Sounds cool! What’s first?

As usual, the first step is to click through to the developer’s website to download, then install, the app. Once you copy the application into the appropriate folder on your Mac, you can run in it. Upon first run, you’ll see this screen:

Click through to the next screen for your first set of options. Here, you’ll need to select what folders you want DeskShade use for background pictures. I’ve selected every album that I have in my normal OS X Desktop Preferences window.

Next, DeskShade will prompt you to get you to choose a transition effect. This is used when DeskShade changes what your active background is. This is a great feature because it is

customizable and perfect for those of us who generally want a new background for our computer on a weekly or more basis.

The last feature you’ll set up are system wide hot-keys. These will allow you to quickly and easily access DeskShade’s features system wide, whenever you see fit. This is a great solution for those of us who are addicted to our keyboard rather than to our mouse.

Results!

As you can see from the before and after shots below, DeskShade cleaned my desktop up quickly and easily. The ease of install and use alone is enough for a product like DeskShade to stand on, but the visually pleasing desktop you get after you’re finished is certainly worth taking the time to download a shareware app.

While I feel like my results are pretty drastic and, as far as I’m concerned, outstanding, I want to know what you think. Do you know a better solution for cleaning up the desktop? How do you keep your wallpaper visible and files straightened up? Sound off in the comments!