Kempt
In short
Tidy a Mac in this order: the Desktop (turn on Stacks), Downloads (bin the installers, name what matters), a few top folders in Documents, then System Settings › General › Storage.That takes an afternoon. Keeping it tidy is the hard part, because new files keep arriving with names like “document (3).pdf”. Kempt names and files them as they land, on your Mac.
Without any app
Desktop: Use Stacks
Control-click the desktop and choose Use Stacks, or View › Use Stacks (Control-Command-0). Files gather by kind; View › Group Stacks By can group by date or tag instead. It hides the mess; it doesn’t sort it.
Downloads: clear and name
In Finder, open Downloads and sort by Kind. Move .dmg and .pkg installers to the Trash once their apps are installed. Rename the files you’ll need again with a date and who sent them: “2026-10 Rent receipt.pdf”.
A few folders, not many
In Documents, make five to seven top folders: Home, Money, Work, Health, ID, Taxes. Two levels at most. File the named papers there and leave the rest in an “Old” folder rather than sorting years at once.
Storage: Apple’s recommendations
System Settings › General › Storage lists Store in iCloud, Optimize Storage and Empty Trash automatically, and how much each category uses. Click the info button next to a category to see and delete its largest items.
Keep the Trash honest
Finder › Settings › Advanced › Remove items from the Trash after 30 days. Deleting files only frees space once they leave the Trash.
| Mess | Built-in fix | What it doesn’t do |
|---|---|---|
| Cluttered Desktop | Use Stacks; Desktop & Dock › Show Items | Name or file anything |
| Downloads full of “document (3).pdf” | Sort by Kind, rename by hand | Read what the file is |
| Old folders of scans | Smart Folders to find them | Move them anywhere |
| Disk almost full | General › Storage recommendations | Find duplicates or old installers |
| Same file saved twice | Sort by Name and Size, compare in Quick Look | Spot renamed copies |
With Kempt
- 1
New files stay tidy
Kempt reads each supported file that lands in Downloads, and each new screenshot on the Desktop, writes a name from what it says in the notch, then files it after a short countdown. Files it isn’t sure about wait in “Needs a look”.
- 2
Old mess, one plan
Tidy a Folder proposes a name and a home for every file in any old folder. Nothing moves until you click Tidy, and every move can be undone. iCloud-only files are never read or moved, and a Never touch list keeps folders out.
- 3
Space back, safely
Clean Up finds installers for apps you already have, unfinished downloads, exact duplicates, similar copies, screenshots older than a month and files over 500 MB. Items go to the Trash, and every cleanup can be undone.
$27 once, 14 days freeRuns on every Apple silicon MacA question? Ask a person
Questions people ask
Is there an app that tidies my Mac automatically?
macOS sorts and groups but doesn’t read files. Kempt names and files new downloads and screenshots from their content, on your Mac; Hazel moves files with rules you write.
Do I need CleanMyMac to tidy my Mac?
For files, no: CleanMyMac clears system junk, apps and malware but doesn’t sort documents into folders. Apple says macOS clears caches and logs that are safe to delete when space is needed.
What shouldn’t I move when tidying?
Leave the Library folder, Applications and anything an app created for itself. Tidy your own files: Desktop, Downloads, Documents and Pictures.
How often should I tidy up?
A full tidy once, then five minutes a week for Downloads and the Desktop, or let an app file new files as they arrive.
How do I clean up my Mac to run faster?
Tidying files rarely speeds a Mac up unless the disk is nearly full. Free space in System Settings › General › Storage, quit apps you don’t use, and check Activity Monitor for anything using a lot of CPU or memory.
How do I declutter my Mac Dock?
Drag apps you don’t use out of the Dock, and in System Settings › Desktop & Dock turn off showing suggested and recent apps.
What is the best way to organize files on a MacBook?
A few top folders in Documents (Home, Money, Work, Health, ID, Taxes), names that start with the date, and Downloads emptied every week. Two levels of folders are enough.