Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided for optimizing selection of files for deletion from one or more data storage devices to free up a predetermined amount of space in the one or more data storage devices. A method includes analyzing an effective space occupied by each file of a plurality of files in the one or more data storage devices, identifying, from the plurality of files, one or more data blocks making up a file to free up the predetermined amount of space based on the analysis of the effective space of each file of the plurality of files, selecting one or more of the plurality of files as one or more candidate files for deletion, based on the identified one or more data blocks, and deleting the one or more candidate files for deletion from the one or more data storage devices.