Clean Up Your Desktop

The computer desktop is supposed to give you quick, one-click access to important files.

But we all know that a cluttered desktop not only looks nasty—it can make starting your computer reeeaaaallly slow. It’s tempting to clear it completely, but what about multi-taskers who have a lot of things to do (and no patience to wade through file folders)?

The new freeware, Camouflage, combines the best of both worlds. This application changes the menu bar, so you can temporarily hide the desktop icons from view. You can still access them, but you don’t have to see them on screen every second of the day. Other good features include a toggle function that lets you show all desktop contents—just in case you’re hunting for something important—and then “kick them back under the rug” so to speak. ((It’s also pretty useful for hiding those game shortcuts from your boss.)