the back button to close the folder.

Don't be afraid to experiment with folder names! My student, Agnes, once named her folder for games "My Mind Relaxers," which I thought was just perfect and very personal to her. The goal is clarity for you.

Arranging Apps: The "Most Used First" Rule

Once you have a few pages of apps, or several folders, how do you decide what goes where? My advice is always to arrange by frequency of use. Your most frequently used folders and individual apps (that aren't in the dock) should be on your primary home screen, at the top left, where your eyes naturally scan first. As you move down and to the right, and onto subsequent home screens, place apps and folders you use less often.

• First Home Screen: Your Dock, plus your most essential individual apps (Camera, Photos, Weather) and your most-used folders (Communication, Utilities).
• Second Home Screen (if needed): Less frequently used folders (Entertainment, Travel) and individual apps.
• App Library/App Drawer: Both iOS and Android have a place where all your apps reside, whether they are on your home screen or not. On iPhone, it's the "App Library" (swipe all the way to the right). On Android, it's the "App Drawer" (usually an up-swipe from the home screen, or an icon with dots/squares). Remember, you don't need every single app on a home screen page. If you use an app very rarely, let it live in the App Library/Drawer and search for it when you need it. This keeps your main screens ultra-clean.

To rearrange apps on the home screen:

1. Tap and hold an app icon until it jiggles.
2. Drag the app to its new desired location. You can move it from one home screen page to another by dragging it to the edge of the screen.
3. Release your finger, then tap "Done" or the home button.

Widgets: Little Windows of Information

Widgets are incredible tools that can provide you with information at a glance without even opening an app. Instead of just being an icon that launches an app, a widget displays live information. Think of a weather widget showing you the current temperature, or a calendar widget displaying your next appointment. These can significantly reduce the need to open apps for quick checks.

Popular widgets for seniors include:

• Weather: See the forecast instantly.
• Calendar: Your next appointment, plain as day.
• Photos: A rotating display of cherished memories.
• Stocks: If you keep an eye on investments.
• Battery: See your phone and connected device (like hearing aids) battery levels at a glance.

To add a widget on an iPhone (iOS 17/18):

1. Tap and hold an empty space on your home screen until apps jiggle.
2. Tap the "+" button in the top left corner.
3. Browse or search for the widget you want (e.g., "Weather").
4. Choose the size and style, then tap "Add Widget."
5. Drag the widget to your desired spot on the home screen.
6. Tap "Done."

To add a widget on an Android phone (Android 14/15):

1. Tap and hold an empty space on your home screen.
2. Tap "Widgets" from the menu that appears.
3. Browse or search for the widget you want.
4. Tap and hold the widget, then drag it to your desired spot on the home screen.
5. Release your finger. You might be prompted to resize it.
6. Tap an empty spot to finish.

Remember, widgets are great for glanceable information, but don't feel the need to fill your screen with them. A few well-chosen widgets can enhance clarity, but too many can lead to clutter again!

Spring Cleaning: Deleting or Offloading Unused Apps

Finally, let's talk about apps you simply don't use. Just like you wouldn't keep old, dusty trinkets on your mantelpiece if they no longer brought you joy, there's no need to keep apps on your phone that you never open. They take up space, they can run in the background, and most importantly, they contribute to visual clutter.

My recommendation is to go through your apps once every few months and ask yourself: "When did I last use this app? Do I truly need it?" If the answer is "never" or "I can't remember," it's time for it to go.

To delete an app on an iPhone (iOS 17/18):

1. Tap and hold the app icon you want to delete until all apps jiggle.
2. Tap the "–" (minus) icon in the top left corner of the app icon.
3. Tap "Delete App" (or "Remove App" which gives you the option to "Remove from Home Screen" but keep it in the App Library, or "Delete App" entirely). For our purposes of decluttering, choose "Delete App."
4. Confirm your choice.

To delete an app on an Android phone (Android 14/15):

1. Tap and hold the app icon you want to delete.
2. You'll typically see an "Uninstall" or "Remove" option appear. Drag the app icon to this option.
3. Confirm your choice.

Some pre-installed apps might not be deletable, but you can often "disable" them or "remove them from the home screen" (which sends them to the App Library on iPhone or App Drawer on Android). This achieves the same goal of decluttering your view.

A Final Word of Encouragement

Organizing your home screen is an ongoing process, not a one-time event. As you use your phone more, your habits and needs might change. Don't be afraid to revisit your setup and make adjustments. The goal isn't perfection, but rather comfort and clarity. A few moments spent organizing your digital space can lead to a much more peaceful and productive relationship with your smartphone. You've got this!

Warmly,

Suzy Ahn