When you think of spring cleaning, it’s usually the cupboards, the email inbox, or maybe the office kitchen that gets the attention. But your IT setup? That’s often the last thing anyone checks and the first thing to cause issues when it’s been left untouched.
Just like cherry blossoms mark a seasonal reset, spring is an ideal time to step back and assess your IT environment. It’s more than just clearing digital clutter. It’s your opportunity to spot overlooked risks before they turn into costly disruptions. Outdated software, unused accounts, and unmonitored backups can quietly weaken performance and security. A proactive review now can help keep your systems reliable, secure, and ready for what’s next.
Whether you’re working with an in-house team or external support, here’s a quick checklist to help you tidy up the areas that are often missed.
1. Forgotten User Accounts
When team members leave or roles change, their old user accounts often remain active longer than necessary. These unused accounts can quietly accumulate across systems from email platforms to shared drives without anyone noticing.
While they may seem harmless, inactive accounts can pose a security risk, especially if they still have access to sensitive data or admin permissions. They can also add unnecessary clutter to your systems and licensing costs.
What to do: Run a user account audit across key platforms like Microsoft 365, file servers, and third-party SaaS tools. Look for accounts that haven’t been accessed in the last 30 to 90 days. Remove, deactivate, or adjust permissions as needed to keep your environment clean, secure, and compliant.
2. Outdated Devices and Operating Systems
Old devices and unsupported operating systems can quietly slow down your team and increase your exposure to security risks. Without regular updates and patches, these systems are more vulnerable to malware, compatibility issues, and data breaches.
Outdated tech also leads to reduced efficiency, poor user experience, and higher maintenance costs over time.
What to do: Review all company devices, including desktops, laptops, and mobile endpoints. Check for any running end-of-life operating systems or hardware that’s no longer supported. Prioritise replacements or upgrades in phases, starting with high-risk or business-critical systems.
3. Shadow IT and Unapproved Tools
Teams often turn to their own tools to move faster or fill a gap. Someone installs a file-sharing app for a project. Someone else signs up for a free design tool or downloads a PDF editor just to tweak a document. Over time, business data ends up scattered across platforms that aren’t approved or monitored.
This kind of shadow IT can introduce security risks, create duplicate workflows, and reduce visibility across the organisation.
What to do: Talk to each department about the tools they’re using and why. Look for overlaps, eliminate what’s unnecessary, and create a standard set of approved tools that support both productivity and security. Make sure anything that stays is properly configured, secured, and clearly documented.
4. Backup Systems That Aren’t Backing Up
Backups are like insurance. You only realise there’s a problem when you need them. Many businesses assume everything is working fine until they try to recover a file and discover the backup failed weeks or even months ago.
Missed schedules, incorrect settings, or storage issues can all lead to incomplete or unreliable backups.
What to do: Run a test restore to make sure your backups are working properly. Check that they are running on time, covering the right data, and storing copies securely either offsite or in the cloud. Reviewing logs regularly helps catch problems early before they become serious.
5. Missed Security Patches
Missed updates may not seem urgent, but they can create gaps that cybercriminals are quick to exploit. Security patches are released to fix known vulnerabilities, yet they only offer protection if they’re actually applied.
Delaying or skipping patches can leave your systems exposed to threats that are already being targeted in the wild.
What to do: Check for any pending updates across devices, operating systems, and applications. Where possible, enable automatic updates to reduce manual effort. Make patching part of your routine IT maintenance to help close security gaps and keep your systems protected.
6. Licenses You’re Paying For but Not Using
Unused software licenses are a common source of hidden costs. When employees leave, projects end, or tools go unused, subscriptions often continue without notice and slowly drain your budget over time.
These overlooked costs can add up quickly, especially across larger teams or multiple SaaS platforms.
What to do: Review your current software subscriptions and compare them against active users. Cancel or reassign any licenses that are no longer needed. Building this into a monthly review can help reduce waste and keep your tech budget under control.
7. Weak Passwords and Missing MFA
Password security is easy to overlook, especially when teams are moving fast. But without multi-factor authentication in place, a single compromised login can put your systems at risk.
Weak passwords, reused credentials, or unprotected accounts are still some of the most common ways attackers gain access to business data.
What to do: Review your MFA setup and confirm it is active across all critical systems, including email, file storage, and remote access tools. Strengthen password policies by requiring complexity, regular updates, and limiting reuse. These small changes can add a strong layer of protection to your environment.
Password security is easy to overlook, especially when teams are moving fast. But without multi-factor authentication in place, a single compromised login can put your systems at risk.
Weak passwords, reused credentials, or unprotected accounts are still some of the most common ways attackers gain access to business data.
What to do: Review your MFA setup and confirm it is active across all critical systems, including email, file storage, and remote access tools. Strengthen password policies by requiring complexity, regular updates, and limiting reuse. These small changes can add a strong layer of protection to your environment.
Why Cherry Blossom Season Is the Perfect Time
Cherry blossom season doesn’t last long. It’s a reminder that the right changes, made at the right time, can leave a lasting impact.
It is the ideal moment to pause and assess your IT environment. A seasonal reset helps clear out inefficiencies, reduce risks, and improve overall performance. Whether you’re scaling, hiring, or planning to bring on new vendors, a clean and secure setup gives you a stronger foundation to move forward with confidence.
Get a Free IT Spring Clean from the Experts Who Know Where to Look
A modern IT environment should support your business, not slow it down. But over time, inefficiencies build up, tools get overlooked, and risks go unnoticed. Most of the time, you don’t realise there’s a problem until something breaks.
This spring, Sereno is offering a free IT spring clean consultation. Our experts will review your current setup, flag potential risks, and suggest smart ways to streamline your systems. No sales pitch. Just practical, actionable advice tailored to your business.
If you’re planning to scale, adopt new tools, or want a stronger foundation, this is a great place to start.
Book your free consultation today and give your IT the reset it deserves.
