Trash
The Trash provides a safety net for deleted projects. Instead of immediate permanent deletion, projects go to the Trash where they remain for 7 days before being automatically purged.
Overview
When you delete a project (ParaItem), it moves to the Trash instead of being permanently deleted. This gives you time to recover accidentally deleted items.
Key features:
- 7-day retention - Items stay in Trash for 7 days
- Auto-purge - Items are automatically deleted after 7 days
- Restore anytime - Recover items before they're purged
- Permanent delete - Remove items immediately if needed
Accessing Trash
Find the Trash in your account dropdown menu:
- Click your email/username in the navbar
- Click Trash
The menu shows a count of items currently in your Trash.
Viewing Trashed Items
The Trash page displays:
- Title - The project name
- Category - Project, Area, Resource, or Archive
- Trashed date - When the item was deleted
- Days remaining - Time until auto-purge
Restoring Items
To restore a trashed item:
- Go to Trash
- Find the item you want to restore
- Click Restore
The item returns to your active projects with all its content intact:
- Tasks
- Notes
- Files
- Journal entries
- Tags
Collaborators
When you restore a shared project, collaborators are not automatically re-added. You'll need to re-invite them from the Collaborate tab.
Permanent Deletion
To permanently delete an item before the 7-day period:
- Go to Trash
- Click Delete on the item
- Confirm the deletion
Warning: This action cannot be undone. All associated content is permanently removed.
Emptying Trash
To permanently delete all trashed items at once:
- Go to Trash
- Click Empty Trash
- Confirm the action
Warning: This permanently deletes all items in your Trash. This cannot be undone.
What Happens to Collaborators?
When you trash a shared project:
- Collaborators immediately lose access
- They cannot see the project anymore
- Notifications about the project stop
If you restore the project:
- You must manually re-add collaborators
- Previous collaboration history remains
What Gets Deleted?
When a project is permanently deleted (after 7 days or manual deletion), the following are removed:
| Content | Deleted? |
|---|---|
| The project itself | Yes |
| All tasks | Yes |
| All notes | Yes |
| All files | Yes |
| All folders | Yes |
| Journal entries | Yes |
| Comments | Yes |
| Tags (associations) | Yes |
| Collaborator links | Yes |
| Share links | Yes |
Note: Tags themselves are not deleted, only the associations to this project's content.
Auto-Purge Schedule
The system automatically purges items that have been in Trash for 7 or more days. This runs daily at 3:00 AM server time.
Who Can Access Trash?
- Only the owner of a project can trash it
- Only the owner can restore or permanently delete from Trash
- Collaborators cannot trash shared projects
- Collaborators cannot access or view the owner's Trash
Tips
Before Deleting
Consider whether you want to:
- Archive the project instead (keeps it accessible but hidden from main views)
- Export important data first
Recovering Work
If you accidentally delete a project:
- Go to Trash immediately
- Restore the item
- Verify all content is intact
Regular Cleanup
Periodically review your Trash:
- Permanently delete items you're sure about
- Restore items you need
- Let unneeded items auto-purge
Related Topics
- PARA Method - Understanding project organization
- Collaboration - Working with others
- Public Sharing - Sharing content externally