Cleanup Unused Assets Guide
Learn how to identify and clean up unused, duplicate, and orphaned assets to keep your library manageable.
Overview
Regular cleanup helps:
- Reduce storage costs
- Improve library performance
- Make assets easier to find
- Remove clutter
Finding Unused Assets
Assets Not in Any Stories
Find all assets that aren't used in any published stories
Show me images uploaded more than 6 months ago
that aren't referenced in any content
Old Campaign Assets
Find all assets:
- In /marketing/2023/ folder
- Not used in any active stories
- Tagged "campaign"
Move to archive for review.
Duplicate Detection
Find Similar Assets
Find potential duplicates:
1. Same filename in different folders
2. Similar file sizes
3. Uploaded on same day
Show side-by-side for comparison
Resolve Duplicates
For duplicate logo files:
1. Keep the one in /brand-assets/
2. Update stories to use that version
3. Delete duplicates from other folders
Safe Deletion Process
Step 1: Identify
Create "cleanup-review" folder and move:
- Assets older than 1 year
- Never used in stories
- Not tagged "keep" or "brand-asset"
Step 2: Review
For assets in cleanup-review:
1. Show last modified date
2. Check if in any draft stories
3. Verify not in scheduled content
Step 3: Archive
Move verified unused assets to /archive/2023/
Tag with deletion-candidate and date
Step 4: Delete
After 30-day archive period:
Delete assets tagged deletion-candidate from 2+ months ago
Maintenance Schedule
Weekly
Check for orphaned uploads (no folder assigned)
Move to appropriate folders
Monthly
Find unused assets from 60+ days ago
Move to review queue
Quarterly
Archive old campaign assets
Delete ancient unused files
Review folder structure
Best Practices
- Never delete immediately - Move to archive first
- 30-day buffer - Keep in archive before deletion
- Check dependencies - Verify not in draft or scheduled content
- Document deletions - Keep log of what was removed
- Team review - Get approval for large deletions
Related Resources
Need help cleaning up assets? Ask Claude to identify unused files and guide you through safe deletion!